What is design calligraphy?
Simply put, examples include "alcohol labels" and "letters on store signs."
Calligraphy has been a part of our lives since ancient times, but we believe that there is a style of calligraphy that is appropriate for each object, person, and event. Strict and proper calligraphy, soft and charming calligraphy, masculine and bold calligraphy, feminine and elegant calligraphy, etc.
Calligraphy that incorporates the meaning and feelings of the object can be called "design calligraphy."
I, Usui Hōkyu, am a qualified master of traditional calligraphy, but I also offer the best calligraphy in "design calligraphy," which includes modern design elements.
Born September 23, 1984
Hiroshima → Kyoto → Tokyo → Kyoto
Head of design calligraphy school "ZOU"
After working as a graphic designer, DTP operator, and fine art printing sales representative, he began studying under Professor Takeda Soho in 2017.
He is unique in proposing calligraphy from a designer's perspective, and creates everyday life in the future based on a premise story, letting his brush run freely across MUJIN.
Winner of the 19th Japan Design Calligraphy Award in 2018
Published in 2018 by Marl Publishing, featured calligrapher
2019 Calligraphy Performance Battle "Karasu" Jury Special Award
2020 Futaba Calligraphy Association "Tanabata Exhibition" Art Division Grand Prize Soun Award
Winner of the 20th Japan Design Calligraphy Award in 2020
2021 Futaba Calligraphy Association "Tanabata Exhibition" Seven Characters Free Choice Division Special Award
Winner of the Excellence Award at the 21st Japan Design Calligraphy Awards in 2022
2022, 2023 Futaba Calligraphy Association "Tanabata Exhibition" Art Division Outstanding Work Award
About the calligraphy style
世の中の「書風（文字のイメージ）」はこの５つの部類から成り立っていると臼井は考えます。
「豪氣」「流麗」「品格」「愛嬌」「無垢」
例として「永」という漢字で書き分けます
We will write each style 100% or consider a recipe that meets your request with the following mixtures.
As mentioned above, there are an infinite number of combinations, and beyond this "style" the "style of calligraphy" is determined, resulting in calligraphy that will last for 10, 20, or even 100 years.
Usui's proposal is calligraphy design that is closer to the desired characters than the infinite calligraphy style.
We bring out the best in things, people and events.
Creative process
1. Hearing
・Requested text ・Item ・Price range ・Target ・Location ・Interior/exterior, product packaging, etc. ・Calligraphy style (masculine and bold, feminine and elegant, etc.)
If you have any other images, please send them to us.
・Vertical or horizontal writing
・Use (printing, signboards, web, SNS, etc.)
If you would like, please tell us the origin or story behind the characters you are requesting.
After contacting us, we would like to meet you in person to discuss your needs.
If you are far away or have scheduling issues, we will meet via video conference.
We do not accept requests via phone or email only.
In addition to the above points, we also take into consideration the client's appearance and atmosphere.
This is to suggest calligraphy.
2. Creation and proposal
Delivery time is approximately 10 days from the first meeting.
If you require a quick delivery, please let us know in advance.
The general style of calligraphy was decided in the interview of 1.
Based on past trends, we offer the following examples:
[Example 1]
Desired text, store name: "Shangri-La"
Type of food: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
Location: Yotsuya, Tokyo
Owner: Male in his 40s
Price range: Around 7,000 yen per night
Target: 20s to 40s
Interior and exterior: Wood-like, Japanese modern style
Desired calligraphy style: Fantastic and cool
Usage: store signs, business cards, T-shirts, etc.
Plan A
The first book that inspired me
Plan B
Calligraphy with variations in thickness, thinness, and character shape
Plan C or D
In some cases, we propose bold, provocative calligraphy that is 120% in the style of Usui Hōkyū.
▼ Usui's comment
I could imagine the style of the calligraphy to some extent from the restaurant name, but considering the location and target audience , I started with a calligraphy style aimed at the general public. The request was for it to be "fantastic and cool," and the food served was "Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki," so I also tried to create a "soft and gentle" impression. Hmm... is it just me? Looking at these three calligraphy ideas, I can smell the delicious aroma of okonomiyaki...
[Example 2]
Desired text and product name: "Mitate"
Product: Beauty lotion
Sales location: Department stores
President: Woman in her 30s
Price range: from 20,000 yen
Target: Women in their 30s to 50s
Packaging: Simple Japanese paper style
Desired calligraphy style: A luxurious and beautiful image, vertical writing
Usage: Packaging, posters, websites, commercials, etc.
▼ Usui's comment
A high-end lotion. Not only does it have a great product name, but it also requires a true eye for beauty. I used the "kana" characters that have been passed down since the Heian period as a base and wrote it with an awareness of beautiful curves. I also included an image of innocence in plan C, to express the essence of beauty, the natural and innocent beauty of the thing itself.
[Example 3]
Desired text: "Vibes"
Title: Movie
Screening schedule: Cinemas nationwide
Director: Male in his 50s
Story: My mother is a skater, and the daily life and fiction of a stay-at-home skater
Target: Teens to 40s
Desired calligraphy style: Dynamic image
Usage: Video titles, flyers, posters, websites, commercials, etc.
▼ Usui's comment
Her mother is a skater. What a great catch. I can't wait to see it ^ ^ This movie will help boost the success of the Japanese skateboarding scene.
We have tried to maintain the dynamism you requested, and added the femininity and gentleness of "mother" to each of the designs, so that not only will it be catchy, but we would be happy if you can feel the vibe of just this book.
As you can see above, I imagined a fictitious request and wrote three drafts.
If you wish to make any revisions, we will make them as many times as you like.
However, each and every piece is a masterpiece that takes tens, even hundreds, of hours to create, and is adjusted digitally to the millimeter or even a decimal point.
If the revisions differ from your original request or are deemed to be clearly unreasonable, we will refuse your request.
※ Usui's commitment
▼Selecting tools
There are countless brushes, papers, inks, and inkstones. Each is carefully selected according to the style of the work.
"If you want a strong style of calligraphy, this is the brush for you." "I like a gorgeous image, so I'll use this washi paper." "If you want a natural, pure style of calligraphy, I'll grind the ink with this inkstone."
Even if the delivery is digital, the above selection is made, and even if it is digital, it will not be written on small sizes such as Japanese calligraphy paper or copy paper. If it is Japanese calligraphy paper, it will be expressed in the size of Japanese calligraphy paper. It will be written at least in a large size like a poster. Editing large characters into smaller ones gives the calligraphy a completely different vitality. I write with my thoughts in mind, based on the premise of such tool selection and writing posture .
▼デジタル補正
元DTPオペレーターでもある臼井は独自の手法で文字を切り抜き、
原本のクオリティを落とさずデジタル化いたします
データの最適な作成方法は使用用途により異なります。印刷用（名刺、パンフレット、看板、大型看板...etc）web用、動画用など使用用途をお尋ねさせていただきます。
3. Delivery
We will perform a final check of the data you have selected and deliver it to you.
Basically, data will be delivered in jpg, png, and pdf formats. AI or PSD data can also be delivered to designers.
*Prohibited items regarding delivery data
Character transformation, scaling, resizing of individual characters in the case of multiple characters, and moving each character left/right/up/down
Color changes and size changes are OK.
If you have any other edit requests, please contact us.
Various fees
Name for business card
Naming book (colored paper), etc.
¥70,000〜
Product name
Title etc.
¥110,000〜
Store name, company name, etc.
¥230,000〜
Calligraphy order
From 120,000
These are just estimates. (Created in April 2025)
Prices vary depending on size, number of characters, and delivery method.
Please contact us for more details.
We will also be happy to assist you with any inquiries regarding traditional culture projects, so please feel free to contact us for more details.
Frequently asked questions
Q
書いていただいた作品原本はいただけますか？
A
可能です。原本ご希望の場合は制作工程が多くなるため追加+50%の料金をいただいております。
また、別途料金となりますが、原本の軸装、額装も承っております。どんな表装がよいかお話しましょう！
Q
縦書き、横書きどちらも書いていただけますか？
A
はい。書かせていただきます。というより「つくらせていただきます」になると思います。
本来は両方の場合別途料金となりますが、今のところ料金変わらずでOKです。なぜかと言うと、デジタルで修正するからです。
ただし、縦と横では一文字ずつのバランスや流れが異なるため細かく微調整します。ご希望文字にもよりますが基本的にはデジタルで修正します。手間は増えることは間違いないので、できればどちらかのみだとありがたいです。。
Q
英文は書けますか？
A
書けます。過去実績もあり、書風の説明のとおり豪快でも流麗でも無垢でもご要望に調和した作品を書かせていただきます。
Q
10文字あるのですが、書いていただけますか？
A
これはいい質問です。もちろん可能です。だだ、過去に5文字以上書かせていただいたことが多々ありまして、5文字以下を書くときよりも苦戦しました。。もちろん最終的には最高の作品が書けたのですが。。
というわけで、5文字以上は1文字1万円いただいております。正直5文字だけでも大変なバランス能力が必要で、5文字以上は別途料金くださいm(_ _)m ※あくまで店名、社名が５文字以上の場合です。
Q
文章を書いていただけますか？
A
もちろん書きます。過去に企業理念等書かせていただいたことがあります。これに関しては5文字以上別途料金というわけにはいきませんので、まずは「文章」をご教示いただきご相談させてください。
Q
納品いただいたデータを編集したいのですが、、
A
色変更、等倍での拡大縮小はOKですが、文字の変形、一文字ごとの文字間の変更、行の移動などは禁止です。
といっても、字間修正や行の移動はデザインレイアウト上必要になってくることもあると思いますので、修正希望の場合は必ずご相談ください。場合によってはこちらで修正させていただきます。
Q
筆文字ロゴ納品後に印刷物デザインもお願いできますか？
A
お任せください。元DTPオペレーター、グラフィックデザインの実績も多々あり、自身が書いた書が活きるデザインを制作させていただきます。※WEB制作は協力会社様にお願いすることになります。
Q
書いていただいた文字を看板にしたいのですが、、
A
お任せください。無垢の木材看板に彫刻やプリントも可能です。こういったご要望も多く、いつも決まった専門の業者様へ発注させていただいております。看板だけでなく暖簾や横断幕、またはTシャツなどもお付き合いさせていただいてる専門業者様がいらっしゃるので筆文字だけでなく後工程までトータルでご提案可能です。
その他のご質問等ありましたら以下「お問い合わせ」にてご相談ください。
