TOKYO FOREVER

I love ink!

Oh man, Japan. This may be an overstatement, but when I pass away, and if I go to heaven, I hope it’s like Tokyo. There are two cities that make me feel at home deep in my bones: New York City and Tokyo. When I visit Tokyo, I feel alive, inspired, and like I want to learn everything about it (which is, of course, impossible). I have so much respect for the craft people and makers who live in Japan.

We were lucky to live in Tokyo for four months, and our daughter even went to preschool there. I used every day to explore and be inspired.

One of the best things about our stint in Japan was learning about ink. I adore graphic design in Japan, and I noticed that many logos and signs were clearly handmade. I wanted to understand how those marks were made.

Sumi-e is a traditional Japanese ink wash painting style that focuses on minimalism, spontaneity, and capturing the essence of a subject using only black ink, brushes, and paper. It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly nuanced. You grind solid ink sticks on a stone, control the density of the black, and learn how pressure, speed, and water change everything. Usually, each line is only one stroke. So tricky!

After some research, I found an amazing sumi-e teacher, Tamayo Samejima.

Tamayo is not only extraordinary with a brush and ink, but she also creates performance art, painting kimono and textiles. Her work feels modern, bold, and fresh while still deeply rooted in tradition. And she is a wonderful teacher: patient, encouraging, and deeply knowledgeable about both technique and the cultural context behind the work.

In my first lesson, we started simply—with fruit—and spent a surprising amount of time just learning how ink moves on paper.

I actually was not that great at Sumi-e, but it opened up a whole new door for me as I had always wanted to create hand-lettering with ink, but didn’t understand the tools. I brought back inks and have been practicing with ink every single day since our stint in Japan. I feel so thankful for the practice.

If you’re visiting Tokyo and interested in learning something traditional in a non-touristy way, I can’t recommend Tamayo’s classes enough; they are more modern and less mainstream than others you may find. Plus, she’s a really inspiring artist! Don’t forget to check out her online shop.

https://www.tamayosamejima.com/en/sumie-painting-class/