Aida Mitsuo Calligraphy Exhibit

The Aida Mitsuo Calligraphy Exhibit was curated by the W&L Japanese Program and on display in Leyburn Library's Main Floor exhibit space during the month of January 2016.

Aida Mitsuo was a Japanese calligrapher and poet with a distinctive style of writing with brush and ink.  Many of his writings reflect his deep appreciation for life.  His words resonate with many people and have become a summons for us all to take a moment out of our busy lives to realize the preciousness of the here and now.  Aida’s writings became widely known with the 1984 publication of his book Ningen Da Mono (Because I’m Human).  In 1996 the Mitsuo Aida Museum opened in the Ginza district of Tokyo.  In 2003 the museum was relocated to the Tokyo International Forum.

During the 2015/2016 academic year, all students enrolled in Beginning through Advanced Japanese language classes at Washington and Lee University were asked to select an Aida Mitsuo phrase and render it in calligraphy.  The Aida Mitsuo Calligraphy Exhibit showcased the products of this endeavor.