Character-building

What's the criteria here - smoothness of brushstrokes? Original fonts? These all look very ordinary.

Yes, you would surely win this competition ^^^^^ Can you see all 3000 entries in this photo?

That was a genuine request for information but thanks for your valuable input. Maybe I shoulde elaborate:

Out of this sizeable subset (probably around 200-ish) to my eyes I don't see anything that stands out from your average shop sign in the city. I'm presuming then that the criteria the judges are using are not exactly the same as what I would use (e.g. creative fonts)

I'm actually more wondering about the written text. As far as I can read a lot of them have written the same. Unless that depends on their school grade? In that case good luck to the younger classes compared to the elder classes, though that might explain why some of them only have written hiragana.

It's shodo (calligraphy), so it's all about form, neatness, size, balance, the way the ink has spread, etc. In this category there is no room for originality, there are other categories for that though. Like most Japanese arts that end in Doo (kendo, shodo, chado etc) practice makes perfect. These kids will most probably attend weekly lessons, they are pretty good.

My son finished his Shodo school-work for this holiday. Hanging up to dry.

Not that easy to do a neat and clean writing.

After 30 sheets of splattered shoji and 2 days of struggling with brush stroke length, width, balance and form (not to mention the unforgivably severe instruction from mother), my daughter finally produced an ironical ”美し朝”.

Such number of entrants will be telling that Japan still hold its own culture. Being a calligrapher even during the new year holidays would be welcomed.

Enjoy the beauty and Japaneseness of the picture!

It's a chicken scratch contest, braaaaaaack!

I see the title of the photo is "Character-building." Calvin, of Calvin & Hobbes, said "Every time I've ever tried building character I've regretted it!" Ha ha!

Natsukashii! I took Shodô classes in high school and University!

Sarge, props for knowing the classics!