Japanese Calligraphy MUSUBI Craft Kit

Today’s words, composed with the same brush made using techniques that date back 1,200 years. Experience shodo (Japanese calligraphy) at home with the Japanese Calligraphy MUSUBI Craft Kit.

In a small town in Shiga Prefecture, Hankeido has been making brushes for over 400 years. Now in the hands of sixteenth-generation Fujino Unpei, each of its Tenpyo brushes is still bound by hand with both bristles and paper, a category known as makifude, literally “wrapped brushes.”

Hankeido’s craftspeople bundle the core hairs together with thread, wrap them in washi paper, add a layer of outer hairs, bind them with hemp thread, then finally seat the brush in the shaft and shape the tip.

Makifude are Japan’s oldest surviving style of calligraphy brush, and Hankeido never stopped making them over its four centuries of continuous operation. One dating back to the Tenpyo era (729–749 CE) is an imperial treasure held in the Shosoin Repository. It was recreated in 1979 by the fourteenth-generation Fujino Unpei at the Imperial Household Agency’s request. Now, a brush made in this same lineage arrives on your desk.

The Tenpyo brush’s washi-bound structure holds a generous amount of ink, letting you write long, flowing passages before your next dip.

The ink stick (sumi) is hand-crafted by Kinkoen, a family line of ink makers active since the Edo period (1603–1868 CE). The sixth and seventh generations continue their work in Nara, shaping the soot of Japanese red pine into ink sticks ready to grind against textured stone.

The inkstone (suzuri) is the work of Tosa Inkstone Iki, a workshop in the inkstone-producing region of Mihara, Kochi Prefecture. Here, craftspeople carve each Tosa inkstone one piece at a time from stone sourced from the mountains of Mihara Village.

The sound of an ink stick moving across the inkstone. The earthy scent of the ink. A brush balanced between fingers and paper. What you compose is yours to decide. Take up a brush shaped by over a millennium of craftsmanship, and allow your own words to appear from your own hand. That time itself is at the heart of this set.

Kit includes:

• Tenpyo brush (small)
• Ink stick
• Inkstone
• Water dropper
• Brush rest
• Two-sided washi paper postcards: 20 sheets
  

MUSUBI Originals

MUSUBI Originals brings together MUSUBI KILN’s original creations—each rooted in Japanese tradition and reimagined for modern life. From thoughtfully curated tableware sets and organic incense designed to restore inner balance, to hands-on craft kits developed with master artisans, every collection reflects a shared philosophy: honoring craftsmanship, embracing mindful living, and finding beauty in the process. These originals invite you to slow down, engage your senses, and experience Japan’s cultural heritage through objects made with purpose, care, and intention.

MUSUBI CRAFT KITS

The MUSUBI Craft Kits Collection is an invitation to pause and connect with the heart of Japanese craftsmanship. Created for those who value authenticity and creativity, these kits offer a deep dive into traditional arts that go beyond the surface. Each set, complete with the essentials, is curated by skilled artisans, ensuring that the rewarding challenge of the process leads to a truly soulful and immersive experience.

This collection is about the beauty of the process and offers an accessible way to bring the wisdom of centuries-old crafts into your modern life.