For those who want to improve their everyday handwriting: How to choose a calligraphy teacher

"I want to write beautifully."
"I want to make my everyday handwriting look nice."
"I want to make the practical handwriting I use in daily life look nice."
"I want to make my ballpoint pen handwriting look nice."

To you, who feels this way:

If you want to "make your everyday handwriting look nice,"

"Please learn from a teacher who is truly skilled at writing in the Kaisho (block) script."

Yes, that is all.
(Is that it?!)

Yes, there is nothing more and nothing less to it.


Titles, qualifications, and background have absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Whether or not they are good at writing in the Kaisho script"—that is the only thing.
That is the only thing you should look at.


The Kaisho script is the correct, foundational style of writing,
a style that does not involve cursive or connected strokes.

If you are currently attending a class,
try asking your teacher
"Teacher, could you write this character in Kaisho script?"
in various situations.
And do it with a pen.
Also,
ask them to write "hiragana that harmonizes with the Kaisho script," in other words,
basic, non-cursive hiragana,
using a pen.


The quality of the teacher's writing at that moment,
the teacher's expression at that moment,
the teacher's reaction at that moment—

that is the result.


The majority of teachers who teach calligraphy
with the goal of "making handwriting look nice"
will likely find this hard to hear.

"Could you not teach that?"
"Could you not say that?"
"Who is this woman?" is what they are thinking about me.

If that is what you thought,
then that is your answer.

"Yes, exactly."
"I agree, I agree."
A teacher who thinks, "Well said," is a teacher who can properly write in the Kaisho script.

Ah, the feeling of having spoken the truth...

Not to blame anyone,

but since I am someone who specializes in "penmanship, Kaisho script, and hiragana,"
this implies that I am saying about myself,
"I am someone who is truly good at handwriting,"
so it was hard to say for that reason.
However,

even if I put myself aside,

I would surely say the same thing.
"Learn from a teacher who is good at writing Kaisho script with a pen."

If your goal is
"to make the handwriting I use in daily life look nice."

You cannot get back the time in your life.

I don't want you to make a mistake there.


"Um,
I think,

rather than the Kaisho script or whatever, I think a teacher with a good personality is the best..."
Oh,

oh,
certainly, certainly.

Yes, that is correct.
Indeed.

With that said,
I, with my bad personality,
will go back to immersing myself in "writing."