'Enso' Caligraphy Painting – Machiya House Features

There is a calligraphy painting of an ‘enso’ (a circular shape drawn with a single stroke, with no starting point or ending point) in the Japanese tatami room of this machiya house in Kyoto.

In Zen Buddhism, enso can represent enlightenment or the universe, but it can be interpreted however the viewer chooses, too. That is why sometimes, it is said to be a “reflection of the heart”.

By the way, this calligraphy was painted using ‘sumi’ ink, which is made of natural materials (soot, animal glue, perfume). Sumi ink was invented in China about 2,200 years ago, but in Japan, sumi ink production methods were introduced during the Asuka period (710-794). One benefit of using sumi ink is that it does not fade easily – even after thousands of years.

Rent out this entire Japanese holiday house during your next stay in Japan, and admire the traditions of Japan that have been passed down through generation to generation in ‘Kakishibu-an’ Machiya House.