Tagoya |link|

There is a word missing from our modern vocabulary. We have words for the anxiety of a ringing phone ( ringxiety ), for the art of leaving a book unread ( tsundoku ), and for the exhaustion of being watched ( being ‘on’ ). But we have no efficient name for the specific, crystalline loneliness of a temporary shelter in a harvested rice field on the cusp of winter. For the sake of this meditation, let us call it Tagoya .

Tagoya involves the use of a brush (called a "fude") and ink (called "sumi") to create beautiful, expressive characters on paper or silk. The techniques used in Tagoya are highly nuanced and require great skill and practice. Some of the key techniques include: tagoya

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Tagoya, with some modern practitioners attempting to revive and reconstruct this ancient martial art. However, due to its obscure and fragmented history, Tagoya remains a challenging art to study and master. There is a word missing from our modern vocabulary

The origins of Tagoya date back to the Heian period (794-1185 CE), when Japanese calligraphy was heavily influenced by Chinese styles. Over time, Japanese calligraphers developed their unique techniques, tools, and aesthetic, which became known as Tagoya. The art form was initially used for writing Buddhist scriptures, poetry, and official documents, but it soon spread to become an integral part of Japanese art and culture. For the sake of this meditation, let us call it Tagoya

The core principles of Tagoya include:

: Their catalog typically includes everything from heavy-duty tatami mats for dojos to professional-grade uniforms (Judogis and Karategis) and protection gear.

In our era of 24/7 connectivity, we have lost the ability to be temporarily irrelevant. We cannot sit in a field and simply watch the dark arrive. We need a structure for that. We need a ritual. The tagoya is that ritual. It is the permission slip to be useless, to be cold, to listen to the silence until the silence begins to speak.