Overview
Give your child a calm, confidence-building after school environment where Japanese arts and values enrich and inspire.
In this bilingual Japanese–English class, students explore shodō (calligraphy) and sumi-e (ink painting) while also practicing everyday courtesies from Japanese culture—greetings, posture, caring for tools, turn-taking, and respect for others—through hands-on activities.
Weekly themes connect art-making with cultural elements such as seasonal traditions and simple Japanese words and phrases to build focus, mindfulness, and pride in effort. Guided by experienced instructors, children develop fine-motor skills and concentration—along with empathy, patience, and responsibility that carry beyond the studio into home and school life.
About
Taisan Tanaka
Japanese Abstract Calligrapher
Taisan is a Japanese abstract calligrapher, based in NYC. Taisan started his career in 2000 in Tokyo. After many exhibitions in galleries throughout Japan, his unique art became a phenomenon. In 2011, after the
great earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region of Japan, the Ministry of Defense wanted to thank the American military for their help during this crisis. They asked master Taisan to perform a live
calligraphy in front of the officials. The word chosen by Taisan was the word "Gratitude". Then Taisan moved to New York City in 2015. He has exhibited globally including solo exhibitions and performances in Frankfurt, Germany; Oviedo, Spain; Stockholm, Sweden and more.
