The word of “stay calm” to those starting a new life. An interview with Kyuyoh Ishikawa

ーー: The "Ochitsuke" techo is an April-start techo. People starting their new school or work year* are probably feeling hopeful and nervous at the same time, so the words “stay calm” is a perfect message to those people. Your talk of not getting tied up was motivating.

*In Japan, new school or fiscal years typically start in April.

Ishikawa: I try not to schedule things in. Everyone tends to make plans right away. If my memory is correct, young people started to own techo books from around the 1990s after the “bubble economy” burst. And that’s when everyone started to fill in their schedules. While I am a regular user of the Hobonichi Techo, I don’t use it.

ーー: You’re a regular user but you don’t use it…? If you don’t mind, can you show us your techo?

Ishikawa: There’s only one section I use. People are amazed how I can understand what I’ve written in.

ーー: Wow, your yearly calendar is packed! Does this mean you schedule everything here?

Ishikawa: I first fill in dates of my exhibition. Days I teach at university, teach lessons, give talks… those are mainly what my schedules consist of. I occasionally paste things in, but the rest is blank. The wide spaces are useful, but the most important part is this calendar.

ーー: It’s easy to see exhibition schedules that extends to a few months at a glance.

Ishikawa: Yes, it’s great to be able to see everything in one place. People ask me if I can understand my entries, but the answer is no, I don’t.

Ishikawa: There are times when I wonder what I’ve written, but I know that there’s something for sure.

Ishikawa: You’re right, I’ve written “Hobonichi”. Although I don’t use it much, I love this leather cover, and the weight is just right. There are a lot of pockets in the cover, so I can put in things I want to carry around.

ーー: We’re happy to know you’ve freely used this techo and not be confined to the functions of a techo. There isn’t a specific way to use the Hobonichi Techo, so we hope you continue to use it in your own way. When you normally write words or essays, what kind of stationery do you use?

Ishikawa: I normally use a pencil, mechanical pencil and a ballpoint pen. I use this (Mitsubishi Pencil: Signo Bold) to write manuscripts because it’s so easy to write using this. The ink flows well and thanks to the pen not scratching against the paper, my thought process flows out as well. Normal ballpoint pens kind of sticks, and you have to apply a certain amount of pressure. The way the ink flows is perfect to write drafts.

Ishikawa: I can wholeheartedly recommend this. There’s a script where I used a 2B pencil, but I was bothered by how it scratched against the paper.

ーー: During your talk with Itoi, I was interested to hear you saying that writing starts with you thinking “I like this pen”. Have you tested out multiple pens before encountering “the one”?

Ishikawa: There were times when I felt uncomfortable when writing, so I try to find a solution for it. When I encounter a good pen, I try it out. I do use paper that glides well for my manuscripts, but I felt that a 2B pencil didn’t cut it. When I write up to around 40 sheets, I’m bothered by how it scratches against the paper. I used to use this pen to write addresses, but it even glides well onto coated paper. When I use a regular ballpoint pen, the pen sinks in the paper, and if I use a fountain pen, the ink runs off. However, the ink in this pen sits well. It’s thanks to this pen that I’m able to complete pieces. There’s just one weakness though - the ink runs out quite quickly. That’s why I always buy three cases of refills so I don’t run out of stock.

ーー: On the other hand, what kind of mindset do you have when you hold a brush for your calligraphy?

Ishikawa: I can’t make a mistake with calligraphy. When I make a mistake in my drafts, I just have to scribble it out, so I try to write out all my thoughts out on paper as quickly as I can. That doesn’t mean I simply just write everything down - I do pick and choose -but I write down all my ideas even if they aren’t developed thoroughly. I can develop my thoughts during the proofreading stage. But when it comes to calligraphy, I only have one shot. The tension is different on a whole other level. One point, one stroke means everything so I can’t undo something.

ーー: Where do you draw a line between a good piece and a piece that should be thrown away?

Ishikawa: I know when I put the brush down on paper. Either that or on the first or second stroke. I instantly know from that point that this piece won’t go well, because that piece will develop from that first stroke. If the first stroke isn’t right, it means there’s a gap between my thoughts and what I physically write down. If my first stroke is right, the small mistakes made after that can be covered. Calligraphy is like life, so you can recover from small mistakes made in between. But if you make a mistake from the start, it’s hard to continue writing.

ーー: Does that strain get stronger with experience? Or do you get used to it?

Ishikawa: I think how tense you are changes depending on your daily routine. Speaking for me, my levels of concentration has changed drastically over the years. To think of how rough my calligraphy was back then! When I concentrate, I can’t hear the noises that surround me. Those noises are automatically processed within me, so I can hear them, but at the same time I don’t hear them. The other day, I did a public production where I worked for 2 hours per day for 3 days, plus hours I worked out of that added up to 4 hours. I still can concentrate up to 2 hours. I believe my face then didn’t seem real.

ーー: Concentration that’s out of this world. I’d love to have the opportunity to see it one day.

(To be continued)