The exhibition “LA VAGUE HOKUSAI – Masterpieces from the Hokusai-kan Museum of Obuse,” presented at the Château des ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, opened on June 28 and closed on September 7. At the opening, I performed a calligraphy demonstration and created the work “The Wave – Without Water, No Calligraphy,” as an homage to Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, repeatedly tracing the ancient character for water.

The work was displayed throughout the entire exhibition and has now been officially donated to the château, for which I received a certificate of donation. Calligraphy cannot exist without water, and I held the brush with a deep awareness of the importance of this essential element. To be able to contribute to such a magnificent exhibition, while sensing Hokusai’s universe across time and space, was a true joy. I was also delighted to meet and exchange with many people during the calligraphy workshops.

I would like to express my profound gratitude to H.E. Mr. Shimokawa, Ambassador of Japan to France; to Mr. Nakano and Mr. Akimichi, who supported me from the preparation stage; to Mr. Bertrand Guillet, Director of the Nantes History Museum; to the entire team of the Hokusai-kan Museum of Obuse; and to all those involved in this project. With deep gratitude, I will cherish this moment as a precious memory.