For the love of caligraphy
Calligraphy champion and KCC student Rino Arita shares her passion for Japanese culture
Kristine Wada
Issue date: 10/26/09 Section: Profile
Originally from Gunma prefecture, Arita felt somewhat restricted by her deep involvement in calligraphy and left Japan in search of some freedom. Arita came to Hawai'i because her family loves the islands. She is majoring in liberal arts at KCC and has been living here for one and a half years.
Arita loves that Hawai'i has "no discrimination against different ethnic groups," but she does miss family, friends and food in Japan.
At KCC, Arita joined Fujikawa's JPN 290 class, where she was encouraged to share her passion for shodo. She actively participates with the International Café and has shared calligraphy presentations at the Honolulu Festival, Gen Fujikawa Memorial Fishing Tournament and Ninja Shootout, KCC International Festival and International Education Week and a disaster relief benefit for victims in the South Pacific.
Arita is deeply interested in different cultures: along with classes in linguistics and communication, she is taking courses in Hawaiian studies and Korean language. She wants to learn things like lomi lomi massage and beauty.
One day, Arita hopes to share her Japanese culture by teaching calligraphy classes in America.
Her studies in calligraphy have transferred to other parts of her life: "It helps my imagination when I think of how I can write a character. Calligraphy taught me concentration; when I study, when I play, I focus."
Fujikawa observed, "Shodo, the way of writing, has brought her [Arita] to this boundless path of possibilities."
Arita loves that Hawai'i has "no discrimination against different ethnic groups," but she does miss family, friends and food in Japan.
At KCC, Arita joined Fujikawa's JPN 290 class, where she was encouraged to share her passion for shodo. She actively participates with the International Café and has shared calligraphy presentations at the Honolulu Festival, Gen Fujikawa Memorial Fishing Tournament and Ninja Shootout, KCC International Festival and International Education Week and a disaster relief benefit for victims in the South Pacific.
Arita is deeply interested in different cultures: along with classes in linguistics and communication, she is taking courses in Hawaiian studies and Korean language. She wants to learn things like lomi lomi massage and beauty.
One day, Arita hopes to share her Japanese culture by teaching calligraphy classes in America.
Her studies in calligraphy have transferred to other parts of her life: "It helps my imagination when I think of how I can write a character. Calligraphy taught me concentration; when I study, when I play, I focus."
Fujikawa observed, "Shodo, the way of writing, has brought her [Arita] to this boundless path of possibilities."
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