Wish Scroll: A Character Chosen for You
Wish Scroll is a mini hanging scroll that carries a Japanese character chosen for you by a calligrapher. First, you pick and write one character of your own in a calligraphy workshop. Then the calligrapher selects another character, based on the person they’ve seen in front of them.
By AAJ Editorial TeamChoose Your Character
Wish Scroll is created by Treasure Japan, which runs Japanese cultural experiences at temples, shrines and traditional Japanese houses in Tokyo. Calligraphy is at the core of its programs.
You begin by choosing one Japanese character that means something to you. The calligrapher shows you how to hold the brush, how to sit, and how to make the basic strokes, and then you practice. You also spend some time thinking about why you chose it. Then you write it once on a large sheet with a large brush, using your whole arm and shoulder for each stroke.
A Second Character, Chosen for You
At the end of the experience, the calligrapher chooses a second character as a gift. They base their choice on your conversation and how you handled the brush. The calligrapher then explains the meaning behind the choice and writes it in front of you.
You end up with two characters: the one you picked for yourself and the one the calligrapher saw in you.
Take Home a Piece of Japanese Craft
The calligrapher’s character is mounted as a Wish Scroll, Treasure Japan's original mini hanging scroll. The washi paper is made by a washi craftsman, the mounting is handled by a traditional scroll mounter, and the paulownia box is made by a woodworker.
The scroll measures approximately 10 × 30 cm. Stored in its paulownia box, the set is just 8 × 6 × 4 cm—small enough to fit easily in your luggage. At home, the scroll can be displayed in your room, keeping a memory of your time in Japan close at hand.
DATA
Experience: Wish Scroll (mini hanging scroll)
Available from: October 2026
Scroll size: Approximately 10 × 30 cm
Box size: Approximately 8 × 6 × 4 cm
Includes: Mini hanging scroll, paulownia box, certificate of authenticity
Official website: https://treasure-japan.jp/
