Shoko Kanazawa, master calligrapher, with Down's Syndrome, on her appointment as Tokyo Tower Cultural Ambassador.
Today, Shoko Kanazawa is easily the most famous calligrapher in Japan and is recognized globally for her art. Among her many accomplishments, Shoko has created official posters for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, and held solo exhibitions in the United States and Brazil, as well as Japan. And, she annually creates the New Year's kanji for JAPAN Forward.
Tokyo Tower's appointment of Shoko as its first Cultural Ambassador comes as Japan eases border controls and foreign tourism resumes. Shoko's role will be to promote Japanese culture and art at the Tower.
Shin Maeda, President of Tokyo Tower, presented Shoko with a letter of appointment in the inauguration ceremony on October 18. In return, Shoko created a calligraphy celebrating the occasion and inviting everyone to come together again at Tokyo Tower.
The number of visitors to Tokyo Tower has recovered to about 60% of what it was before the pandemic.
In her post-performance speech, she said, "I put my heart and soul into writing this message of energy, happiness, and inspiration."
Noting the tower's celebration of diversity and culture, "Shoko is the ideal candidate to take on this role as the Tokyo Tower tourism ambassador," said Maeda.
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Author: Shaun Fernando
(Read the article in Japanese at this link.)
