Akafude Sensei (online)
No calligraphy class near you?
Your child writes at home.
A real teacher
sends back red ink.
A veteran Kodomo School teacher reviews every sheet by hand, from Japan. Monthly practice sheets and a learning plan made for your child, wherever you live and whatever your time zone.
FreeAkafude SenseiGet your child’s first sheet reviewed freeTakes 1 minute · questions welcome- From ¥2,980 a month
- Ages 5–15
- Brush or pencil
- Any time zone
- No postage
Since 1972 · about 90 classrooms in Aichi and Shizuoka, Japan
One sheet
at a time.
Does this sound
like your family?
- We live outside Japan and want our child to write Japanese properly
- There is no Japanese calligraphy class for children near us
- Our child goes to Japanese weekend school and could use more practice
- We may move back to Japan and want our child ready for school writing lessons
- Our child practises alone but doesn’t know what to fix
- Our child is learning Japanese and loves writing kanji
Then let your child write at home,
and have a teacher check it.
The teacher with
the red brush
Aka means red and fude means brush. In Japan, calligraphy teachers check children’s work with red ink called shuboku. They circle what went well and write corrections right on the paper. Akafude Sensei brings that same teacher to your home, online.
- Shodo
- Japanese calligraphy
- Mōhitsu
- Writing with a brush and ink
- Kōhitsu
- Neat handwriting with a pencil
- Hanshi
- Thin calligraphy paper (24 × 33 cm)
- Shuboku
- The red ink teachers use
3 reasons children improve
without a classroom
1Red ink shows
exactly what to fix
Calligraphy teachers in Japan correct work in red ink. Our veteran teachers do the same, writing directly on your child’s sheet. One sheet with red ink teaches more than many sheets practised alone.
- A double circle for what went well
- Corrections in red, right on the characters
- A comment and one goal for next time
2A plan made
for your child
From the first sheet we look at how your child writes today, set a 3-month goal and choose each month’s sheets to match. Beginners and experienced children each get their own path.
- We share the 3-month goal at the start
- Every 3 months, a short review of what your child can now do
- The returned PDFs become a record of progress
3Any time zone.
No live classes
Your child writes whenever it suits your family: a quiet weekend morning, an evening after school. Everything goes by PDF and email, so there is no postage and no waiting for mail from Japan.
- One calm sheet on Saturday morning
- Kakizome practice before the New Year
- Support for Japanese weekend school
A sheet full of
red ink, on your phone
What a returned PDF looks like (diagram)
- ◎
A double circle for what went well
We always start with praise. Wanting to keep going matters most.
- 朱
Corrections in red, right on the sheet
Stroke direction, size, balance, the centre line. You can see at a glance what to change.
- 言
A comment from the teacher
Short, warm comments in Japanese with furigana readings. If your child reads English more easily, tell us and we will add a short note in English.
- →
One goal for the next sheet
Only one goal at a time, so your child knows exactly what to focus on next.
Write, send,
and get red ink back
No special equipment. A phone is all you need.
- 1Sheets arrive
At the start of each month, we email model sheets (PDF) chosen for your child.
- 2Write at home
Any time, as many times as you like. Brush on hanshi, or pencil on paper.
- 3Send a PDF
Scan your child’s best sheet with a phone and email it to us.
- 4Red ink comes back
A veteran teacher adds red-ink corrections and comments, usually within a week.
Making a PDF is easy. iPhone: Notes app → “Scan Documents”. Android: Google Drive app → “Scan”. Our sheets are A4; on Letter-size paper, choose “Fit to page” when you print.
Veteran teachers
from Kodomo School
Every sheet is reviewed by hand by one of our veteran calligraphy teachers, who have taught children in our classrooms in Japan for many years. No AI, no machines: a real teacher looks closely at your child’s writing, notices their habits and celebrates their effort.
- 50+years of teaching
- ~90classrooms in Aichi and Shizuoka
- Calligraphy contest every January
Kodomo School grew out of Morita Juku, founded in Toyohashi in 1972. Today we teach soroban, calligraphy and art to children in Japan and in Hanoi, Vietnam.
From ¥2,980 a month
That’s about ¥100 a day. Monthly practice sheets and the learning plan are included.
Basic
2 sheets reviewed a month
¥2,980/ month (tax incl.)
A gentle start. Good for busy children with other activities
Standard
4 sheets reviewed a month
¥3,980/ month (tax incl.)
About one sheet a week. The plan where progress shows fastest
Enrollment fee¥4,800One time, the same as our classrooms in Japan. Free for the second child onward. No enrollment fee for children already attending a Kodomo School classroom.
- ¥0postage
- ¥0first sheet
- Includedsheets & plan
Prices include tax and are in Japanese yen. Families prepare their own tools (brush, ink, hanshi paper, pencils); calligraphy sets are sold online in many countries. After you apply, we will email you how to pay.
Legal notice under the Specified Commercial Transactions Act (in Japanese)
Questions from parents
Who corrects the work?
Veteran calligraphy teachers from Kodomo School, who have taught children in our classrooms in Japan for many years. Every sheet is reviewed by hand.
What age can my child start?
From age 5 up to 15. Brush writing usually starts around age 8 (Grade 3 in Japan). Younger children can begin with pencil.
Does my child need to speak Japanese?
It helps if your child reads hiragana or is learning it. Children learning Japanese as a second language can start with hiragana in pencil. Please tell us your child’s level in the form.
Are the teacher’s comments in English?
Comments are written in simple Japanese with furigana readings. If your child reads English more easily, tell us and we will add a short note in English. You can write to us in English or Japanese.
We don’t have a brush or hanshi paper.
Your child can start with pencil only. Calligraphy sets and hanshi paper are sold online in many countries. We will tell you what to get after you apply.
Can I send a photo instead of a PDF?
We recommend a PDF scan, because the paper comes out flat and bright and the teacher can correct small details. If that is difficult, please ask us.
How long until the work comes back?
Usually within a week (Japan time).
How do I pay from abroad?
Prices are in Japanese yen. After you apply, we will email you how to pay.
Is the first sheet really free?
Yes. After you apply, your child’s first sheet is reviewed free. Decide whether to continue after you see the red ink. If you continue, there is a one-time enrollment fee of ¥4,800 plus the monthly fee (no enrollment fee for children already attending our classrooms).
Start with your
first sheet, free
See the red ink first, then decide whether to continue.
- Apply (1 minute)Use the form below. Questions only are welcome too.
- We email youHow to start, plus your child’s first practice sheet.
- Write and send one sheetIt comes back with red ink and a comment, free.