1.3. KANJI 29
The poem, in styleLastly, there are two ”traditional” styles that you only find used invery specific applications: reisho,
, ”square style” or ”block style”, and
tensho,
, ”seal style”. These two styles are not just traditional but ”an-
cient” styles, in that they are styles found used far back in Japanese history
on official records and seal stamps (respectively). Tensho is still used in
personal stamps – in Japan you do not sign documents with a signature,
but you put your personal stamp on the document. Everyone who has
ever signed something has one of these, and you’ll probably know them
from the distinctive red-ink kanji-in-a-circle or kanji-in-a-square signs on
Chinese and Japanese paintings and brush works. Illustrating these using
the again:
The poem, in style