Leaves of Words: Satoshi Nemoto, Tsuneo Nakazawa, Shinya Yamamura
October 30 – December 5, 2026
Opening Reception with Artists Satoshi Nemoto and Tsuneo Nakazawa: October 30, 6-8pm (kindly RSVP)
Artist Talk with Satoshi Nemoto and Tsuneo Nakazawa: October 31, 1-2pm (kindly RSVP)
35 N Moore Street, NYC

Ippodo Gallery is pleased to present Leaves of Words: Satoshi Nemoto, Tsuneo Nakazawa, Shinya Yamamura, opening October 30 through December 5, 2026.  The exhibition follows a single script across three materials and three hands: the brush of calligrapher Satoshi Nemoto, the forged iron of Tsuneo Nakazawa, and the mother-of-pearl inlay of lacquer master Shinya Yamamura.

“Japanese poetry takes the human heart as its seed and grows into myriad leaves of words.” Preface to the Kokin Wakashū, the earliest kana anthology written by the author Ki no Tsurayuki c. 905.

Kana emerged in the ninth century, when Japanese writers began abbreviating Chinese characters into a phonetic script of their own. In the Heian court, it flourished as the language of poetry and love letters—supple, cursive, and written in a single continuous breath; as much drawing as writing. A thousand years later, kana remains the writing of ordinary Japanese life while retaining its artistic origins. The exhibition features Nemoto’s original works of calligraphy written in Japanese kana, the strokes of each character overlayed and flowing. Nakazawa sculpts kana—from works written by Japan’s historical figures—in iron with inochige (“life brush”): a calligraphy term referring to the continuity of the line. Each work is fluid and unbroken in metal. Yamamura meticulously integrates the script into his tea caddies and incense boxes using traditional mother-of-pearl inlay.

The flowing nature of kana script evokes a visual language before any linguistic meaning. Each stroke inherently possesses rhythm, a breath in the spaces intentionally left between. When realized in raden lacquer and forged iron, the rhythm is given physical form. Set in lacquer by Yamamura, kana script catches the light in shifting color. Hammered into iron by Nakazawa, each mark becomes weighted and casts a shadow. Together the three artists trace one script from brush to iron to lacquer, and one idea from the ninth century to the present.

The exhibition is accompanied by an essay on Nemoto’s calligraphy by Sadako Ohki, Ph.D., the Former Japan Foundation Associate Curator of Japanese Art, Department of Asian Art, Yale University Art Gallery.

They are delighted to welcome the calligrapher Satoshi Nemoto and metal artist Tsuneo Nakazawa, who are travelling from Japan, with an Opening Reception on October 30 from 6-8pm. The artists will speak about the tradition of Japanese kana and waka poetry, as well as their individual artistic techniques during an Artist Talk on October 31 from 1-2pm.

To RSVP to the reception, click here and to RSVP to the artist talk, click here.

To learn more, click here.