This calligraphy work features the Japanese phrase “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne”, which literally means “The moon is beautiful tonight.”
 
The phrase is widely associated with a well-known anecdote attributed to the Meiji-era novelist Natsume Sōseki. According to the story, when a student translated “I love you” directly as “I love you,” Sōseki is said to have corrected them, explaining that Japanese people do not express love so explicitly. Instead, he suggested that saying “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne” would more naturally convey one’s feelings.
 
Although this story is now understood to be a later-created urban legend rather than historical fact, the phrase has endured as a romantic expression that reflects the subtlety, restraint, and emotional sensitivity often associated with Japanese culture. It has been passed down through generations as a poetic way of expressing love without stating it outright.
 
This hanging scroll presents “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne” rendered with Taisan’s distinctive calligraphic style—marked by boldness, strength, and dynamic movement—transforming a gentle, indirect expression of love into a powerful visual statement.
 
Size : 6' x 1'10" (183cm x 50cm)