We dive into the archives to a fascinating crossover event where the digital world of programming clashed beautifully with the analog world of ink and brush.
Where Code Meets Calligraphy
CODE FESTIVAL is a premier programming contest for students and young engineers residing in Japan. Within this massive two-day event, a unique side competition was held: the “Calligraphy Coding Competition.”
Participants abandoned their keyboards for traditional calligraphy brushes to write algorithms, code snippets, or conceptual characters related to programming on paper. Chosho Yabe was invited to serve as a special judge, offering a professional calligrapher’s perspective on these unconventional “Sho” (works).
Judging the “Flow” of Code
The criteria went beyond legibility. Chosho evaluated the works based on the energy of the brushstrokes, the spatial composition, and the raw passion conveyed through the ink—elements that strangely resonate with the elegance and flow of good code.
For the winners, Chosho provided an exclusive reward: a live-calligraphed piece of their chosen word or phrase, written on the spot, framed, and presented as a one-of-a-kind trophy. It was a memorable fusion of the ancient and the futuristic.
Yabe Chosho Office
