City of Kobe: Presentation of the title of Honorary Citizen of Kobe City

Press Release (October 23, 2024)
Secretary Division, Mayor’s Office

Presentation of the title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Kobe

The title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Kobe was presented today, Wednesday, October 23, as follows.

1. Recipient

Calligrapher Masakichi Ishige
(Artist name: Keido Ishige)
*For a brief biography and summary of his achievements, please see the attached sheet (PDF: 415KB )
(A scene from the presentation ceremony on that day)

2. Reason for presentation of title

　Mr. Masakichi Imo (pseudonym Keido Imo), a native and resident of Kobe, is one of Japan’s leading calligraphers, and is highly regarded for his “kana” writing technique called “scatter writing,” which combines the beauty of traditional calligraphy with a modern aesthetic sense.
　He studied calligraphy under Fukayama Ryudo while a student at Hyogo Prefectural High School and received his first prize at the Japan Art Exhibition (“Nitten”) in 1961, and has received numerous awards, including the Kobe City Cultural Award in 1998, the Prime Minister’s Award at Nitten in 2001, the Japan Art Academy Award in 2003, and the Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, and was awarded the Order of Culture in 2023 He is also a member of the Japan Art Association, the Japan Art Association, and the Japan Art Association.
　He has also held key positions in several calligraphy organizations, including President of the Japan Calligraphy Culture Association, and has been active in promoting and educating the public about calligraphy, which was registered as a registered intangible cultural property in 2021. In addition, thanks to his efforts, the Agency for Cultural Affairs officially decided in January 2024 to submit a proposal for the registration of Japanese calligraphy as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and his contribution to the promotion and development of Japanese calligraphy culture has been outstanding.

Reference

About “Honorary Citizens of Kobe City”
The title of “Honorary Citizen of Kobe City” is awarded to citizens of Kobe or persons closely related to the city who have contributed to the development of society and culture by promoting public welfare or advancing academic arts and crafts, and whose achievements have been outstanding.

Past recipients (9 persons)