Mr. Otomo was born in Misuzawa, Tsuruoka City, and as a child, dreamed of becoming a voice actor. He started his drama career in a theatre company, but the death of his grandparents caused him a change of heart. He returned home, deciding to become the successor to his family’s business, Touunji Temple. While also working as a care assistant and some other jobs, he trained to become a monk in Zenpoji. While at Zenpoji, he was assigned to the task of writing the amulets, and this started his career in calligraphy. He is keenly aware of the importance of not only the mental approach to his calligraphy work, but also his posture every time he writes.

Message to participants in the Zen at Zenpoji Experience:

“Calligraphy directly reflects your present condition, situation, state, and circumstances. As such, you will never be able to write anything in the same way twice. It is exemplary of the Japanese ‘once in a lifetime’ proverb, ‘Ichi-go Ichi-e’ (一期一会). There must be a great many calligraphers in the world, and I am just a monk, so I always try to teach the heart, the philosophy of calligraphy, rather than forms or styles. I myself always try to put my soul into what I write on amulets or goshuin seals, imagining the wishes or hopes of those recipients. I would also like to remind you of the importance of expressing your heart by handwriting letters, a method increasingly neglected in this digital age.”

Hobbies: taido (a modern Japanese martial art) and karaoke