I first fell in love with the art of calligraphy thirty years ago. While I had attended a callegraphy school as a child, it was not until after I graduated from university that I truly became fascinated with the art. I had studied psychology at Gakugei University in Tokyo. After my mother died, I felt that I needed an activity to help me get through the days. It was then that I decided to knock on the door of the school run by that great master of calligraphy, Chiseki Kimura, one of the judges for the National Calligraphy Exhibition, a major annual event.

At that time, I was working as the executive secretary to a member of the Diet (the national parliament), representing one of the counties near my birthplace, the prefecture of Yamaguchi. As fate would have it, I met my future husband at work, eventually moving with him to Canada. Who would have believed it? Even once I had decided to leave Japan, most of my friends tried to talk me out of it. I met so many important people through my work, they said, why would I want to go somewhere so far away, where I would know no one but my husband? But I followed my heart, thinking this a wonderful opportunity.

Whatever happened I didn't want to regret missing out on what seemed like such a tremendous challenge. It did look like a bit of a gamble. I must admit, but I was prepared to risk everything.