Copy of Reiwa calligraphy to be displayed from Saturday

May 23, 2019

Tokyo--A copy of the calligraphic work used in announcing Japan's new era name, Reiwa, will be on display to the general public from Saturday at the National Archives of Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday.

The calligraphic copy will be printed at its actual size on "hoshogami," a kind of "washi" traditional Japanese paper, also used for the original work. The copy will be put in the frame used for the announcement.

"By allowing the people of Japan to view something close to the actual work, I hope the new era name will be widely accepted and deeply rooted in people's lives," Suga said at a press conference.

The actual calligraphy used in the announcement is currently preserved by the Cabinet Office, in accordance with official guidelines for the management of government records.

In spring 2021 at the earliest, the original work will be moved to the National Archives in Kitanomaru Park, adjacent to the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, to be put on public display there. Suga had indicated the government's willingness to have the duplicate displayed as a provisional measure. Jiji Press