The air was tense in the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo on Thursday morning as nearly 5,000 contestants concentrated on perfecting each stroke during an annual calligraphy contest traditionally held at the beginning of the new year.
The competition requires participants to write phrases or poems of increasing complexity with a traditional brush and black ink within an allotted 24 minutes.
Those taking part, aged from three to 93, were judged on the beauty of their strokes and the expression of their writing.
The winners will be announced at a separate ceremony on February 26.
Known as "Kakizome", which means "first writings", events to practise calligraphy are held in venues across Japan, during which people write auspicious characters or phrases meant to help strengthen one's resolve and resolutions in the year ahead.