About Joining and Course Fees
How to join and become a member of Shokaisha?
Simply complete our short form, make payment through Paypal, then we enrol you in the coursework. When you have registered for the course content, you will then be registered with the Shokaisha head office in Ikenohata, Tokyo.
How much does it cost?
Following the monthly subscription format of the Japanese calligraphy school system, there is a joining fee (£8, approx €9 or $11) as well as a monthly fee (£56, approx €64 or $74) (more info in our terms and conditions).
Who can join?
Following the Shokaisha school system, all students should be 18 years or older. There are no other entry requirements.
Try the coursework at our Zoom class, or start your Trial
To try out the Shokiasha coursework and meet the teacher you can either 1) join our monthly online Pure Wind class on Zoom, or 2) start a trial (in-person or online).
If you join our friendly monthly online class on Zoom (booking through Eventbrite), you will receive an example of the monthly course material and guidance at the class from Blair on how to brush it. The class is monthly on a Monday evening at 7pm – 8.30pm (UK time).
Alternatively if you choose the trial, you will receive an example of the monthly course material and guidance on how to brush it, and the option to meet Blair (either at our monthly Pure Wind in-person group, or alternatively by booking a 30 minute online Zoom meeting from one of our available time slots) and have your copy corrected and teaching support given. Please note that during the trial period you will not become a member of Shokaisha nor receive a rank or calligraphy name. Once you have met the teacher Blair, brushed a monthly assignment example, and had correction and guidance on your assignment, your trial will end, otherwise the trial will finish one month after purchase.
What about buying materials and their costs?
You will be expected to buy materials to do your own practice (except at our in person Pure Wind class where basic materials are supplied). Guidance will be given on what to buy and from where. There are costs to buy Shokaisha’s recommended materials (this is up to students to decide to buy these or not).
Are there other costs?
As we follow Shokaisha’s calligraphy system and fee paying structure, there are other optional costs which are for you to decide whether these are necessary for you, and your teacher can advise you. These are:
- Charge for submitting for the Shiken 試験 annual exam assignments: submission is once a year by mid February and are a method for students to move up the ranking system, and improve skills. The cost for shiken submission increases with the rank (due to the number and size of assignments given for higher ranking students). For instance in 2026 the cost for students to submit assignments to enter the upper rank of Shodan 初段 was 6000Y (approximately £30). Again it is up to the student whether they would like to submit for the exams.
- Optional exhibition costs: for students who wish to exhibit in Japan, there are costs for submission, as well as cost for the work to be prepared and framed in Japan for the exhibition. In the 2026 Shokaishaten exhibition for example, the smallest size of work had a submission fee of 15,000Y (approximately £75). Your teacher, or the Shokaisha office, can guide you with exam and exhibition fees.
Membership, payment breaks and cancellation
Please let us know if you are thinking of stopping your subscription. In keeping with the Shokaisha school system, unfortunately if you stop your monthly subscription, you will automatically lose access to all new course materials, as well as lose your membership of Shokaisha. It is possible though to re-start your membership again later, however please note that you will need to pay the joining fee again at that time (to cover the admin cost of re-registering). Also, if you need access to any particular missed course materials, which may be necessary for the shiken 試験 annual exam assignments, you will be asked to pay the monthly fee(s) for the missed month(s) that you request. You can cancel your monthly subscription through Paypal, at any time during your billing cycle.
Is there a cooling off period?
There is a 14-day cooling off period from the date you pay for your first month’s payment, however please note that in keeping with UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, as the coursework is available as downloadable digital content, from the date that you decide to start to access your digital content (by registering for the online course content using Canvas) you therefore agree to waive the 14-day cooling off period from that date of access. So if you don’t want to waive your 14-day cooling off period, please delay registering for the course content (on Canvas) until after 14 days from the date of your purchase.
We answer more questions in our FAQ section. If there is something we haven’t covered, feel free to email us.