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# Kagami Biraki Behind the Scenes:  Making the Shikiski Board
- URL: https://www.gojukarate.com/kagami-biraki-behind-the-scenes-making-the-shikiski-board/
- Published: 2026-01-08T16:30:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-08T16:30:51.000Z
- Description: Where does the shikishi board that holds the message of Kagami Biraki come from? This is an in-depth look behind the scenes of the making of the board itself.
- Author: Goju Karate
- Tags: Features

Everyone who has attended a [Kagami Biraki](https://www.gojukarate.com/kagami-biraki-millions-of-ki-ah/) event at our dojo or anyplace else in the world has seen the formal presentation of the "message" of that year's Kagami Biraki. It's a special moment, and helps mark the significance of the event – and it of course leads to the Kagami Biraki lecture that usually follows the workout.

But where does that board come from? 

We'll examine the process in detail, but here's the bottom-line: every ***shikishi*** board is hand-made, strictly for the occasion of that year's Kagami Biraki.

### Shikishi or Ofuda?

Let's define some terms first. A ***shikishi* 色紙 - しきし** board is generally paper (**washi 和紙**) that is backed by a more rigid material – usually a thick cardboard. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/shikishi-boards-goju-karate.jpg)

Typical SHIKISHI boards

These boards are typically used for a variety of purposes, including creating **shodo** or **sumi-e** drawing. (**sumi-e** is the art of ink drawing; usually only with a black ink, but many artists also use another one or two primary colors, such as red).

****Shodo 書道** is the art of writing kanji or kana in such a way that it expresses the meaning of the kanji or kana. For instance, shodo that depicts the characters for ****Goju 剛柔** might express the ****go 剛** character as very strong and linear, and the ****ju 柔** kanji as flowing, delicate, implying speed and angular movement.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/gassho-shodo.jpg)

A ****shikishi** board used for ****Shodo** (the kanji for Gassho \[Deep Appreciation\])

****Sumi-e** ****墨絵** is the art of ink drawing; usually only with a black ink, but many artists also use another one or two primary colors, such as red.   
  
The purpose of ****sumi-e** is to capture the essence of objects, emphasizing simplicity, and the spirit of nature through variations in ink and the brush strokes employed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/sumi-e-goju-karate.jpg)

A ****shikishi** board used for ****Sumi-e**

### Shikishi or Ofuda?

**Shikishi** boards perform many roles in the dojo: they can be used to display important concepts within karatedō; they can be issued on special occasions to commemorate an event of note; and they sometimes are used to create a message for a member of the dojo community to honor an achievement ([read about an example of this here](https://www.gojukarate.com/celebrating-soke-meitatsu-yagi-80th-birthday/)) or in sympathy and support during a time of struggle.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/kizuna-community-kanji-shodo-goju-karate.jpg)

An example of shodo on a shikishi board commemorating a birthday.

However, there is a special kind of **shikishi** board that is constructed differently. These are issued to commemorate special occasions or deliver special messages, and are called **ofuda お札**.

An **ofuda** can be considered a talisman or have other religious connotation. However it's worth mentioning here because the **shikishi** board used for Kagami Biraki is constructed similar to that of an **ofuda**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/Ofuda-goju-karate.jpg)

Examples of various ofuda

An **ofuda** differs from a standard **shikishi** board in this manner: instead of paper (**washi**) being backed by a stiffer cardboard backing, an **ofuda** is constructed by wrapping **washi** around a wooden board that can have a varying thickness (there are some **ofuda** that are used in volume to raise funds for temples, etc., that are wrapped around a cardboard core.)

There are non-religious uses for **ofuda**, but generally they are restricted to presenting **shodo** (never **sumi-e)** of significance, or for a significant occasion.

For a dojo, the most common of these uses is to deliver the Kagami Biraki message for the year.

Realistically, however, the **shodo** presented in this manner is often referred to as a **shikishi** board; it can also be called an **ofuda**, but that is less common.

### The Paper

The process starts with rolls of Oguni Fudagami ***washi*** – a special paper made from 100% mulberry bush fibers ("***kozo***") with a weight of about 58 gsm. The ***washi*** is medium-heavy, pretty strong, and has a sophisticated texture because of the mulberry fibers that make up the paper itself.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/washi-for-shikishi-goju-karate.jpeg)

Rolls of ****Washi** used to produce the Kagami Biraki ****shikishi** board

There are different grades and types of paper that can be used for **shikishi** boards, but generally all the papers have between 70% and 100% *kozo* content, and are "cooked" in soda ash and then set to dry on stainless steel sheets or drums.

### Making the Shikishi Board

The boards used for Kagami Biraki always have a wooden core. A simple piece of pine wood is cut to the approximate size needed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/wood-shikishi-board-goju-karate.jpeg)

Wood board that will become the core of the ****shikishi** board.

Once the board is laid on a piece of **washi**, the **washi** is then wrapped around the board and excess is cut away.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1568.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1571.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1573.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1577.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1578.jpeg)

Wrapping the wooden core in ****washi**.

And then finally, the board wrapping is complete, and the edges are either glued down or taped down.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/wrapped-board-goju-karate.jpeg)

The final board, from the back, showing the taped-down flaps of the ****washi**.

The actual **shikishi** board is now ready, with the flat and smooth face of the **shikishi** board prepared for **shodo** to be produced on it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1583.jpeg)

The surface of the ****shikishi** board displays the "tooth" of the ****washi**, ideal for ****shodo**.

### Completing the Shikishi Board

Once the **shikishi** board itself is ready, **shodo** can then be put on it. One of the advantages of the type of **washi** used and the construction of the board is that the **shikishi** board becomes an ideal surface to accept and absorb the ink and display the delicate and sophisticated brush strokes employed in **shodo**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1584.jpeg)

 A closeup view of the grain and texture of the ****washi** used.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1586.jpeg)

The completed board, ready to use. (Shodo inks are displayed next to the board.)

### The Final Step

After the **shodo** is produced on the **shikishi** board, the board is given a ribbon, string, or wire around the middle.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1591.jpeg)

A completed ****shikishi** board.

The ribbon or string is used to designate the importance of the message itself. It is not uncommon to display a number of **shikishi** boards from past Kagami Biraki on the **shinzen** at a dojo; it can also be quite common to have other pieces of **shodo** displayed at the dojo, including on the **shinzen**. 

The cord or wire around the ****shikishi** board is sometimes called a ***Shimenawa** **注連縄.** However, this isn't really correct — there is no specific name for it. A ***Shimenawa** **注連縄** is actually a thick rope that is used to cordon off or mark certain areas and designate them as religiously sacred. There is no such religious connotation to the shikishi board used at Kagami Biraki. **shide*), used to mark sacred areas or objects (like trees/rocks) as pure and to ward off evil spirits, common at Shinto shrines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_4850.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2026/01/IMG_4851.jpeg)

A shikishi board with, and without, its cord.

However, there is only one piece of **shodo** on the **shinzen** or at the dojo that has this special cord or string around it. This helps make the message that the **shodo** conveys prominent and helps it stand-out from all the other **shodo** on the **shinzen**.

All of this effort, in the end, is happily performed for a similar reason: the importance of the Kagami Biraki message is significant, and the carefully crafted **shikishi** board supports that importance.