A single, enormous zelkova wooden signboard displays characters first written in the year 1900. The eleventh-generation owner of Kobaien, who lived during the historically crucial Meiji Restoration, is the artist who penned this sign.

“Kobaien” is an ink stick store founded during the Muromachi Period. Its name comes from the splendid plum trees that have stood in the garden for many years. What do you think of as you look up at this signboard? Some say the characters are themselves a reflection of the writer, but you could say that the words on this sign had to be strong enough to preserve this shop’s legacy during the changing times of the Meiji Restoration. This calligraphy perhaps reflects the determination that undoubtedly swirled in the mind of the store’s owner; a resolve that led him to paint a new “Kobaien” sign in weighty strokes.

Many people pass through this street, but the aura of Kobaien’s still manages to turn a lot of heads. It’s rare when a store - not a temple or a shrine - evokes such a sense of history but this signboard splendidly carries that legacy. Even after the store closes for the day, the signboard retains its presence. It almost seems to shine–working well after the doors are shut for the day.

Still, the day will come when this sign must be painted anew. What sort of pressure will that future owner feel? No doubt the eleventh-generation owner painted under the same weight of expectation. Take a minute to imagine the weight of such a task.