What is Kanji Naming?
Your name in alphabet is a sound.
But Your name in kanji is a story.
Each kanji carries meaning — not just pronunciation, but philosophy, nature, and human experience distilled into a single brushstroke.
In Japanese, kanji are not just symbols of meaning — each character also carries a sound.
When I create your kanji name, I do both at once.
The characters I choose will sound like your name — and at the same time, carry the meaning of who you are.
Your name in alphabet is a sound.
Your name in kanji is a sound and a story, at the same time.
When I give you a kanji name, I am not translating you.
I am listening to who you are.
The moment you see your kanji for the first time —
that is the moment this becomes yours.
An example — my own name
My name is Masaya Higuchi — 樋口雅也 in kanji.
樋 — A pipe that carries water. A conduit.
口 — A mouth, an entrance, a gateway.
雅 — Graceful, proper, just right.
也 — An affirmation. A quiet, certain yes.
Together: "You live your life properly and gracefully, acting as a gateway for all sorts of people and information."
This was not chosen by me. It was given by my parents before they knew who I would become. And yet — it described exactly who I am.
When I create your kanji name, the process is different. I read your life. Your story. Then I find the characters that carry who you are.
How it works
1. Tell me about yourself
I will send you a questionnaire — thirty questions about your life, your memories, your values, and your dreams. Answer only what you want to share.
2. I read you. Slowly
I spend two to three weeks with your words. Sometimes I write back with a question. I wait until the right characters arrive.
3. Your kanji arrives
I send you my proposal. If it doesn't feel like you — we continue the conversation until it does.
4. The moment it becomes yours
You receive your kanji name with the story behind each character — in English, written for you alone.
What if it doesn't feel right?
If the kanji I send don't feel like you — tell me. We will try again. This is not a transaction. It is a conversation. It ends when you feel seen.
Pricing
This service also makes a meaningful and unique gift.
Order on behalf of someone you love — and let me read their story through your eyes.
Basic — $200
Your Kanji Reading — a personal document that takes you through the journey: who you are, the impressions I gathered from your story, the concept that emerged, and the kanji I chose for you — with the meaning of each character and the story of your name as a whole.
Plus:
— A beautifully designed certificate PDF
— Stroke order animation guides for each character, so you can learn to write your own name in kanji
Digital delivery.
Premium — $450
Everything above + T-shirt (printing and shipping included).
Many people begin with Basic and add the T-shirt after receiving their kanji.
That's perfectly fine.
If you'd like to upgrade to Premium after delivery, simply let me know.
You'll pay the difference ($250) and I'll arrange your T-shirt.
How to get started
1. Visit the Contact page and send me a message.
2. I will send you a payment link by email.
3. Once payment is confirmed, I will send you the questionnaire.
4. We begin.
Ready?
Visit the Contact page to begin.
Or email me directly: masaya.higuchi@gmail.com