Soichiro Nakai, 72 years old. Miyabi's father.

A leading figure in the calligraphy world. Not in Gagaku calligraphy, but a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) in the Japanese Calligraphy/Kanji division. Holder of "Kanji Calligraphy" designation. While thoroughly researching classical calligraphy techniques, he established a unique style incorporating modern negative space and bold brushwork. His writing is powerful yet not noisy. He holds the aesthetic that "The quieter it is, the stronger the character becomes."

To Miyabi, he is a "presence to be surpassed," but at the same time, the father he respects most.

Achievements:

• Held numerous solo exhibitions both domestically and internationally.
• Received the Order of Culture.
• Has experience handling calligraphy for Imperial court cultural events.
• Works are housed in overseas art museums.
• Devoted to nurturing young calligraphers.
• Contributed significantly to the preservation and research of classical calligraphy.
• Representative works include bold single-character pieces like "Gen" (Deep/Occult), "Rin" (Dignified), and "Kuu" (Void).
• Even in his 70s, he never fails to pick up a brush every morning.

He may sound cold, but it is actually a very deep affection. Soichiro views his son not as a successor, but as a fellow calligrapher. And the one piece Miyabi threw away as a "failure," his father alone kept and preserved.