"No matter how thick and dark the clouds may be, a vast blue sky always stretches beyond them."

The phrase Ungai Soten (雲外蒼天) teaches us that by piercing through hardships (the clouds), a bright future (the blue sky) inevitably awaits.

During the pandemic, the professional foundation I had built over many years in Italy was completely upended. As I struggled desperately to rebuild, I felt trapped in a lightless tunnel, unable to find even a single ray of hope. Everything felt blocked, and for a moment, I feared I might not make it.

It was then that a dear friend in Japan sent me these words: "I believe you are an 'Ungai Soten' person. Right now, you might feel like you’re in a pitch-black tunnel, unable to see any light. But remember—Ungai Soten. Beyond this hardship, a vast azure sky is waiting for you."

I cannot put into words how much those words saved me.

Just knowing that "there must be a blue sky beyond these dark clouds" lightened the heavy burden on my heart. For the past year, I have been tirelessly searching for a rift in the darkness, looking left and right for any sign of light.

Then, a thought occurred to me: "These clouds that seem so black and menacing today... perhaps, once I have passed through them and look back, I will realize they were necessary trials that now shine like gold."

Through this long, dark era, I did not simply sit in sorrow. Every time I was knocked down, I learned something new. It is because of those lessons that I stand here today. When I look at it this way, the dark clouds are not just obstacles; they are the very trials I must face to elevate myself to the next stage of life.

I believe many people today are wandering through their own dark tunnels, just as I am. Though I have not yet fully emerged from the clouds myself, I want to share this message with those who are standing before the darkness, with nothing but "hope" as their compass.

This is why I created this work of "Sho-Art" (Calligraphic Art).

To ensure the concept of Ungai Soten reaches those beyond the Japanese language, I have also composed a poem to capture its essence.

Beyond the clouds. Let us go, towards that sky.

Beyond the Clouds, the Infinite Sky

Thick clouds bar the way, shrouding the vision, drenching every step. With relentless wind and freezing rain, the feet grow heavy, until one forgets even to look upward.

And yet, no matter how dark and heavy the clouds may be, beyond them stretches an immaculate blue— an eternal sky that never withers.

Take that step. Spread the wings of wisdom to pierce the darkness. Someone, deep within you, cries out: "Beyond those clouds, the sky is azure!"

The sky you contemplate after the pain is a blue more lofty, more profound. What now appears as a black cloud, once crossed, shall reveal the essence of sapience, transmuting sacrifice into shining gold.

Ungai Soten. Come, let us go beyond the clouds.