Japonisme: Ikigai, Forest Bathing, Wabi-sabi and more
A Japanese-inspired guide to living a happier, more fulfilled life.Japonisme explores the Japanese art of findingcontentment and includes practical tips and tricksto live a happier, healthier, more thoughtful life.What is your ikigai (purpose)? How do you practice mindfulness in the unpredictability and chaos of everyday life?From shinrinyoku (forest bathing), calligraphy, ikebana(fl ower arranging) to tea ceremonies and their approach tofood, the Japanese have found contentment through traditions,philosophies, and the practice of art. This book shows how we can all incorporate aspects of Japonisme into our daily lives.Enhance your lifestyle and enrich your mind by looking at lifethrough the lens of wabi-sabi (the transient nature of life),kintsugi (repairing broken ceramics with gold) or kaizen(habit-forming techniques), in an accessible, practical way.
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This edition published by Thorsons 2018
FIRST EDITION
Text © Erin Niimi Longhurst 2018
Illustrations © Ryo Takemasa 2018
Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2018
Cover illustrations © Ryo Takemasa 2018
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Source ISBN 9780008286040
Ebook Edition © 2018 ISBN: 9780008286057
Version 2018-03-27
Contents
Wabi-sabi (The beauty of imperfection and impermanence)
Kintsugi (Finding beauty in imperfection)
Shinrin-yoku (Nourished by nature)
Ikebana (The art of flower arranging)
Onsen (Hot springs and bathing)
© Scott Webb on Unsplash
I grew up straddling several cultures. Born in London to an English father and a Japanese mother, I lived in Seoul, in London and then, for several years, in the cultural melting pot that is New York. But all the while, I always had a strong connection to Japan through my mother and my extended Japanese family, with whom I would spend the sticky, humid summers.
Over the past few years, I’ve written extensively about Japan on my blog, mostly covering recipes, lifestyle and travel tips. And while I’ve lived in many places dotted across the globe, I feel as though I always return – in every aspect of my life – to the same frameworks, rituals, habits and traditions: those from my upbringing, family life and time spent in Japan.
The word ‘Japonisme’ was first used in the late nineteenth century to describe the craze for Japanese art, culture and design in the West – an interest that has grown exponentially in the past few years to include anything from music to film, to food and art.
I think the thing that makes Japan’s culture and traditions so uniquely special is its long history of isolation. Japan has acquired such a strong, distinct and rich identity because it lacked external influence for so long. For over 220 years, Japan had an isolationist foreign policy, known as sakoku, meaning it was a ‘closed country’. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, relations and trade between Japan and the rest of the world were strictly limited. Few were allowed to leave the country, and few were allowed in from the early 1600s, in an attempt to counter the perceived threat of foreign, religious and colonial influence.
Sure, the two-century-long period of national seclusion occurred an extremely long time ago, ending in the early 1850s – but that era of solitude, I am convinced, played an enormous part in weaving the fabric of Japanese society. The customs, tradition and culture of Japan developed and blossomed in that remote bubble and, in my opinion, have made the country we know today quite different from anywhere else in the world. It can be strange, without doubt, and sometimes perplexing too, but it is always intriguing, beautiful and incredibly enlightening. I’ve been going back there for twenty-six years, and find myself learning something new and different every time, seeing everything afresh, from a novel perspective, over and over again.
So what can be learned from Japanese culture (without getting on a plane)? How can you – like me – apply it to everyday life outside of these tiny little islands? A key lesson for me has been about balance – something I learned from my maternal grandfather, Haruyuki. One of thirteen siblings, from rural farm stock, he rose up the ranks, eventually becoming an influential businessman in his role as Chairman and CEO of Shell in Japan.
