美意識とデザイン

aesthetics and Design

Concepts of taste and style

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D Influenced by the seasons, ikebana serves as a reminder of nature’s transience.

Deliberately embracing imperfection and asymmetry, Japanese aesthetics are underpinned by a set of ancient concepts that have inspired a unique approach to the creation of beautiful designs. The foundation of traditional Japanese aesthetics lies in Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, which emphasize simplicity and the ephemeral nature of life. The following principles are manifested in all aspects of Japanese design, whether it’s an ikebana arrangement or the shape of a car.

Wabi-sabi

Separately, wabi can be said to have the general meaning of rustic simplicity, while sabi denotes a timeless beauty, an appealing patina. Combined, the hallmarks of a wabi-sabi design are that its attraction derives from it being incomplete, imperfect and impermanent. So, for example, instead of being symmetrically round, a pottery bowl will be slightly wonky, its texture perhaps rough and uneven and its color natural and muted rather than bright and bold. The Japanese general public might struggle to come up with a precise explanation of the concept, but they will instinctively know whether something is wabi-sabi by looking for such characteristics.

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D A cracked bowl repaired by kintsugi can still be wabi-sabi.

Kintsugi

Fix your broken pottery wabi-sabi-style with kintsugi—a technique that embraces imperfection by using golden glue to highlight the cracks.

Be More Japan aesthetics and Design

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D Wabi-sabi can be applied to everyday life, with even a simple table setting providing a reminder that nothing is permanent.

Mono no Aware

Underlaying wabi-sabi is the concept of mono no aware, which can be translated as “poignancy” and encapsulates an awareness of impermanence. This is the driving force behind the Japanese love of the ephemeral, such as the appreciation of cherry blossoms. It’s a mixed feeling, as the joy of observing their fleeting beauty is tempered by the sadness that the blossoms will only last a short time.

Be More Japan aesthetics and Design

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D Japan’s annual cherry blossoms perfectly encapsulate the joy and sadness inherent in mono no aware.

Be More Japan aesthetics and Design

Shibui

Distinct from wabi-sabi is shibui, an adjective that conveys the concept of subtle, understated beauty and refinement. While many wabi-sabi objects and designs are shibui, not everything that could be described as shibui will be wabi-sabi. There are said to be seven possible elements to shibui: simplicity, implicity, modesty, naturalness, everydayness, imperfection, and silence—nothing that is gaudy or overly flashy in its design.

Iki

Translating as “chic and stylish,” iki is a more recent concept of Japanese taste. It evolved out of the tastes of the merchant class that emerged in Japan from the 17th century onward, and thus stands in opposition to the wabi-sabi philosophy that was promoted by the upper classes of royalty and samurai. Today, iki most visibly comes into play with ordinary, everyday products that have been thoughtfully and carefully designed—such as tea towels decorated with delicate sashiko embroidery —but it can also be detected in the sleek electronic goods produced by design studio Nendo or even the fictional works of writer Haruki Murakami.

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