What is Wabi Sabi?

Wabi Sabi is an ancient Buddhist concept that still permeates Japanese culture and the Japanese ideal of beauty. Translated separately, “wabi” means rustic simplicity, serene beauty, or understated elegance, whereas “sabi” means weathered or aged. So what is wabi sabi? It is the idea that as an object ages it becomes more valued and precious in its imperfections.

Weathered but Loved

As a wooden house develops a weathered patina over time, it is lovingly cared for by its occupants.

Wabi Sabi in Daily Life

The cherry blossom is the iconic symbol of fragile beauty, and the quaint custom of “hanami” or cherry blossom viewing is an example of the Japanese appreciation for the impermanence of life. Every spring, Japan turns pink in its enthusiasm to celebrate the lovely but brief season of the delicate cherry blossom. Daily news reports on television indicate where the latest cherry trees have begun to blossom. Once the weather changes, the petals are swept away by spring’s rain and wind.

The Wabi Sabi Aesthetic

Japanese Arts are influenced widely by the wabi sabi aesthetic.The Japanese Tea Ceremony which usually takes place in a rustic tea house within a natural setting and which uses handmade ceramics is a good reflection of wabi sabi. Many types of Japanese pottery also illustrate this aesthetic because of their imperfect shapes or glazes and their unfinished hand thrown look.

Other examples of Japanese Arts that reflect the wabi sabi aesthetic include Japanese Poetry, Japanese Gardens, Architecture and traditional Interior Design.