4 Japanese Concepts That Inspire Our Daily Lives

Mottainai (Too good to waste) is an ancient Buddhist term that translates into having respect for the resources available and to use them with a sense of gratitude.

The respect practice stems from the Shinto belief that objects have souls and therefore should not be discarded.

Mono no aware (The pathos of things) describes having empathy towards things and their imminent passing, accompanied with a gentle, sadness that their disappearance is the reality of life.

It allows us to notice the ephemeral beauty of time and to realize that we should take life a step at a time, appreciating everything that passes.

Shibui (Perfected simplicity and sophistication) is used to describe an aesthetic principle that values simplicity and the subtle beauty of minimalism.

The seven essential factors of shibui are simplicity, implicitness, modesty, silence, naturalness, everydayness, and imperfection.