“Western aesthetics is sometimes familiar with simplicity, asymmetry and suggestion, but the idea that beauty lies in its own vanishing is an idea much less common. Perishability remains, however, what [Donald] Keene has called the ‘the most distinctively Japanese aesthetic ideal’. It is certainly among the earliest, being based on the Buddhist concept of “mujō”…ContinueContinue reading “無常 (mu-jō) “impermanence””
Tag Archives: Japanese history
悟 (Satori) “enlightenment”
Satori is the Japanese word for the buddhist concept of enlightenment. It is said that once one has experienced satori, one’s perspective on life is forever changed. The artwork in the above photo is one of my original one-offs. You can own it by purchasing it from my Etsy store here.
文月 (fumizuki) July (archaic)
Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one”, February is “Month two”, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar). July isContinueContinue reading “文月 (fumizuki) July (archaic)”
水無月 (mi-na-zuki) “The month of water”
水 = water 無 = not any 月 = month I know, 無 means “not any”, not “of”. So why doesn’t this mean “the month with no water”? According to wikipedia, this 無 is used purely as an ateji, which is a kanji used for its pronunciation rather than its meaning. 無 is pronounced “na”,ContinueContinue reading “水無月 (mi-na-zuki) “The month of water””
関 (seki) “barrier, connection”
This kanji character is rarely used on its own, but is often found combined with other characters. For example, 関西 (Kansai) and 関東 (Kanto). Since ancient times there has been a road from Tokyo (the current capital) to Kyoto (the former capital). At the mid-way point there used to be a large gate. This led toContinueContinue reading “関 (seki) “barrier, connection””
弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)
Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one”, February is “Month two”, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar). The monthContinueContinue reading “弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)”
Which Japanese Camera Company is Named after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy?
The inspiration for the name of a famous camera company. Image by ftanuki from Pixabay. This article was originally published on Medium here. Mitsubishi. Kikkoman. Nintendo. Many Japanese companies are household names in the West. This article looks at the intriguing background behind the names of five of the most globally successful Japanese brands. Read on to findContinueContinue reading “Which Japanese Camera Company is Named after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy?”
如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)
Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one” 一月, February is “Month two” 二月, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).ContinueContinue reading “如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)”
忠義 (chūgi) “responsibility” – the seventh virtue of 武士道 (bushidō)
The seventh virtue is “The Duty of Loyalty”, which I have translated as “responsibility”.
In its simplest form, “the Duty of Loyalty” refers to the fierce loyalty that samurai had to their lords and their clan.
I have translated this as “responsibility” because this implies far more than just standing by one’s superiors and coworkers.
We are all part of something bigger than ourselves, be it a family group, a company, or wider society. We all have responsibilities to others. “Responsibility” also means being responsible to oneself and any projects or undertakings that one has agreed to.
誠 (makoto) “sincerity” – the fifth virtue of 武士道 (bushidō)
The fifth virtue is “Veracity or Truthfulness”, which I have translated as “sincerity”, for reasons explained below.
These 8 virtues were first mentioned in Nitobe Inazao’s 1899 book “Bushido: the Soul of Japan”.
Nitobe writes: “Lying or equivocation were deemed equally cowardly…. Bushi no ichi-gon—the word of a samurai…. was sufficient guaranty of the truthfulness of an assertion. His word carried such weight with it that promises were generally made and fulfilled without a written pledge, which would have been deemed quite beneath his dignity.”
I have “translated” this as “sincerity”, which has the nuance of not only being honest per se but also of having honest intentions. Living so honestly that “keeping your word” is not even an issue requires consciously acting with sincerity. In this way all of your words and actions are coloured with 礼 (rei) respect (see the previous entry).
Calligraphy by Vicky 