Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Philosophy of Beauty in Imperfection

Apply these life lessons for happiness, fulfillment, & inner peace

Citizen Upgrade
Japonica Publication
3 min readApr 24, 2023

--

Wabi Sabi book with natural material cup on wooden bench
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

“Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional.”

— Leonard Koren in Wabi Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers

Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic concept involving the beauty of transience, imperfection, and simplicity. Its meaning eludes direct direct English translation, but it is a combination of the words wabi (侘) and sabi (寂). Wabi meaning “isolation,” “humble,” or “dignity,” while sabi can be translated as “worn-in,” “simplicity,” or “authenticity.”

Wabi Sabi features in multiple forms of Japanese art and philosophical schools of thought. These include subjects ranging from Zen Buddhism to kintsugi, sculpture, and architecture.

Phrased as simply as possible, Wabi Sabi notes the beauty in impermanence and the graceful impact of time around us. It encourages us to embrace change and savor every moment in life, each moment being perfect in its imperfection.

--

--

Citizen Upgrade
Japonica Publication

Upgrade your world. Upgrade your life. A community of experts covering technology, society, and personal development. Visit us at: www.citizenupgrade.com