How to Mindfully Live Through the Seasons – The Customs of Japan

We live in a time when anyone – your neighbour, your brother, you, me – can easily become disconnected from the natural world around us. Monday becomes Tuesday, day becomes night, Spring becomes Summer; time passes.  Few of us stop to notice the multitude of changes that are constantly happening around us. What can we do to change this? In her new book, The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally, (Watkins Media) naturalist, Japanologist and author Natalie Leon unlocks the customs of japan’s seasonal culture and teaches us how to reconnect with nature and celebrate every day with Japanese culture and tradition.

Find ways to incorporate nature into your life

Nature has permeated every aspect of Japanese culture for centuries.This celebration of nature leads to a deep awareness of the seasons, called kisetsukan. Unlike in the West where there are generally only four recognised seasons, ancient Japan acknowledged 72 shichijuni ko (micro seasons) each lasting only five days, the equivalent of a modern working week. Each of these ko reminds us of the micro-seasonal changes taking place in nature, grounding us in the present moment.

Take inspiration from customs of Japan to create new rituals of your own that celebrate the many seasons in a year. You could practise hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in the Spring with friends in a park, momijigari (red-leaf hunting) in the Autumn on a countryside walk with your children or tsukimi (moon viewing) any time of the year gazing out your bedroom window before you go to bed. You could also try dedicating a small table, a blank piece of wall or a shelf  as a tokonoma (display area for art, flowers and objects) that represent the seasons for you, then change them accordingly as the year progresses. Your actions do not need to be grand and they need not take up much time, what is important is that they are intentional and frequent.   

Eat more seasonally and consciously

Customs of Japan have strong agricultural roots and every one of the 365 days of the year has cultural traditions associated with it, reinforcing the rhythm of the year. Washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) at its core is about respect for nature and the sustainable use of natural resources. You might overhear diners say ‘Itadakimasu’ (‘I humbly receive’) in a Japanese restaurant as they begin their meal, so ingrained in Japanese culture and tradition is this sense of respect for nature.

Itadakimasu

By saying this phrase people acknowledge not only the person who cooks the meal, but also the farmer who grew or foraged the ingredients. The gifts of plants, animals and even the universe itself for sustaining and nourishing you. This daily practice of showing sincere appreciation and gratitude makes us more aware of what we’re eating. It makes every morsel a precious commodity not to be wasted. For these reasons shun (eating the best of the season), shindofuji (a Buddhist phrase meaning ‘body and soil are one and the same’) and ichimotsu zentai (which means ‘using the whole thing’) make up the core ethos of washoku. 

These three principles can easily be practised in your everyday life and will ground you in the natural cycle around you. You could test your green thumb by growing myoga (Japanese ginger) to eat raw in late-spring, shiso (perilla) to serve with fresh sashimi, yuzu to add it’s peel to teas in the winter or mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) to add to soups in the winter or salads in the summer. Instead of using teabags you could also try drinking loose leaf tea instead and mixing in seasonal flowers and herbs.

Recycling chagra

You can even use the chagra (spent tea leaves) in various ways around your house by first drying them in the sun or baking them in the oven. You can add these dried spent tea leaves to your bath for a relaxing soak, burn them as a natural insect repellent or even eat them by seasoning them with a little ponzu sauce! Or more simply yet, choose to focus solely on the meal in front of you. Putting down your smartphone and avoid trying to do several other things simultaneously. Eat with your eyes and take a moment to appreciate and savour every bite. Further, enjoy the art and culture in Japan.

Re-engage with your sense of curiosity

Mitate, which means ‘to see with new eyes’, is a core concept at the heart of chanoyu (tea ceremony) that gives you an opportunity to look at things in a new light, letting go of preconceived notions which allows you to be creative and see the potential and beauty in things others may pass by. What did you see out of the corner of your eye? Pause and stop for a moment. What has piqued your interest? Ask yourself: is there something here that speaks to me?

You can experience the seasons using this custom of Japan by visiting your local woodland and trying shinrin yoku, the self-care practice of forest bathing, noting the way the leaves underfoot go *kasa kasa* (this is the onomatopoeia in Japanese for leaves crunching). Discover the way of the water, or mizu, through folkloric stories about Japanese river spirits and ocean goddesses. Try spring rain rituals or take an onsen-inspired bath in the winter. You could even try your hand at a cyanotype kit to capture the silhouettes of your favourite flowers and leaves. Whatever you choose to do, be curious and have fun with it.

The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally

For the first time, over half the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this trend is growing. However, humans are not designed to be isolated from nature, and urbanization has caused a significant loss. Humanity struggles with this disconnect. But by engaging with the present throughout the year. Further, seasonal moments can form a personal ritual calendar for each season of life.

Conclusion

There is much we can learn about the beauty of intentional seasonal living from Japan. Something the country’s great thinkers, poets, artists and craftspeople have known for centuries. So take a moment to immerse yourself in The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally and you will learn to see the manifestations of nature’s beauty all around you with the customs of Japan and all the Japanese culture and tradition out there.

The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally is available for purchase now at bookshop.org or any good book retailer.