Japan has four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, but did you know about the traditional calendar where the year is split into seventy-two microseasons, meaning there’s a new season every five days.
Since ancient times, the people of Japan could sense the seasons changing, and have celebrated their arrivals.
Seeds grow into plants, the plants grow buds, the buds bloom into flowers, and the flowers wilt and fall to the ground. But for the Japanese, this isn’t the end. We still appreciate the leaves for their deep but fleeting beauty. Why do the Japanese find beauty in all things, though?
It’s because we believe that everything has a spirit. Since long ago, animism has been deeply rooted in Japan. It is believed that stones, trees, rivers—even seasons—have their own unique spirits.
Even those who don’t believe in a specific religion will naturally bow before sacred trees at shrines, or hold a ground-blessing ceremony before building a house, to pray for safety.
This is also reflected in Japanese food culture. Before eating, we say a specific phrase to show thanks and respect to the spirits of the food we’re about to eat. After all, even a single grain of rice has its own unique spirit.
Since long ago in the Kansai region we have added the honorific, ”san,” to food names, such as calling beans “bean-san”. It shows how we can sense life in even the smallest things, and how we love and honor them.
It’s the same for a Japanese tea ceremony where we are thankful for all meetings, and try to show thanks for each meeting by welcoming someone the best we can with a single cup of tea. That’s why the spirit of Japanese tea ceremony is “one lifetime, one meeting.”
The fact that you are here today is also “one lifetime, one meeting.” Now, please experience this footage of the beauty we see.