the japanese art of living seasonally: an invitation to celebrate every day

Written by Japanologist Natalie Leon, this beautiful guide unlocks the secrets of Japan’s seasonal culture to help you relish the seasons wherever you are.

Relish every day with the secrets of Japan’s seasonal culture

In traditional Japanese culture, people eat, sleep and wear the seasons, from kimono motifs to petal-shaped sweets, and festivals dedicated to nature’s spectacular displays. This mindful celebration of nature leads to a deep awareness of the seasons, called kisetsukan.

This book reveals the hidden depths of kisetsukan, and how its concepts can transform your life. Discover:

• Shun, eating what is fresh and bountiful. Preserve edible flowers to use in homemade sweets, or taste the spring with ＂seven herb＂ porridge.
• Mottainai, zero-waste living. Learn about boro boro, visible mending that honours the history of a cherished garment, or wrap gifts in sustainable, seasonal fabrics.
• Kadō, the Way of Flowers. Learn the rules of ikebana and arrange flowers according to the seasons, or throw a cherry blossom-viewing party.
• Momijigari, the ritual of leaf hunting. Explore local nature with ＂forest bathing＂, or learn simple ways to bring the outside inside.

Natalie Leon is a Japanologist, freelance writer and student of Chanoyu, The Way of Tea. She has consulted for NHK, Japan’s national broadcasting organisation, and the Ezen Foundation, a philanthropic organisation dedicated to advancing the appreciation of Japanese art. She has an academic background specialising in Japanese art history and traditional culture, including an MA in Japanese Studies from SOAS, London.

Over the past eight years, Natalie has handpicked yuzu in Kochi, slept in a Buddhist monastery on Koyasan, celebrated countless hanami’s, attended a fox wedding in Kyoto, hunted the autumn leaves in Osaka, foraged for sansai in Yamagata and experienced an earthquake in Kumamoto.

Natalie is Sakura Sister on Instagram, where she shares her seasonal adventures both in Japan and at home.