A single petal of light and incense: Sei Shonagon and the spirit of "Okashi"

by kataokatetsuya October 5, 2025

There are words that have transcended the passage of a thousand years and still make our hearts flutter.

"Spring is the dawn. The mountains are slowly turning white..."

This is a passage written by Sei Shonagon at the beginning of "The Pillow Book." What she observed was not just the change of seasons, but the shades of light, the scent of the air, and the sense of "wonder" that suddenly entered the depths of her heart.

"Okashi" is a little different from the modern terms "interesting" and "beautiful." It is the moment when something suddenly moves your heart. For example:

When you listen carefully to the sound of the rain When you find the pale pink plum blossoms swaying in the still cold wind When someone's words bring a quiet smile to your face

Sei Shonagon collected these moments like precious jewels and put them into words. Her writings vividly depict the signs of the seasons, the changing of light, people's mannerisms, and the colors of their costumes, just like a picture scroll.

Her gaze was like a mirror. In the glamorous days of the court, she keenly and gently observed, observed, and recorded people. Her observations included criticism and humor. However, there was always a gaze that sought to discover beauty.

For example, in the chapter titled "Things I Hate," the author uses a light touch to describe the sudden irritation one feels in everyday life. These depictions have the power to transform emotions into words and sublimate them, rather than leaving them as they are. Perhaps beauty is not simply something that is well-formed, but rather the very traces of a moving heart.

Sei Shonagon lived in the Heian period, an era when incense was burned, clothes were layered, and words were exchanged to weave the seasons and hearts together. Throughout her days, she continued to cultivate a heart that could appreciate beauty in beautiful things.

This sensibility quietly speaks to us who live in the modern age.

What WABISUKE values is "richness in silence," which somehow resonates with the world of "Okashi" discovered by Sei Shonagon.

For example:

・Feeling the scent of the season in the steam of the tea ceremony ・Finding timeless beauty in the colors of old fabrics ・Letting your mind wander in the space between words

WABISUKE's craftsmanship and words are imbued with the hope of cultivating the "ability to sense the invisible." Like Sei Shonagon, it's about finding the little joys in our daily lives and sharing them with others. This is both a way of passing on culture and cultivating the soul.

We do not want to preserve traditions, but rather to nurture them. Just as Sei Shonagon took up her brush, we who live today can also paint the seasons in our own words, weave together our emotions and leave behind memories. It is this very act that will deepen the roots of culture.

We want each and every one of WABISUKE's spaces, products, and writings to evoke that sense of "wakashi." Our philosophy is to cherish those moments when your heart is suddenly moved in the midst of quiet time.

Sei Shonagon was not just an aristocrat. She was a seeker of sensibility and a craftsman of words. Her writings have survived for over a thousand years because they contain the "movement of the heart."

We too want to find joy in our daily lives and put it into words. The scent of the seasons, the flickering of light, the presence of people - we want to incorporate the power to sense these things into the creation of our products and spaces.

Learning from Sei Shonagon's perspective, WABISUKE will continue to be a place to nurture "the heart that appreciates beauty in beautiful things."