An elegantly illustrated guide to wabi-sabi, the life-changing Japanese philosophy of appreciating imperfection and change

Wabi-sabi is the act of embracing imperfection and transience

Wabi-sabi is an old earthenware pot rather than pristine china; peeling paint rather than sleek steel; a home-cooked meal rather than gourmet cuisine

Everything is imperfect, everything is impermanent, everything is incomplete

Ask a Japanese person to define wabi-sabi and they will probably tell you that it cannot be translated. If you are given an explanation, it's likely that it will contradict the next. Yet wabi-sabi has been significant part of Japanese history, aesthetics, spirituality and philosophy for hundreds, even thousands, of years and has been referred to by some as the heart of Japanese culture. Language is insufficient to describe wabi-sabi but its meaning is intuitive. A tangible definition might be elusive but once you see wabi-sabi, you will know it.

The Little Book of Wabi-Sabi will show you how you can apply the principles of wabi-sabi to your life and find balance, happiness and fulfillment.