Coffee table book - The Beauty of Everyday Things

The Japanese philosopher and aesthete's definitive and highly influential presentation of his folk art philosophy, which establishes the characteristics of Japanese design as we know it today: anonymity, quality, simplicity, and honesty—and, of course, wabi-sabi, the beauty of the imperfect.

Our lives are filled with objects. Everyday things that are used in our daily environments and that are our constant companions. Therefore, Soetsu Yanagi writes, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even devotion. They should be natural and simple, solid and secure—an aesthetic fulfillment of our practical needs. In short, they should be beautiful things.

Yanagi has long been recognized as the authority on craft and Japanese aesthetics, having dedicated his life and his writing to defending the value of craftsmanship. In a time characterized by fragile and ugly machine-made objects, The Beauty of Everyday Things is an invitation to each of us to develop a deeper relationship with the objects that surround us.

Inspired by the work done by the simple craftsmen that Yanagi met on his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, this now-classic book is a heartfelt defense of modest, honest, and handmade objects—from traditional tea cups and jars to paper—objects that exemplify the beauty of everyday things.