Japanese Culture: Ikigai Reason and Enlightens Aspects

japanese culture: Zen in Japanese Culture, by Gavin Blair.208 pagesABBEVILLE PRESS, Nonfiction, according to The Japan Times. Gavin Blair thankfully plots a third path in his excellent book. Either they try to cash in on the latest zeitgeist, a quick fix for stressed Westerners looking for self-help with a veneer of the exotic Marie Kondo, ikigai reason for living et al. or they present superficial representations of otherness, thinly disguised Orientalism packaged as a coffee table book. Gorgeous photos of temples, gardens and arranged flowers are present, but are justly there to illustrate the point he is making about how the spirit of Zen has infused Japanese aesthetics throughout history. His approach avoids the pitfalls of cultural tourism and instead enlightens aspects of Japanese culture known only superficially by most. Blair's somber but sprightly prose perfectly matches the subject matter as he delves into calligraphy, origami and martial arts. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.