The Art and Culture of Japan

The ephemeral nature of the material realm is central to Japanese culture. Beauty and pleasure are fleeting, and the moment must be captured as it flies. Elegant palaces and serene monasteries are made of wood and paper; simple materials such as bamboo and raked pebbles are as precious as lacquer, silk, and gold leaf. From the formal rituals of archery and the tea ceremony to the colorful scenes of everyday life displayed in ukiyo-e prints, every gesture of art is calculated to open the consciousness to the world. This refined relationship between interior and exterior life, based on Zen traditions, is evident in many aspects of Japanese tradition, from the meditative order of gardens to the formalities of Kabuki and Nō theater.