We live in an era where life has been made easy to us thanks to various technological advances. Nonetheless, contrary to our expectations, we are increasingly finding ourselves in need of relaxing, inner peace, stability, and enjoying ourselves, struggling everyday to tackle life issues. If you are seeking for ways to balance the rapid pace of life with tranquility, look into some basic ideas which have helped the Japanese cherish life more and segue into considering traveling to Japan and experiencing mind-cleansing there.
1) Retreat to nature
Contemporary Japan, one would think, and not wrongly, is often manifested in hectic city life. Pictures of Tokyo streets flocked by people moving around, the hustle and bustle of the largest-populated city on earth characterized by packed walk paths and colorful rows of shop signs is a familiar image to many. While true, that is actually only one side of Japan. In fact, rural Japan counts for a bigger portion of land surface although there has been a constant outflow of people to bigger cities in search for better job opportunities. Despite large-scale urbanization, the Japanese are not negligent of the importance of being close to nature. However, retreating to the woods or other arenas of nature is not merely a fancy answer to the bewilderment of the modern human being, but rather is deeply rooted in the culture and beliefs of people of the archipelago.
Since centuries ago, Japanese people have placed a lot of importance on harmony with nature. Be it townspeople or the Buddhist monks or the aristocrats, people of all classes were aware of the effects of nature on their livelihood, looked up to it with awe, worshipped it, and tried to absorb its magical energy. To explore this aspect of Japan more, visit https://www.yamabushido.jp.
https://www.instagram.com/haguro_tourist_association/
2) Wabi-sabi: beauty in imperfection and aging
Wabi-sabi is a key term when it comes to understanding Japanese aesthetics and thoughts. You may have heard of “less is more” or “simple is the best”. These might sound like modern slogans on the surface, but people in Japan have truly grasped what that means and have been practicing it in their daily life since centuries back.
Some spots where you can feel the essence of wabi-sabi can be found below.
https://kintsugitsukamoto.wixsite.com/kintsugi,
3) Ikigai: what is lifeworthy
Ikigai, once an ordinary Japanese word in any dictionary, came to be known to the West in recent years. Several books on the
subject have been translated and sold in Iran as well. Simply put, Ikigai means what is worth living for. Finding meaning in everyday life, especially considering all the stresses and pressures of modern urban life deems ever necessary. Every arena of life can be an opportunity for self-growth, thus it is important to find activities that one freely dedicates time and energy to and takes long-term pleasure from. This is also said to be a key to the longevity of Japanese people.
4) Zen
Zen is a sect of Buddhism, a religion which many Japanese affiliate with. However, here we are not going to describe what Zen is as a belief system; rather the reader is invited to grasp the implication Zen has had for the life of the average Japanese. Buddhism on the whole, emphasizes mindfulness and focus on the self and the connection of the self with the world. Such a task takes various forms, the most important of which is meditation. Also, according to Zen teachings, language is not always the most efficient medium for understanding the world around us, thus, in Zen, practice and actions come to speak, not words.
Stay at Hakujukan Zen Hotel
https://www.instagram.com/hakuju_kan/
https://www.instagram.com/gotanjouji/
5) The Ways
As a method of mindfulness, meditation is not simply sitting down and closing your eyes. While that can be incredibly helpful
to seize every moment and empty your mind to reach a higher level of awareness, there are other ways to do this as well. Sometimes putting the mind at a state of constant focus on a certain activity can create the same effect. This could include various forms of art and techniques which require tremendous physical and mental effort. These are called dō(meaning “way” in Japanese). Major examples include Sadō: the Way of Tea (tea ceremony), Shodō: the Way of Writing (calligraphy), Kadō: the Way of Flowers (flower arranging). All martial arts are considered dō’s as well: Jūdō, Karate-dō, Aikidō, etc. Most people practice at least on of these arts as they are already included in the school syllabus.
An opportunity to experience this kind of mindfulness can be found below:
Reserve Kendo Experience at @samurai_trip
https://www.instagram.com/samurai_trip/
To visit Japan and explore the gems of this country, you can find out more about how to get short-term tourist visa on the website of the Embassy of Japan in Iran.
https://www.ir.emb-japan.go.jp/
https://instagram.com/japaniniran
