The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally

An Invitation to Celebrate Every Day

By: Natalie Leon

Narrated by: Alix Dunmore

In traditional Japanese culture, people eat, sleep and wear the seasons, from kimono motifs to petal-shaped sweets, and festivals dedicated to nature’s spectacular displays. This mindful celebration of nature leads to a deep awareness of the seasons, called kisetsukan. This audiobook reveals the hidden depths of kisetsukan, and how its concepts can transform your life.

Discover:

- Shun, eating what is fresh and bountiful. Preserve edible flowers to use in homemade sweets, or taste the spring with ‘seven herb’ porridge.

- Mottainai, zero-waste living. Learn about boro boro, visible mending that honours the history of a cherished garment, or wrap gifts in sustainable, seasonal fabrics.

- Kadō, the Way of Flowers. Learn the rules of ikebana and arrange flowers according to the seasons, or throw a cherry blossom-viewing party.

- Momijigari, the ritual of leaf hunting. Explore local nature with ‘forest bathing’, or learn simple ways to bring the outside inside.

This treasure trove of folktales, recipes and activities is an invitation to celebrate each day, for increased creativity, harmony and happiness.

©2024 Natalie Leon (P)2024 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'This is the perfect book to pick up to reconnect with your local environment and enrich the everyday life with natural, if not a bit ethereal, beauty.' (Kaki Okumura, author of WA: The Art of Balance)

'Fascinating and authoritative.' (Naoko Abe, author of ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms)

'A guide for everyone to incorporate these delightful insights into everyday life.' (Liza Dalby, author of East Wind Melts the Ice)

Fall in love with the unique seasonal life of Japan with this book

This book was such a pleasure to listen to and had me looking at the natural world around me with fresh eyes. The seasonal theme of this book is unique and it’s packed with lots of interesting information. The reader also has a lovely reading voice! I ended up buying a hard copy of the book to have as a reference.