Wabi-sabi, the ancient Japanese philosophy that embraces imperfection, lies at the heart of the country’s artistic and societal traditions. Today, however, it is being diluted—both by modernity and the mass-market home décor industry, which reduces it to a fleeting lifestyle trend.
The authors, through their encounter with architect Kengo Kuma, illustrate his vision of modern wabi-sabi—a philosophy adapting to contemporary contexts without losing its essence.
Their travels across India, Europe, Morocco, and throughout the Japanese archipelago have revealed the subtle but powerful global influence of wabi-sabi. Along the way, they met a new generation committed to preserving and renewing this aesthetic: the new ambassadors of wabi-sabi.
From quiet moments with monks in teahouses to countless small, meaningful experiences, they have felt its essence—and invite readers to do the same.
Part travel journal, part photographic journey, and part collection of testimonies, this work by Anne-Emmanuelle Thion, a nomadic photographer, and Thierry Grundman, traveling antiques dealer and founder of Atmosphère d’Ailleurs and the Wabi-Sabi Lab, offers a contemporary, cross-cultural perspective on wabi-sabi through encounters with those who embody it today.
Author: Thierry Grundman
Photographer: Anne-Emmanuelle Thion
Foreword by Kengo Kuma
Text in English and French.
