5 stars for Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton.
I remember very well the day I finished reading this book. 9th January 2026. I told myself I will get down to writing my review that weekend. Days passed. Weeks passed. Months passed. The more I procastinate, the more I don't feel like sitting down to write. I justify myself with reasons for the delay. This and that. Excuses really. Ultimately, it boils down to priority. I make time for a newfound hobby, yet I did not set aside time for my all-time favourite pastime. But still, better late than never. So, here goes.
Wabi Sabi is a book that inspires us to find our own gentle rhythm to simplify, deepen our connection with nature, concentrate on what really matters to us, and discover happiness right where we are. It guides us to sense the essence of wabi sabi for ourselves and welcome it into our lives as inspiration for a new way of beholding the world.
In chapter three "Living with Nature", the author shares lessons from the Yamabushi. I am quietly pleased with it as I can totally relate to it having joined a mountain retreat in Yamagata Prefecture in May 2023. The guided Yamabushi Hike to Mount Haguro is a deeply empowering experience, one that heals me and one that I will never forget.
The book also shares useful tips for decluttering, soulful shopping, shinrin-yoku (森林浴 forest bathing) and the beauty of ageing. To quote "We have a tendency to look at the ageing process as something to be avoided, feared even. But everything about wabi sabi tells us that it is to be embraced - that we bloom and ripen with time; that our character develops and our wisdom deepens as we age; that we have more to offer the world with every experience we go through."
At the end of this book, my main takeaway is summed up in three words: imperfect, impermanent, incomplete.
Accepting that everything is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete guides us to living a simpler and more meaningful life. Wabi sabi is a state of the heart - experiencing the world not with the logical mind but with the feeling heart, and with all our sense. When we are able to let go of perfection and accept ourselves just as we are, we can be content with less, find beauty in everyday life simply by slowing down, reconnecting with nature and looking for things to appreciate.
This is a great book to start the year with. There are so many things to like that I found myself jotting down chunks and chunks of quotes. I know they will come in handy some day when I have need to refresh my memory and remind myself to "Wabi Sabi".
