Among you is a majority of people who have already seen what the interior of a traditional Japanese house looks like. It's simple, refined, tidy and very often directly linked to nature. But did you know there is a word for this? The danshari . However, the four adjectives mentioned above only give a reductive overview of the true essence of danshari . This is why we decided to make a complete article to immerse you in the heart of Japanese minimalist philosophy and allow you to draw inspiration from it for your home and your mind.
Definition of danshari
Danshari can be defined as the abandonment of materialism in favor of a simple life without superfluities. Danshari is not only applicable to the material but also to its spirit. It is seen as a philosophy of life in Japan and is very popular there. We do not burden ourselves with harmful thoughts which ruin our motivation and weigh down our morals.
Origin of danshari
Danshari has its sources in the Zen Buddhist religion and in wabi-sabi . It is an expression used to designate an aesthetic concept that is closer to simplicity and nature. Once again, this definition only encompasses a small part of the true nature of wabi-sabi which is much more than a style. But as this is not the topic of the day, we will not dwell on it. If you want to explore the subject further, do not hesitate to refer to the Wikipedia page .
Etymology of danshari
It is important to know the etymology of danshari and the meaning of its three kanji 断捨離 to fully understand what it is exactly.
- 断: refusal
- 捨: elimination
- 離: separation
Literally, we could translate danshari as the refusal to waste and the fact of making one's environment simpler, but also one's mind.
How to bring danshari into your home and into your mind?
As Amélie-Marie mentions in her article on the Courrier International website , the danshari almost becomes a necessity when you live in a very tight apartment or in a living space that is more like a miniature house than anything else. In addition, as seen previously, danshari allows you to clear your mind by not polluting it with harmful things that are more harmful to us than make us happy.
To do this, you must learn not to equip yourself with superfluous items and above all learn to store your accessories while optimizing your space. This includes its living space but of course its storage space. For example, for girls it is important to have something to store their makeup so that it does not lie around.
The three rules of danshari to respect
Practically, danshari is broken down into three rules:
- Do not let bulky objects enter your home
- Deep questioning of our material attachment
- The third rule is more spiritual and must be seen as a sort of outcome. It's about definitively separating yourself from your ardent desire to consume in an impulsive and useless way. Here we can cite as an example excessive shopping, the consumption of sweets or even the purchase of gadgets which will be abandoned in a month if not a week.
Here are the rules of danshari which are taken from the book Danshari: The Art of Tidying Up by Hideko Yamashita.
This is what danshari is all about. You will naturally find even more information in the book mentioned above but we think we have given you a good overview here for those who have never heard of it before.