The Japanese philosopher and aesthete's definitive hugely influential exposition of his
philosophy of folkcrafts setting out the hallmarks of Japanese design as we know it today:
anonymity quality simplicity and honesty and of course wabi-sabi the beauty of
imperfectionA Penguin ClassicOur lives are filled with objects. Everyday things used in
everyday settings they are our constant companions. As such writes Soetsu Yanagi they should
be made with care and built to last treated with respect and even affection. They should be
natural and simple sturdy and safe an aesthetic fulfillment of our practical needs. They
should in short be things of beauty. Long revered as the authority on craftsmanship and
Japanese aesthetics Yanagi devoted his life and writing to defend the value of craft. In an
age of feeble and ugly machine-made things The Beauty of Everyday Things is a call for each of
us to deepen our relationship with the objects that surround us. Inspired by the work of the
simple artisans Yanagi encountered on his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea this
now-classic book is a heartfelt defence of modest honest handcrafted objects from
traditional teacups to jars to paper objects that exemplify the beauty of everyday things.
