The Beauty of Everyday Things is Soetsu Yanagi's definitive philosophical argument for craft — tracing the principles of anonymity, simplicity, honesty, and wabi-sabi that continue to define Japanese design and material culture today.
About This Book
Yanagi believed that the objects sharing our daily lives deserve to be made with care, built to last, and treated with genuine affection. This now-classic text draws on his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, where he encountered the work of anonymous artisans producing teacups, jars, and handmade paper — modest objects that embody an aesthetic fulfilment of practical need. Written against an age of machine-made mediocrity, the book remains a quietly urgent case for slowing down and deepening our relationship with material things. Essential reading for anyone engaged with craft philosophy, Japanese aesthetics, and the enduring principles of good design.
Key Features
- 352 pages of philosophical essays on craft, Japanese aesthetics, and material culture
- Published by Penguin UK
What You'll Discover
- Yanagi's articulation of wabi-sabi — the beauty of imperfection — as a guiding principle for how objects are made and used
- Why anonymity in craft is not a weakness but a mark of integrity, contrasting the anonymous artisan with the self-conscious artist
- How traditional Korean and Japanese folk objects — teacups, jars, handmade paper — embody an aesthetic philosophy grounded in honesty and simplicity
- A sustained critique of industrialised production and a call to restore respect for the handcrafted and the everyday
About the Author
Soetsu Yanagi was a Japanese philosopher, aesthete, and writer long revered as the foremost authority on craftsmanship and Japanese aesthetics. He devoted his life and writing to defending the value of craft, and his philosophy — shaped by extensive travel through Japan and Korea — remains foundational to our understanding of mingei, or folk art.
Specifications
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 352
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 12.5 x 5 cm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9780241366356
- Publisher: Penguin UK
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Designers, architects, and makers drawn to Japanese aesthetics, craft philosophy, and the principles of honest, human-centred making.