Ep. 2 — Yō no bi: the beauty of use

It's All Japanese to Me · Sep 28, 2026 · 4m · transcript

Today’s word is “yō no bi,” the beauty of use. I talk about Yanagi Sōetsu and the mingei movement, the difference between “yō no bi” and functional beauty, and how I sense it in old things at home and at flea markets and antique markets.

Sources:

* Kotobank, “Yanagi Sōetsu” (Japanese)

* Mie Prefectural Art Museum, “Mingei” (Japanese)

* KOGEI STANDARD, “Japanese Aesthetic Sense: Yo-no-bi”

* The Japan Folk Crafts Museum

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