I really enjoyed it, although I’m probably your perfect audience having lived half my life in Kyoto and studied Japanese aesthetics as undergraduate. I rarely get to talk about the details with people, so this means a lot. That book changed the course of my life, so I love hearing other people’s take on it—sometimes I feel like I imagined it all.
The richest part of the conversation is that Tanizaki is allowed to be personal, funny, and historically situated rather than turned into a clean doctrine of Japanese taste. I liked the way the discussion moves from toilets and light bulbs to texture, shadow, nationalism, and technology. That makes In Praise of Shadows feel less like an aesthetic slogan and more like a live argument about how tools shape what a culture can imagine.
I really enjoyed it, although I’m probably your perfect audience having lived half my life in Kyoto and studied Japanese aesthetics as undergraduate. I rarely get to talk about the details with people, so this means a lot. That book changed the course of my life, so I love hearing other people’s take on it—sometimes I feel like I imagined it all.
Loved the podcast and would love more. 🖤
thanks so much! there will definitely be more
The richest part of the conversation is that Tanizaki is allowed to be personal, funny, and historically situated rather than turned into a clean doctrine of Japanese taste. I liked the way the discussion moves from toilets and light bulbs to texture, shadow, nationalism, and technology. That makes In Praise of Shadows feel less like an aesthetic slogan and more like a live argument about how tools shape what a culture can imagine.
I feel like every time Nate said, “This is a whole other conversation but...” I wanted to hear it. So yes to more :)
I loved this and got a lot out of hearing more of the background information you all talked about, would definitely like more like this.
Related question, have either of you read White by Kenya Hara? It brought a different perspective for me to the Japanese relationship to white.
Thanks so much for listening! I have read Kenya Hara, I think I reference White briefly in my minimalism book, but I'd love to go deeper.
Please do more!
thanks Sam!