"When Japanese say 'natsukashii’, they want to confirm that togetherness, rather than simply being nostalgic to a particular event or person. "But there may be a slight difference," she noted. Kawakami compares the sentiment to the English phrase "the good old days”. An 18-year-old may feel natsukashii for kindergarten days.” “One could say, ‘Oh, that’s mainly for old people.’ But it’s amazing how quickly a young person becomes ‘old’ in terms of natsukashii. “It always surprises me, the degree to which natsukashii comes up,” Yano told me. Tens of thousands of people rushed to find out what the app was (VHS Cam), then share their own videos using it. These cramped, cash-only establishments surrounded by glowing lanterns and cigarette smoke are a portal to another era, as they were originally part of black markets that cropped up in the city following World War Two.Īnd last summer, Japanese Twitter went wild after someone shared a video they made using an app that replicated the VHS camcorder recording quality of the 1980s. On any given night of the week, Tokyo businessmen can be found blowing off steam in yokocho, traditional alleyways containing bars and restaurants. But in Japan, paying tribute to the past goes far beyond sharing the occasional #ThrowbackThursday post on social media or binge-watching an ‘80s TV show reboot. In today’s digital age, people seem to be more obsessed than ever with nostalgia. “We miss the time – but it’s better that way,” she said. She describes natsukashii as a bittersweet form of reminiscing. Sumie Kawakami, a writer who teaches liberal arts at the International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) at Japan’s Yamanashi Gakuin University, echoes that sentiment. It is an aesthetic invested with emotion and beauty at the same time.” "This is the aesthetic that sees beauty in imperfection, in something not being quite complete, in longing, in yearning, in evanescence, in impermanence, wistfulness, in melancholy. “I think in Japan, nostalgia has to do with an aesthetic," she continued. A glass half empty is a glass that’s full and beautiful.” “It’s part of the emotional foundation of Japan. “A positive frame put around longing is the essence of natsukashii,” said Christine Yano, professor of anthropology at the University of Hawaii, whose research focuses on Japanese popular culture. The fact that you cannot return to those experiences makes them all the more poignant. In Japan, natsukashii is a reminder that you are fortunate to have had the experiences you’ve had in life. But natsukashii – which derives from the verb “ natsuku”, which means “to keep close and become fond of” – indicates joy and gratitude for the past rather than a desire to return to it. In some cultures, nostalgia is often full of sadness. For instance, when you hear a song you loved as a teenager, or when you come across an old train ticket stub in your pocket. It’s a word you exclaim as a smile creeps across your face. Natsukashii is a Japanese word used when something evokes a fond memory from your past.
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