Kintsugi Philosophy
At a Glance
Explore Kintsugi: the art of beautifying brokenness in pottery with urushi and gold powder, a symbol of resilience and hope. This feature explores the philosophy of Kintsugi, its applications in life, and its portrayal by celebrated authors. Join us in appreciating the aesthetics of imperfection.
Written by Ken and Michie, The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN
From the Art of Kintsugi to a Philosophy for the World
As mentioned in the previous blog post, kintsugi developed in Japan as a genre of lacquer art. About 400 years ago, kintsugi itself, rather than the vessels, became the subject of some works. As the 21st century progressed, kintsugi boomed in Japan and around the world, and the concept of kintsugi itself became a topic of conversation on more and more occasions.
What makes this evolution truly remarkable is that kintsugi has transcended the world of ceramics and lacquerware to become a universal philosophy — one that resonates with world leaders, authors, and people from all walks of life. Let us share some of the most notable examples.
The United Nations and the Spirit of Kintsugi
On the International Day of Peace in September 2020, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a speech at UN Headquarters that beautifully captured the essence of kintsugi. He spoke about how Japanese culture appreciates natural imperfections, referencing kintsugi as the art of restoring broken pottery.
Photo: UN Photo / Mark Garten — Secretary-General António Guterres rings the Peace Bell
The key message of his speech was profound: a piece restored through kintsugi is not merely "good as new" but "better than new." He urged the world to apply this principle to our fractured society — to address fragilities and inequalities so that we emerge from crisis stronger than before.
For us at The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN, hearing the Secretary-General of the United Nations speak these words was a deeply moving moment. The philosophy we live by every day — that brokenness can lead to something more beautiful — was being shared with the entire world as a vision for peace.
Source: UN News, "Bolster fragile world to emerge stronger, UN chief urges, marking Peace Day"
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics — Celebrating Diversity Through Kintsugi
The spirit of kintsugi appeared on the world stage once again at the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games on September 5, 2021. International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons referenced the philosophy of kintsugi in his address, highlighting how the Japanese art of restoring broken pottery with gold celebrates diversity and makes us unique.
His central message was that "change starts with awareness," and he called on the world to continue breaking down barriers. From a kintsugi perspective, this resonates deeply with us: just as kintsugi does not hide the cracks but adorns them with gold, the Paralympic movement does not conceal differences but celebrates them as strengths. Sport opened the door, and now it is up to all of us to walk through it.
Kintsugi in Literature: Ichigo Ichie and A Farewell to Arms
The philosophy of kintsugi has also found its way into literature. The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García — a Spanish author living in Japan and his co-author — has been translated into several languages and become an international bestseller. In it, they describe kintsugi as a radical example of wabi-sabi, using it as a powerful metaphor for how we can embrace life's wounds rather than hide them.
Book: Miralles, Francesc; García, Héctor. The Book of Ichigo Ichie (pp.100–101). Quercus. Kindle ver. — Amazon
The authors beautifully argue that our scars — like the golden lacquer of kintsugi — tell our stories. Concealing damage out of shame is not the answer; rather, the damage is part of our history and deserves to shine. This perspective is very close to what we feel every day as we work with kintsugi pieces: every crack has its own story, and that story deserves the brilliance of gold.
A customer who purchased one of our kintsugi pieces once told us that kintsugi also embodies a line from Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms: "The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places." We found this connection between a 20th-century American novelist and a centuries-old Japanese craft truly moving — and it speaks to the universality of the kintsugi philosophy.
Cover art: A Farewell to Arms — Fair use, via Wikipedia
What Is the Philosophy Behind Kintsugi?
Mottainai, Mindfulness, and Healing Through Restoration
Kintsugi is booming in Japan. However, kintsugi is not sold as a finished work of art in Japan. In general, kintsugi refers to schools for learning the technique of kintsugi or restoration services for broken pottery provided by lacquer shops. For this reason, kintsugi kits for easily restoring one's own vessel are available at general stores in urban areas.
What is often said in connection with kintsugi in Japan is もったいない "mottainai" — a Japanese term that encompasses the philosophy of valuing resources and minimizing waste. It is also said that as people have had more opportunities to confront themselves under COVID-19, they feel as if they have healed themselves by restoring broken vessels. It is especially important to note that by restoring broken vessels, we can accept our own imperfections by superimposing ourselves on the vessel. Some overseas customers associate it with mindfulness and seek mental relaxation through kintsugi.
Candice Kumai explores these ideas in her book Kintsugi Wellness, where she describes kintsugi as life's way of saying "nobody's perfect." She argues that our hardest challenges and deepest wounds are actually among the most precious parts of who we are — just as the golden seams of kintsugi become the most beautiful part of a restored vessel.
Book: Kumai, Candice. Kintsugi Wellness. HarperCollins. — Amazon
In modern civilization there are many situations that require perfection. We have to be tough, we have to be cheerful, we have to be positive.... But we have to object that people do not have to be like that. This is probably one of the reasons why kintsugi exists.
To help you feel the above ideas on a deeper level, The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN is committed to truly sustainable traditional kintsugi. We believe that by holding our kintsugi piece created by a skilled lacquer craftsman using sustainable materials such as urushi, you will be able to appreciate the ancient beauty of kintsugi more deeply. In addition, we value "upcycling" — the creation of new value by restoring with authentic kintsugi the broken pottery that would otherwise be discarded due to cracks, chips, or flaws caused by earthquakes or other accidental damage during production.
Kintsugi — Japan's Magnificent Gift to the World
Authentic kintsugi tea bowl by The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN
Kintsugi, a symbol of Japanese culture and art, is becoming a culture that originated in Japan and is gaining popularity around the world.
From a micro perspective, it is about embracing our imperfect selves as they are, through the beauty of imperfection. This is a universal objection to modern society's demand for perfection.
From a macro perspective, kintsugi can be a message to society to connect together today's increasingly fragmented society with the remaining imperfect and diverse.
In this sense, kintsugi has evolved from one of craft techniques to an ideological concept. Based on the above, we have decided to create the following brand concept for The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN.
Our Brand Concept
Kintsugi: The Ancient Japanese Aesthetic of Sustainable Upcycling
The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN brings you the sustainable world view that is not "good as new", but "better than new".
Our Kintsugi is a Contemporary Art that reconnects a world that has been divided.
The world is divided and conflict is constant, but we find value in restoring the divisions, accepting the flaws, and then creating a better world than the original state. As such "vessels of thought," we would be happy if our kintsugi artworks remained in the world 100 years from now.
We would be more than happy to work with you, the readers of this text, to spread the spirit of Kintsugi through our works. Thank you for your continued support!
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