Taking time to see the trees in Japan

Katsura Imperial Villa, Kyoto

I am not sure why, but can’t seem to see the forest for the trees has always been my favorite idiom.  It was in an SR71 song, a band I feel was quite underrated.  I remember hearing it and then finding out it was an idiom a little while later.  Maybe it is the imagery of trees that makes me like it.  Maybe it is the message that sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on the details.  Maybe it is because my personality swings from big picture to detail oriented depending on the day, position of the moon, color of my socks, etc.

But in Japan I think this idiom should be switched around – can’t see the trees for the forest.  Everything in Japan seems to have a simple beauty – clean lines, open space, seemingly effortless elegance through minimalism.  It isn’t till you get closer that you realize how wrong you were.  While a garden may look simple, it is really an intricate design based on years of careful pruning and planning.  Every tree, path, bench, and pond has been meticulously designed to present the perfect view.  The buildings with their open layout and stark building materials hide intricate details just waiting for the discerning eye.  Food is prepared and present with a degree of artistry and an eye for detail Da Vinci and Michelangelo would be proud of.

I think this phenomenon is something uniquely Japanese.  The attention to detail is characteristic of their meticulous nature and well developed sense of aesthetics.  But they are also a modest people who downplay their achievements, effort, and skills, hiding them in the forest of the overall picture.  But if you take the time to get close, to focus in on the trees, you will realize how truly amazing and intricate every aspect of Japanese culture is.  To use another idiom, don’t judge a book by its cover.  In Japan, you will find the wondrous hiding in the details.  Although the forest is breathtaking too.