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Buddhists might call the term “wabi-sabi” a fact of existence: both life and art are beautiful not because they are perfect and eternal, but because they are imperfect and fleeting. Nothing lasts, nothing is perfect. In fact, the term is Japanese and a combination of two words. “Wabi” which means things that are fresh and simple and “sabi” that means things whose beauty stems from age. Wabi-sabi is accepting the world as imperfect, unfinished, and transient, and then going deeper and celebrating that reality.
Shinkasen: ’The bullet train’ reaches top speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph). Over its 50+ year history, carrying 10 billion passengers, it has maintained an impeccable track record (pun intended?) and continues to be the most efficient passenger rail in the world.
We cannot confirm if they are Buddhists but they did recently venture over to Japan, so they say. Accidentally Wes Anderson is an idea that we feel makes the world suck a little less. This is not just because they are nice guys. While it exists largely as a popular Instagram account, after sitting down with the small team of folks behind the “project,” as they call it, fresh off that recent trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, we feel it would be uncivil to call Accidentally Wes Anderson just a social media account or project. Maybe it started that way but it seems it’s on a path to much more.
Remember, as the Buddhist would say, bringing the reality of wabi-sabi into your life depends on your ability to slow down, to shift the balance from doing to being, to appreciating rather than perfecting. We sure do appreciate Accidentally Wes Anderson and the way they turn us on to things like the interesting hole-in-the-wall coffee shop run by the 103-year-old man four blocks from somewhere on the top 10 list—true story—that guy exists in Tokyo. Or how they seek out the stories behind the beautiful facades they spotlight and aim to expose a communal group of awesome Adventurers and Thinkers to the world of opportunities “beyond the top ten lists.” But at the same time, they run with a keen sense of humility, and that seems to be their best characteristic—which is devastatingly refreshing in a world of entitlement with social media “influencers.”
Kyoto International Conference Center:
The product of Japan’s first public design competition, this facility was designed as not to disturb its surrounding environment, thus “investigating the proper role of architecture within natural systems.”
Community drives our approach and without them, @AccidentallyWesAnderson (as a concept, much less a social media account) would not be half as fun or even... exist.
“Community drives our approach and without them, @AccidentallyWesAnderson (as a concept, much less a social media account) would not be half as fun or even… exist.” Further style points hit the scoreboard on why these guys are the best thing in our feed on a consistent basis with comments like this: “We are the most critical consumers of our own content. If it doesn’t make us smile or think more deeply, the image or story doesn’t make the cut. Submissions come in at a rate that will fuel daily inspiration for years to come.” They are said to receive more than 3,000 user submissions on recommendations of places to spotlight each month. That’s a lot of meatballs.
It looks as though the future of Accidentally Wes Anderson is being placed in their own hands and out of Mr. Z’s, with a substantial email list, revised website and several key partnerships on the horizon. But the goal of their efforts remains to help others develop their travel bucket list, share a bit of (dependable) delight, provide a small escape from the daily grind, and hopefully entice people to dig a little deeper and celebrate what is there…even if it’s not perfect. Wabi-sabi, kemosabe. The following is a spotlight on a recent trip Accidentally Wes Anderson took to Japan and was kind enough to share along.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest:
Japanese aristocrats began vacationing in ‘natural environments’ such as these since the 8th century. The stalks here, covering almost 4,000 acres in total, and are much more than your standard ‘walk in the park.’
Iwatayama Monkey Park:
A steep hike up a mountainside will put you face-to-face with a troop of 170+ Japanese Macaque who call this park home. For ¥100 you can buy a bag of sliced bananas to feed the monkeys or deposit in the viewfinder for an stellar view from the top.
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Meiji Jingu Shrine:
Lining a path leading to the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo, is a large collection of sake barrels or kazaridaru. Donated by sake brewers from around the country, the barrels on display are empty – with the rice wine having been used for shrine ceremonies and festivals.
Yama No Yu:
In keeping with tradition, the iconic Mt. Fuji mural seen here at this perfectly pink neighborhood bath house was painted by the oldest of the last three remaining Sento painters.
Lottery Kiosk:
Lotteries in Japan originated since the 1600s, before being banned from 1842-1945. Today, winners of the ‘Takarakuji’ (national lottery) bring home a tax-free jackpot and peace of mind knowing their names are never disclosed to the public.
Kabuki-za Theater:
Opened to the public in 1924, the theater was built to house the Art of Kabuki (歌舞伎), a classical Japanese dance-drama known for its dramatic stylization, the elaborate make-up worn by performers, and its 2-5+ hour performances.
Guards at Tokyo Station:
As one of the busiest stations in the country – seeing 350k+ passengers daily – Tokyo Station is one of the few architectural remnants of Tokyo’s past, making it
a symbol of the country’s modernization.
