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Shibui

Place	:	Kyoto
Taken by	:	R. M. (Doshisha International Junior/Senior High School)

This is Japanese tea. It has the taste of Shibui.

This is Hoshigaki, dried persimmon. It is not Shibui, but before it is made sweet it is so Shibui! It is made of astringent persimmon.

This is shogi, Japanese chess. When I play it, some friends say “You are so Shibui!” But that Shibui is different mean for two. Shogi is not food, it is a traditional board game. And there is another meaning of Shibui. If good shogi players watch this game, all of them will say “Shibui!” Because in spite of having some chances to attack, the player chooses a defense move instead, counter to expectations.

These are pottery. These have really Shibui color and luster.

“Shibui” has many meanings. Sometimes it means bitter or astringent. Sometimes it means tasteful or quite. Sometimes it means a great traditional culture that is exclusively Japanese. Always Shibui is said about an old thing or person, because it is an element of an adult person. The taste of Shibui is not loved by many people in the world. But if someone has accustomed themselves to the taste of Shibui, they hook on it. So Shibui opens the new world to be filled by many things. Of course Shibui is a piece of Japanese culture. I want to communicate a sense of Shibui to foreigners.

Child Research Net would like to thank the Doshisha International Junior/Senior High School and Ryohei Murata student and author, for permitting reproduction of this article on the CRN web site.