Ichigo Ichie: The Japanese Art of Appreciating Every Moment

One evening in Tokyo, a man rushed through  the crowded Shibuya crossing, stressed out and anxious. His phone vibrated endlessly with  notifications—work deadlines, messages from his boss and coworkers, and countless other reminders  demanding his attention 24/7. He glanced at his watch.

He was running late for a meeting in  Shinjuku and had to catch the Yamanote Line, or he’d be in trouble. The crowds of people, the  neon lights, and the sounds of heavy machinery at a construction site increased his anxiety. Just  before entering the subway station, he checked his watch and realized he had already missed his  train.

Defeated, he slumped his shoulders and stared across the chaos. He spotted a street  food stand selling takoyaki (octopus balls), which used to be his favorite snack, although he  couldn’t remember the last time he ate it. The man approached the stand on a whim and ordered  a single serving of takoyaki.

He took a bite. As the flavors filled his mouth,  everything else faded: the past, the future, the notifications on his  phone, the business meeting he missed, the stress. All that mattered was the taste of  his food: the delicious, freshly cooked takoyaki.

We’re often so caught up in our worries about  the future and ruminations about past events that the present eludes us almost completely.  In a way, we sleepwalk through life, turning our attention toward the mind’s many (often excessive)  productions, largely unaware of what’s happening around us. We may sit on a train, hardly  aware of the beautiful landscapes passing by, because we worry about something a coworker  said the other day.

Before we know it, we’ve squandered the enjoyment of moments that never  return, as every moment, every tasting of food, every meeting with a stranger, and walking through  the vibrant city of Tokyo is a unique experience; it’s a once-a-lifetime opportunity. The Japanese Zen Buddhists were aware of life’s fleeting nature; every moment is  unique and can never be re-experienced. The Zen tradition gave birth to the term Ichigo  Ichie, which could be roughly translated to “once in a lifetime” or “this time only.

” This  video explores the concept of Ichigo Ichie. If you want to support Einzelgänger, consider  joining my Patreon page, which allows access to ad-free videos and free merch. Also, follow me  on Facebook and Instagram for updates and quotes.

Thank you, and I hope you’ll enjoy this video. Sen no Rikyū was a Japanese tea master from the 16th century who profoundly influenced Japanese  tea drinking. He emphasized valuing the present moment, particularly during a tea ceremony,  saying, “Ichigo ni ichido,” meaning “one change, one lifetime.

” He pointed towards  the uniqueness of each gathering, as every meeting between host and guest would  never occur in quite the same way again. Even if these people would meet many times in the  future, each encounter would be unprecedented. Later, in the nineteenth century, a Japanese  tea ceremony grandmaster and high-ranking political figure named Ii Naosuke coined the  term ‘Ichigo Ichie.

’ Constantly facing threats of assassination, Naosuke treated each  tea ceremony as if it might be his last, believing every session was unique and more  beautiful than the previous. Naosuke stated: Great attention should be given to a tea  gathering, which we can speak of as "one time, one meeting" (ichigo, ichie). Even though the  host and guests may see each other often socially, one day’s gathering can never be repeated  exactly.

Viewed this way, the meeting is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. End quote. Thus, the ceremony host and guests must  devote themselves entirely to the event, knowing it’s a unique moment; future  gatherings will be different.

It is truly one time, one meeting—experienced  in the present, never to occur again. When we think of it, the past and future aren’t  real, even though they appear lively within our minds. They’re illusory.

They don’t  exist. The only thing that truly exists is the present moment, the here and now.  As Eckhart Tolle stated: “There is never a time when your life is ‘not’ this moment.

” So, life happens now. We could be immersed in past events, but this immersion still  takes place in the present. The same goes for worrying about the future: the worrying  happens in the present.

Our thoughts may make it seem that the past and future are alive and well,  but, in reality, they aren’t. What’s ‘alive’ is our ‘thinking’ about them. What may appear as  real and happening and may even evoke emotions that make it seem more real are just creations of  our minds.

They’re fantasies, memories, judgments, and “what ifs. ” They are reconstructions of  what happened before and mental simulations of what could happen in the future, but by no means  what’s actually going on as we speak. There are problems with living in our minds like this.

As many people experience, excessive thought generates emotions such as anxiety, grief, and  anger. For example, the man in Tokyo worried about the consequences of running late for a meeting;  he could be fired, lose face in the eyes of his coworkers, and, consequently, in the eyes of his  friends and family for neglecting his duties, which could evoke fear and panic. But what also  happens is that the present moment – the events happening in this time and space – largely  elude us.

And this, the Zen masters believed, is pretty unfortunate. The Tokyoite would  have never enjoyed his favorite snack if his worries had taken up his attention. On  the crowded streets near Shibuya station, he could let go of his fears and immerse himself  in the beauty and enjoyment of that moment.

In my experience, I’ve often let my thoughts spoil  the moment. There have been times when most of my life just passed, as I was too much in my head.  Even when watching a movie, for example, I’d just miss parts due to wandering in my thoughts.

Thus,  there have been many missed opportunities: sights and sounds I failed to take in and encounters with  people I didn’t cherish. It’s like getting offered gold and gemstones while unable to see and take  them, blinded by the illusion of past and future. I wasn’t aware of Ichigo Ichie: that every  moment I squandered would never happen again.

The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art  of Making the Most of Every Moment, describes Ichigo Ichie like this: The meaning of ichigo ichie is something like this: What we are experiencing right now will  never happen again. And therefore, we must value each moment like a beautiful treasure. Life is like floating on a river, passing countless scenes and sights, encountering  obstacles, and meeting other people floating in the same direction.

Our position in that river is  ever-changing. The objects surrounding us never stay the same. The sights pass us by, never to be  seen again.

With just a blink, our surroundings change—and we change with them. One day, we’re  surrounded by fellow floaters; the next, we drift alone, not a soul in sight. We may long back  for those moments that seemed to last forever, such as those carefree college years or living on  cloud nine with our first love.

Did we take life’s good times for granted when they occurred? Did  we let our most enjoyable moments be overshadowed by worry and, perhaps, desire for better? What’s gone is gone, which rings true for both good and bad, ordinary and special.

Whatever the  experience, we’ll never experience it again. Nothing lasts forever, neither good nor bad.  Accepting this fact is the key to taking full advantage of the sublime moments life bestows  on us and to not losing hope when we go through a rough patch.

End quote. These words remind me of the Sufi story of the  king who sought wisdom but couldn’t find it until he heard about a sage who, as they said, possessed  the great wisdom he was looking for. The king ordered the sage to appear before him and promised  him a great reward if he could share the secret of his wisdom with him.

The sage agreed and left  the palace. Weeks later, the sage returned with a small box containing a ring with an inscription:  “This too will pass. ” The sage said: “Wear this ring always and look at it often.

Whether you’re  facing good fortune or hardship, let it remind you: this too shall pass…” The king was satisfied  and rewarded the sage with great wealth. The awareness of transience is a double-edged  sword. First, it lets us see that whatever beautiful, enjoyable moment we’re in will  pass.

For many, this fact causes grief. Why would we want to lose what we cherish in life?  How could we feel good about the fact that good times come to an end?

Such sentiments  are understandable. The nostalgic among us know the pain of longing for what is long gone.  But it’s inevitable.

As Epictetus once said: If you wish your children, and your wife, and  your friends to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to be in control of things which you  cannot, you wish for things that belong to others to be your own. End quote. Thus, a more realistic approach would be to  accept transience, know that these moments won’t last forever, and enjoy them fully,  which is what Ichigo ichie is all about.

The other edge of the sword is that the awareness  of transience makes letting go of unpleasant, painful moments easier. Painful moments are  unique as well. They also never appear again.

That doesn’t mean that there won’t be another  painful moment, but a specific experience, which could have been traumatic, happens only  once. Trusting in the impermanence of everything, we won’t forget that this too shall pass. As an avid walker, I try to take in the scenery and sounds I’d miss when lost in thought.

When I  was in Japan not too long ago, I tried to practice this more, focusing on whatever passes by, such  as buildings, nature, people, and traffic. I also focussed more on conversations, on the mere  experiences of being on the subway or waiting for a train. Instead of meeting these experiences  with boredom and impatience, I tried to take them in with curiosity.

It was challenging. I  realized again how much my mind tends to wander, and what a pity that is, given the beauty of  Japan—especially the Asano River in Kanazawa, where I walked along its banks. With enough  attention to the present, even the simplest moments can become unique and highly enjoyable.

I’ve been through a lot – we all have – and life poses many challenges. But why do I let these  things so frequently overshadow the beauty of what’s right in front of me? How different of  an experience life is when all the excessive thought processes slide, when I realize  that there’s only ‘now,’ that this ‘now’ is unique and fleeting, so I’ll never get it back?

People often chase once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Typical once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list  experiences (at least, what society tells us) include traveling to iconic destinations like the  Great Wall of China, witnessing a solar eclipse, skydiving, and attending Burning Man or the World  Cup. But according to the concept of Ichigo ichie, everything is a once-in-a-lifetime experience: a  conversation with your mother at the dinner table, cuddling with your dog, a walk in the woods, or  looking your spouse in the eyes.

And with enough attention and appreciation, these simple things  could be much more fulfilling and meaningful than the grandest of adventures. Thank you for watching.