20 Meaningful and Aesthetic Japanese Words to Know

Last Updated on 03/06/2026 by Mayi

I’m not sure when my love for the Japanese language began. Still, it has always been there, rooted in my admiration for the beautiful and aesthetic Japanese words that seem to carry entire philosophies within them. These unique expressions often have no direct English translation, reflecting emotions and ideas deeply ingrained in Japanese culture.

In this post, I’ve compiled 20 of my favourite aesthetic Japanese words—terms that are not only beautiful but also meaningful. I’ve included the kanji, hiragana, katakana and romaji for each to help you on your language learning journey.

Aesthetic Japanese words

Wabi sabi (侘寂 – わびさび)

I first heard of wabi-sabi while purchasing a set of teacups in Kyoto’s flea market. One of the cups appeared to have a small crack mended together. This act of purposely leaving the imperfections visible (kintsugi) symbolises the very heart of wabi-sabi.

The first kanji 侘 (wabi) means “the beauty found in simplicity and sobriety.” In contrast, the second kanji (sabi) represents “the feeling of peace that emanates from old things” and refined simplicity. The two words together denote an aesthetic concept derived from the Zen philosophy of Buddhism, advocating simplicity and elegance. It is about recognising the beauty in old, modest, and imperfect things.

In the Zen philosophy, there are seven aesthetic principles that allow Wabi-sabi, the state of awareness of the imperfection of things:

• Kanso (簡素) – simplicity
• Fukinsei (不均斉) – asymmetry, irregularity
• Shizen (自然) – naturalness without pretension
• Yūgen (幽玄) – subtle grace, not obvious 
• Datsuzoku (脱俗) – freeness
• Seijaku (静寂) – tranquillity, silence
• Koko (考古): basic, weathered

Kintsugi (金継ぎ)

The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver is more than a craft—it’s a philosophy. It is called Kintsugi (金継ぎ) and sometimes referred to as kintsukuroi (金繕い). In a society where it is customary to over-consume, we tend to discard things that we believe are no longer perfect. Kintsugi celebrates flaws and offers a second life to broken items. It allows you to restore broken or damaged objects by sublimating them with gold, not by hiding cracks. 

The philosophy behind kintsugi is to put forward the imperfections, errors and mistakes to celebrate them as a new/restored object rather than discarding them altogether. 

Kanso (簡素 – かんそ)

Kanso is the Japanese Zen principle meaning simplicity or elimination of clutter. Things are expressed in a plain, simple, natural manner.” 

I’m sure most of us have heard of Marie Kondo, the Japanese organising guru. Through her Netflix show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, she set off the world into a decluttering craze. 

Her “spark joy” catchphrase comes from the concept of kanso, which means simplicity. Like the Chinese feng shui, kanso focuses on harmonising with your surroundings, thus eliminating clutter and non-essential items, choosing natural furniture and minimal artwork. 

Ikigai (生きがい)

Ikigai is one of the most inspiring Japanese words I’ve encountered. It means “reason for being”—the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. For me, it’s writing about travel and language. Linked to kanso, you can use ikigai to aid the reorganisation of your home in a minimalist way. Above all, ikigai is about personal development to feel happier in your life. 

Inspiring and Meaningful Japanese words

Shinrin-Yoku (森林浴)

Being in contact with nature does all of us good, especially nowadays, when most people are forced to stay indoors. Walking in the woods or even a big park with lots of trees and nature does well to lift people’s morale and relieve stress. 

I love forest walks, which are known in Japan as shinrin-yoku—“forest bathing.” The practice involves walking in the woods, fully breathing in the scent of trees, and listening to birds chirping.

Shinrin-yoku is believed to have many restorative and therapeutic benefits, almost like food for the soul. Plus, it can be done anywhere with trees, no matter your fitness level. 

Kuchisabishii (口寂しい)

Have you gained a few pounds due to unlimited access to your fridge and a lack of activity? Have you been making short trips to your kitchen or looking inside your fridge, searching for something to eat? Eating out of boredom is a manifestation of “kuchisabishii.” 

The word literally means “a lonely mouth.” Still, there is no precise translation to express the compulsive aspect of this habit. Basically, you have enough room to eat even though you are not hungry.

I was introduced to this word by a Japanese friend when she visited me in Paris. She found it hard not to snack on the abundance of delicious sweets and pastries. 

Kuidaore (食い倒れ)

Kuidaore is a fun word that means to “eat oneself into ruin.” As a foodie, I relate deeply to this! Kuidaore describes a situation where someone loves food and drink so much that they will happily spend all their money on it. Foodies who visit all the hip restaurants are victims of this. 

Fun Fact: Kuidaore is associated with Dōtonbori, the foodie district in Osaka. The foodie hotspot has all lines after lines of restaurants, food stalls and markets. Every nook and cranny is filled with an eatery, all selling delicious food. Anyone who loves Japanese food must go there. 

Irusu (居留守)

Imagine someone you don’t want to see at your doorstep, so you pretend you are not home. There’s even a word for pretending you’re not home: irusu. It’s oddly comforting to know other cultures do this too.

Ganbatte (頑張って)

Ganbatte is an essential word in Japan that encourages people to strive for something. Ganbatte is all about the positivity of doing your best, moving forward, fighting, working hard, and not giving up. 

The word means to persevere, persist or insist and is often translated as good luck. 

A similar expression – nanakorobi yaoki – translates to “fall down seven times, stand up eight” and is one of the best ways to describe the Japanese spirit. 

Mono no aware (物の哀れ)

Mono no aware refers to the awareness of the fading nature of beauty. It is about being aware of the temporary existence of things, therefore, appreciating them while they last. A great example of mono no aware is hanami and hanabi (summer fireworks). Cherry blossoms (sakura) are important to Japanese people since they have a short blooming period. 

Omotenashi – お持て成し

The Land of the Rising Sun is undoubtedly a warm country where you can get help for the slightest problem. Omotenashi is about treating your guest, customer, or neighbour the best way possible. It goes with Ichigo ichie, seen in tea ceremonies. The idea is that every meeting with a guest is a unique moment that should be treasured. 

I believe this goes beyond the concept of “Treat others as you would like to be treated”. The term describes deep hospitality often seen in accommodations, shops, restaurants, etc. The best places to experience omotenashi are tea ceremonies and ryokans.

Essential everyday Japanese words

A fundamental way of thinking in Japanese culture, especially Buddhism, is to appreciate. Not all of these essential Japanese words have a tangible equivalent in English. But knowing them and how to use them will help you make the most of your trip to Japan.

Itadakimasu (いただきます)

When eating a meal, people say itadakimasu, which loosely translates to “bon appétit” or “let’s eat”. A better translation of this word is “ I humbly receive”. The purpose is to thank the person who cooked the food you are about to eat and all the other people involved in the food production.

Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした)

After a meal, gochisousama deshita means “thank you for the feast.” It’s another beautiful Japanese word tied to gratitude and respect.

Whenever you are in someone’s house or restaurant, it’s polite to thank your host. 

Otsukaresama (お疲れ様)

In the same vein as itadakimasu and gochisousama, otsukaresama is used to thank someone. Short for お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita), it means “You are tired because you’ve worked hard!”. It’s a useful word used between coworkers or friends as a greeting, goodbye, or to express gratitude for their hard work and contribution. 

When meeting my Japanese teacher (who is now a good friend) after work, she would say the first and last thing to me was “otsukare”. This word is one of my favourites as it is the synonym of all the hard work I put into learning the language. 

Ojama shimasu (お邪魔します)

When entering someone’s room or house in Japan, you must say “ojamashimasu” which means ‘thank you for inviting me’ or ‘thank you for having me’. This expression is also used to say ‘sorry to disturb’ you when talking to someone or interrupting a conversation. 

You say this every time you enter someone’s home, whether planned or unexpected. When you leave, you repeat the phrase but in the past tense: お邪魔しました (ojama shimashita).

Hard to translate Japanese words

The Japanese language has many difficult-to-translate words. Sometimes, they relate to a particular aspect of the country. Here are some of my favourite words. 

Shouga nai (しょうがない)

This word is handy as it enables people to think positively even in unpleasant or frustrating situations. “Shouga nai” means something similar to “it can’t be helped” or “nothing can be done.” Instead of brooding about things you have no control over, you can use the word to forget about them. Worrying, guilt, or regret then makes no sense.

Having said that, “shouga nai” is a far more complex word and comes with many cultural weights, which might be hard to understand. The expression refers to a philosophy of existence based on the importance of acceptance. 

Tsundoku (積ん読)

Do you have piles of books just waiting to be read? Do you visit bookstores and buy books because they look pretty? If so, then you might be doing tsundoku. 

Tsundoku is the art of buying and accumulating books without ever reading them. The urge to buy a new book, knowing that we won’t have time to read it, indicates how much people love books, even as e-readers are present. I’m sure most of us have a book or two lying around and dying to be read. I am guilty as charged since I find it increasingly difficult to leave my phone for a while.

Komorebi (木漏れ日)

Imagine you are in a park on a summer day, lying in the shade and enjoying a peaceful time. Suddenly, you see the light filtering through the branches of a leafy tree and hitting the grass. In the Japanese language, it is called: komorebi. The shadow created on the ground, or even in our curtains, describes this everyday beauty. Poetic right? I don’t know if any other language has a way of describing this.

Cool Japanese Onomatopoeia Words

In the Japanese language, there are many onomatopoeia, words that mimic the sound of the things they refer to. The Japanese language has different categories for onomatopoeia, each with its own way of expressing things. Doki Doki and Kasakasa are two of my favourites. 

Doki doki (どきどき – ドキドキ) 

Doki doki expresses both the sounds of a living thing (gisei-go) and an emotional state (gijou-go), which describes the feeling of excitement or nervousness and the actual sound of a rapid heartbeat. 
When you exercise, for example, after climbing six flights of stairs, when you are excited, worried or upset, your heart rate goes faster, right? It goes something like dokidokidokidokidoki, but when you are relaxed, it’s more the slow doki…doki…doki… sound.

Kasakasa (かさかさ, カサカサ)

Kasakasa is a word that describes the rustling sound that dry things make when they touch each other. 

I first encountered this cute Japanese word when I visited Nikko with my Japanese friends. On an autumn day, we walked along a path full of ginkgo trees. My friend said the noise we made when walking on ginkgo leaves was “katakana.”

BONUS Aesthetic Japanese Word

Yoko-meshi (横飯)

Yoko-meshi is an expression I relate to and rank high on my favourites list. This beautiful Japanese word means “a meal eaten sideways”. It comes from “meshi”, which means ‘boiled rice’ and “yoko”, which means ‘horizontal’. And no, it doesn’t mean that we are eating rice the wrong way!

It refers to the stress and awkwardness of making yourself understood in a foreign language, the feeling you get when forced to speak in a different language, and the anxiety of not being able to understand or be understood. 

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I hope this list of aesthetic Japanese words helps you appreciate the language as much as I do. These beautiful Japanese expressions reflect deep cultural values and emotional nuances. Whether you’re learning Japanese, planning a trip, or just intrigued by unique words, there’s something here for everyone.

Planning your next trip to Japan? Read these related posts

• 30+ Useful Japanese Phrases for Travellers
• Japanese Etiquette Tips: What to Know Before You Go
• With or Without JR Pass? Everything You Need to Know
• Planning a Trip to Japan for the First Time – Ultimate Travel Guide

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Written by

Mayi

Mayi is the writer and photographer behind SecretMoona — a space for travellers who care more about culture and quiet corners than tick-box sights. She writes honest, first-hand guides to France, Japan and beyond, a journey that began with a solo trip to Japan in 2017.

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