Why a Booktrail?
Allow Wabi Sabi the cat to take you on a journey around Japan as he discovers the meaning of his name.
Wabi Sabi
What you need to know before your trail
Wabi Sabi is a cat who when his friends from another place ask him about his name, he doesn’t know what to say to them. She doesn’t know what his name means and so decides to go on a journey to find out
Through the sparse and Haiku text, travel around the city of Kyoto as seen by a cat and find real beauty in unexpected places. For Wabi Sabi has a very special meaning indeed.
Travel Guide
If your dream has been to discover a time and place as an animal would see it, then this is a great book. A cat with a name she doesn’t understand is inspired to find out all about where the name Wabi Sabi comes from and her journey is a lovely one to accompany her on.
Wandering around Kyoto, Wabi Sabi can’t seem to get a straight answer from anyone she asks what her name means. “It’s not easy to explain” they tell her and so she wanders on to the next person or animal who says the same thing.
However there is one monkey, a very wise monkey who does know and is able to explain to her that Wabi Sabi is a way of seeing the world that is at the heart of Japanese culture. It’s about seeing the beautiful in the everyday, the simple things in life.
As she eats some food with the monkey in a plain yet beautiful bowl, the meaning becomes clear and stops off at a temple on the way home to write a poem , a haiku, all about it.
An insight into Japanese Haiku and the meaning of Wabi Sabi.
Where Next?
