What we can learn from Japanese movies like ‘Spirited Away' and ‘My Neighbour Totoro' about life

Indian Express

09-06-2025

In Japanese aesthetics, Yūgen (幽玄) is a profoundly philosophical concept that encapsulates the subtle, mysterious beauty of the world. Unlike direct beauty, which can be easily seen and described, Yūgen refers to an intangible, profound sense of wonder, often evoked by things that are unseen, fleeting, or beyond words. It is the moment when a mist-covered mountain evokes emotions too complex to articulate or when a poem suggests more than it explicitly states.
Yūgen has been integral to Japanese art, poetry, theatre, and philosophy for centuries, influencing everything from Noh theatre to haiku poetry and traditional ink paintings. The term itself translates to 'mysterious depth' or 'subtle profundity,' reflecting the idea that true beauty is found in what is hinted at rather than fully revealed.
The concept of Yūgen can be traced back to classical Chinese philosophy, which was initially used to describe profound truths. In Japanese aesthetics, it became a defining feature of artistic expressions that sought to evoke emotions through suggestion rather than explicit detail.
Yūgen in Literature: The Heian-period poetry collection Manyoshu often used this idea to craft verses that left much to the imagination. The 13th-century Zen monk Kenko Yoshida, in his work Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), also emphasized the beauty of the unfinished and the unknown.
Yūgen in Noh Theatre: Zeami Motokiyo, the father of Noh theater, described Yūgen as the highest artistic ideal—something that should evoke a quiet, profound sense of awe. A performance achieves Yūgen not through grand gestures but through subtle movements and silence, allowing the audience to feel rather than see.
Yūgen in Art and Nature: Traditional Japanese ink paintings (sumi-e) use blank space to create depth and ambiguity, while Japanese gardens often feature hidden pathways, misty water bodies, and asymmetry to suggest unseen beauty.
Even in contemporary times, Yūgen influences Japanese cinema, photography, and literature. Filmmakers like Hayao Miyazaki evoke Yūgen through breathtaking landscapes and quiet moments of introspection in films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. Haruki Murakami's novels often leave things unexplained, allowing readers to fill in the gaps.
In a world obsessed with clarity and instant gratification, Yūgen reminds us that some experiences are best left mysterious and open-ended, inviting deep personal reflection.