The author argues that the foundation of Japanese creativity lies in harmony, to which the sense of harmonious beauty must be added. The Japanese view selfishness as ugliness and find no beauty where harmony is absent. Beauty is what activates the Japanese spirit, a principle that also illuminates the essence of the imperial system and the relationship between humans and nature. Through the example of wild birds in Japan that do not fear humans, the author testifies to Japan’s unique culture of coexistence with nature.

Without beauty, the Japanese spirit does not awaken.
2017-01-30
〈An addition to the previous chapter.〉

At the core of Japanese invention lies the spirit of harmony.
To this must be added the sensibility of harmonious beauty.
The Japanese can only perceive selfishness—thinking only of oneself—as something ugly.
They find no beauty where there is no harmony.
Without beauty, the Japanese spirit does not awaken.
And that beauty is something that stands upon the harmony of all things.
This single sentence may well be the finest expression of what the imperial system truly is.
Needless to say, the same holds true in the relationship between nature and human beings.
I believe it was a Chinese person who once said, “I was surprised that the wild birds in Japan are not afraid of humans. If it were us, we would eat them all, but the Japanese do not. Perhaps the birds themselves sense this.”
Now, as one of the world’s leading wild-bird enthusiasts who photographs the birds of Kyoto whenever the weather is fine, I can answer that this is indeed so.
To be continued.