Summer Living and the Elements

Water

Pouring water over the hands before paying reverence at a Shinto shrine is not merely a cleansing of hands. Water purifies both body and soul. With water comes an unconscious sense of freshening. Water imbues a sense of coolness.

Sensing coolness in water

photography by Hiroaki Ota / styling by Noriko Fukuda / text by Editorial Staff

There is inherent coolness to water. In Japan, where rainfall is high, water is abundant and it plays an important role in summer living. Drinking water cools and purifies the body. The sound of ice tinkling against glass conveys the sound of coolness to the ear.

Water has innate powers of purification. It is sprinkled on the walkway before guests arrive. It is poured over the hands before paying reverence at a Shinto shrine. Rinsing the mouth and pouring water over hands at the chozuya (hand-washing stand) at the shrine entrance is not an act of cleansing dirt; it is an act of purging the heart and mind of sin and defilement. The word "water" in Japanese doesn't merely indicate H2O; it always includes allusions to purity. Thus the Japanese never use soap inside the bath—here, too, the consciousness of water as something pure has come into play. By representing purity, water in Japan produces a cool, refreshing feeling.

		Signs of summer: a cold drink served in a tumbler made of Edo kiriko (cut glass), freshly cut flowers arranged in a frosty-looking glass vase, and a stone water basin. Artful use of water in decorating creates a sense of coolness emblematic of summer. Edo kiriko glass (Kagami Crystal Company) Pitcher (TAKUMI CRAFT SHOP) Bowl (SAVOIR VIVRE) Wicker coaster (Hifumi) Tray (WASALABY) Bamboo folding screen (Toyoda Sudare) Nesting table/Barbara Barry for McGuire (IDC-Otsuka Kagu)

The suiban (literally, water dish) is a shallow ceramic or glass vessel for flowers. Filled with water and blossoms or aquatic plants, it stages a rendition of coolness. A suiban arrangement captures a microcosm of waterside scenery, a characteristic that translates into bonsai and the garden as well. The sight of natural light and greenery reflected in water cleanses the spirit, and wetting the hands at a tsukubai (stone water basin) braces the soul.

Water is one of the indispensable elements for successful summer living. Along with the summer accessories shown in the photos on these pages—rattan furniture, uchiwa (round fans), and cool-looking glassware—water can bring pleasure to all five senses.

Articles from the 2004 SUMMER issue:

Kateigaho International Edition Issues:

2005 SUMMER - 2005 SPRING - 2005 WINTER

2004 AUTUMN - 2004 SUMMER - 2004 SPRING - 2004 WINTER

2003 AUTUMN - INAUGURAL ISSUE