The Way of Nagomi

The Way of Nagomi explains a unique Japanese concept that can help us find and practice a relaxed, effortless form of balance in various areas of life, from food and health to relationships, creativity, and even with ourselves.

Like many Japanese words, “nagomi” does not have an exact English translation. “Roughly, it means balance, comfort, and calm of the heart and mind,” Mogi writes. The balance could be one in the external world as well as an internal balance we cultivate. “Ultimately, nagomi is a state of human consciousness characterized by a sense of ease, emotional balance, well-being, and calmness,” Mogi explains.

Written in Japanese kanji (和み), the word’s first character is the one for “wa,” which means “harmony,” but it also means “sum,” indicating that nagomi is always the result of multiple, differing elements working together. This combination process could be something you actively do, like two families coming together for a BBQ, or it could be something that happens spontaneously, like a dragonfly landing on a flower making for a beautiful scene in nature.

In the end, nagomi is at play wherever you feel a sense of effortless calm and balance, created from a harmony between different people, things, or ideas. It is “considered to be the mother of important concepts such as wabi sabi, Zen, kintsugi, ichigo ichie, and ikigai,” Mogi writes. “Nagomi is at the pinnacle of Japanese culture and central to the Japanese philosophy of life.”

Let’s see what that looks like on an everyday basis, shall we?

Japanese food is loved all around the world. One reason for that is that it’s rooted in nagomi. The idea shows up in Japanese cuisine in various ways. For one, there is the practice of “kaiseki,” which is about “the balance of ingredients in dishes,” Mogi writes. This could be with respect to seasonality, cost, colors, taste, or all of these aspects. Just think of a bento box: “The most essential principle is to prepare various items in small portions. Rice is always at the center, unifying the other items.” This relates to another example of nagomi in food: “kounaichoumi,” which translates to “cooking in the mouth.” From a young age, kids are taught to take alternating bites of rice and sides. “It’s about mixing the flavors so they become one on your tongue, and achieving the utmost harmony possible in your eating experience,” goes Mogi. What else is made of rice? Sake, Japan’s most famous alcoholic beverage. Therefore, at izakayas, a Japanese kind of pub, a whole range of “tsumami” is offered: foods that go well with sake. Finally, nagomi isn’t limited to Japanese food. “‘Wayochu’ refers to the cooking styles originating in Japan (wa), the…