WABI SABI · 侘び寂び · imperfect beauty

侘び寂び (wabi-sabi) isn't one character but two ideas held together. 侘 (wabi) is the quiet left when nothing is showy. 寂 (sabi) is the beauty a thing earns as it ages and wears. Together they name a way of seeing: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and that is exactly where the beauty is.

Look into the brushwork and a deer appears. In old Japanese poetry the deer is the animal of autumn — its call across the hills stood for longing, and for the ache of things passing. It was the only four-legged animal classical poets allowed into their verse. A fitting creature to hide inside these two words.

A small mark on the chest, 侘び寂び across the back at full size.

From UTSURI's collection — kanji apparel where the meaning hides in plain sight.

The shirt

• Unisex fit, true to size
• 100% combed, ring-spun cotton (heather colors have some polyester)
• Mid-weight — 142 g/m² (4.2 oz), not thin
• Pre-shrunk, side seams, taped shoulders
• Printed after you order — front and back

Not sure of your size? See the size guide, or go one size up for a looser fit.

Look again.