“Atsushi is a hardcore on keeping the faith…” I found a comment on SNS. I know the person who wrote this. They have been supportive of what I am doing. I knew it was a compliment, but I do not think that I am a hardcore. At least, I do not want to consider myself a hardcore.
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Behind the word of “hardcore”, which can be defined as “the most active, committed, or strict members of a group or movement”, there is a respect to my stories in a worrier way. I don’t compromise. I don’t butter them up. I don’t spoon feed anyone: Money or Fame will not buy my dignity out. For that, yes, I may be a warrior in Sashiko. The last Samurai to serve Sashiko.
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I appreciate the compliment. However… I wish I didn’t have to be so hardcore. I feel something wrong if one has to be a worrier to protect their own culture: my own identity. I say, “(Since they do not understand Japanese), their understanding of Sashiko/Boro is insufficient”, and ask them to learn instead of spreading what is convenient for them to make money. They say it is their “choice”. One says “please stop hurting”. The others say “I don’t think it hurts. You are over-reacting”. Then when one speaks up in pain, the person becomes a worrier.
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The compliment, “Atsushi is a hardcore” may be correct. However, I am sharing stories so that others after me do not have to be worriers to protect their own culture & identity. As I always say, if you wonder about “hurting” others in Sashiko/Boro, you are NOT. So Don’t Worry too much. There is another group who paint over “it” with their own individualism. They don’t read this because it is too true & uncomfortable for them. So, I keep sharing the stories one day the majority shifts and we do not have to the worrier.
We live in such a “busy” society. We always face “demands” and often, unfortunately, how we can efficiently react to the demands define success. So do I. I do not deny the society where I live, and where my daughter will live. All I do is to observe, appreciate, and share what I can do.
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We live in extremely busy days, yet you found Sashiko, hand-stitching. In order to stitch “fast”, you once need to slow down. So, while you are with Sashiko, I want you to be okay with being “slow”. No one is judging but yourself, and you can stop judging yourself when you are mindful about that.
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I ask you (them) to read and listen to our story. Some say that they do not have enough time. Sure… we live in very busy days & we have priorities. However… then… Why Sashiko? I do not offer a quick answer & definition because it will “filter” the culture. Instead, I share as many stories as possible, day by day, so you do not need to invest your time into learning it. 5 minutes of your time each day, please read it mindfully. When you stitch, cook, wash the dishes, clean, whenever your ears are available, please listen to my Sashiko Live Streaming offered in your language. No one is asking you to do Sashiko. You found it, and it is probably something you needed, which you may probably not know yet 100%. Isn’t it exciting? My wife (White) once concluded our relationship saying, “I got it. If I do the complete opposite of what I should do, it is in your culture”. This is extreme, but better than assuming that Western mindset is the same as Japanese. It is not so dangerous to say their “normal/ordinary” is the “abnormal/extraordinary” in our culture: and vice versa. Therefore, I want you to learn what Sashiko is for the Japanese people, especially those who aren’t(weren’t) so much “westernized”.☆
GIYF. Google is Your Friend. Come to think of it, 4 years ago, Google Search Result was my worst enemy. Now, after accumulation of all the emotional labor, Google is Your, and Our Friend. If you have any questions, just search it on Google by adding my name. For example, if you are a newbie and would like to know what Sashiko is, just Google it by typing “What is Sashiko” and “Atsushi”. You will find “my” answer there. If you cannot find the answer on Google (yet), then that question can be a good question for me.
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There are so many “super nice” but “extremely rude” people out there. Since Sashiko is popular, some come to my account and just shoot some random questions and/or requests. I don’t know why they do not even read the first page of what they can find on Google before reaching out… but I find several similarities among them: They think they are doing a good thing to offer me an opportunity to share my expertise & knowledge (often for free). You may find it confusing because I am already sharing here… but they think they are entitled enough to give me a chance to speak about my own culture: If I say no, they “take it easy” and ignore my “advice” by saying “Oh, it doesn’t have to be you (or Japanese). There are many who are experts.” Niceness is suppressing the voice. That’s what I mean by Cultural “Filtration”. All of my Sashiko artisans were quite polite and expected others to be the same: mutual respect.
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All the “Japanese Courtesy” I am asking is to read what I am sharing. Many claim they read what I wrote. I doubt it. They read what they thought was written to dismiss their uncomfortableness. That’s something I need to challenge, to pass down the culture. Questions are great. I am NOT your friend if I do not know you. Google is Your Friend (that being said, the GSR is a dangerous place if one cannot identify the fake as “fake for someone’s profit”… which is another story).
I am aware that I am taking risks. There are a lot easier ways to “expand Sashiko business” for money & fame. However, Sashiko is more than a (temporary) business to me. Therefore, I need to take risks to get chestnuts out of the fire… I just sometimes realize how bad the risk I am taking. Endless emotional labor. I know 99% of followers here do not cause anything emotionally exhausting… but unfortunately, as I often say, the labor is not a majority decision.
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Here is another extreme analogy. One visits a Japanese house. I ask them to take off their shoes. They say, “oh, in my house, we keep shoes on.” and expect “us” to work together to have “mutual” understanding. Do you see how culturally scary this analogy is? They are visiting a Japanese house, yet insisting it is a choice of “understanding”. A similar thing is happening in Sashiko.
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I would rather avoid conflict. I should ignore indifference. However, I speak up, because, in the worst case scenario, the world understands it is okay to keep shoes on in a Japanese house. Then, all the stories around the culture will be lost by the dominating group. I don’t like conflict. Everytime I reply knowing that the advice will make them extremely uncomfortable, my heart beats rapidly. I learn by experience. I know the pain will come: minimizing, undervaluing, victimizing and eventually receiving the criticism of being “You are arrogant”. Regardless of the pain, I need to do this: because they pick whatever they want, and change the culture unnaturally. If I were to visit a western culture, I would follow their “ordinary”. If they claim that they can introduce Sashiko/Boro, they need to learn & follow the Japanese courtesy… Please help me out with your kindness to wipe out the superficial niceness.
I teach Sashiko “stitching”, but I ask them to not focus on stitching. While many find Sashiko “extraordinary”, I advicate the importance of “ordinary”. My Class is about learning how to “use” the tools and supplies so that you do not have to control them… or to be controlled by them.
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I understand the difficulty of “getting” what I am saying here. It sounds philosophical and abstract. However, without getting above, the understanding of Sashiko is insufficient. There are 2 ways to fully understand them: either one becomes suited in Japanese culture, or one actually practices Sashiko as we do: As Zen teaches, the true realization comes from practicing (experiencing) it, not by superficially “understanding” it.
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Again, I understand the difficulty of doubting their knowledge. “Being Right and Valid” is one of the most important elements in Western Society. So, when I say, “Your understanding of Sashiko is insufficient”, they get upset and accuse me for telling them “the assumption about them”. It isn’t an assumption… because once they truly get it, they will know we can only get closer to the sufficient understanding.
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Sashiko is NOT only about: Design, Pattern, Art, Beauty, Stitching, Techniques, Mending, Style, or Meditation. These segments aren’t wrong, but each are filtered vision by those who can “choose” (often privilege groups). Please keep learning: Once you complete my class, you will understand what I mean. I can bring you to the start-line to feel “what Sashiko really is”. If not ready to take class, please keep listening. I believe some got it by watching my Youtube videos. I also talk about it in the Sashiko Webinar next week as well. Sashiko is more than what they think they know.
I don’t have any degree in Art, Sociology, Philosophy, or other related fields to talk about “Culture” of Japanese people. However, one true thing is that I am a Japanese person who had never left Japan until the age of 18. I believe I can share my personal experience & understanding of Japanese culture on top of Sashiko: which is strongly related to the Sashiko culture I would like to pass down.
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Let me know (via Insta-Story on 8/31) if you have a question related to “Japanese Culture and Sashiko”. I would like to understand what is going on. To be honest, in extreme situations, I don’t know what you don’t know. Therefore, I don’t know what to offer as a webinar series to fulfill something you do not know yet (what you want to know is based on what you know already… so I believe the first step is to bring us on the same page). Please do not send “How-To” questions. Please check Youtube Tutorials & consider Online Sashiko Class for the technical questions such as “How to do Sashiko”.
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In preparing the webinar, my brain becomes like a fountain of ideas. However, I have to be careful in bringing everyone together: instead of me going out of control with what I would like to insist. I am not a Folklorist or a Historian. I just share the stories – not the folk-tales or documents we can find in history. They are just stories. They aren’t so much “History” or “Tradition”. What I share is an on-going difference in culture, and therefore, it can fulfill something missing in todays’ Sashiko.
More than 700 SNS Posts and 140 Full-Length Sashiko Story on Patreon. I still have a lot more to share. In a trend of simplifying Sashiko, sharing Sashiko Story, both wisdom I receive and personal experience I had gone though, is the way to pass down the Sashiko we have been practicing. In August 2021, I offered a lecture about Sashiko’s essence for the first time in while. I thought it would be somewhat “boring” because all of the content was repetitive stories I had already shared. However, I had received many positive feedbacks for what I had shared. The same story, but in a different way to share: Visual and Audio. I would like to focus on “deliverying the message” besides the “Sharing Stories”. I will continue sharing the story, of course. This is just an announcement of my new way to contribute to the Sashiko Culture. I offer Sashiko Webinar Series to share what Sashiko really is for us.
Sashiko Webinar Details
Sashiko Story Webinar 101 – What is Sashiko anyway?
Date & Time: Friday, September 10th, 9 pm ~ 10 pm EDT
Please get a ticket from the link below. (*It is free of charge to get ticket. However, if you are new to what we do, please condier donation as a ticket price.)
I have been sharing “Sashiko Story” on Youtube as well. Please check this playlist to watch & lean what Sashiko is for us. This can be a great preview materials before joining Sashiko Webinar Series (Of course. it is NOT required).
Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko
I learn the word, “Cultural Appropriation”, when I was accused to be so arrogant while me sharing my personal stories. It is very unfortunate that one can be so ignorant to damage foreign culture. Cultural Appropriation is a very sensitive topic to discuss. I do NOT think “Only Japanese can/should practice Sashiko”. I believe anyone can enjoy Sashiko. However, it has to be done in a respectful manner to those who had developed & tried to pass down Sashiko to today’s society.
Sashiko is simple, very simple, therefore it carries a lot of cultural aspect. I do not want it to be filtered by/for someone’s convenience. The goal of this Sashiko Story Series is to tell them the importance of “acknowledging” it. I am not asking them to stop doing Sashiko or apologize for what they did. I just need them to “learn” what Sashiko really is.
For more details on Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko, please watch the video & read the article below.
I talked about “being special (≈ individualism)” in the previous post. I appreciate feedback that “I (Atsushi)” is special because of what I share. To be honest, though, I do not consider myself special. I know it because I tried so hard to be “special” in the past.
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If you find me somehow “different” though, then it is because I reach the understanding of “who I am” in chaos. It is my sincere fortune to find whom I spend my time for, and what I would like to do. I can pretty much answer all of the “why” you may wonder. Why Sashiko? Why share stories everyday? Yes, of course, I wish to be someone else occasionally, but I find happiness residing right next to me thanks to this “why”.
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I am not special. I just decided to be honest. (If you argue that “being honest” is “special” in this society, then I have to admit that I am special). Since I have “answers” to “why”, I have important “things” that I want to protect, especially from those who ignore the fact arrogantly. We may call it “dignity”. I want them to respect Sashiko & Japanese culture, but I do not ask for their respect toward me, because I already have my own dignity. “Respect” is something to advocate, and “Dignity” is something given.
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You may wonder, again, what does this post do with Sashiko? The answers to “why” is formed in my Sashiko time: when & where I talk within instead of judging the result or even myself. Is this the Sashiko you can find in English books? I don’t think so. Therefore, filtration is indeed happening. It is sometimes necessary to perform “someone else” in life. However, please do not fake yourself… because I do not want you to lose who you really are.
Society asks you to be someone special. They say, “Find true-self within you”, and encourage you to be the “Only One” by doing something. They teach you how to be creative as if creativity clears your suffering. If “creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence (Quote from Osho)”, what they do is more like obedience (following) to the (social) system than being creative.
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That being said… Why do you have to be special and creative? Since we think we can achieve happiness by being special and creative, we start “borrowing” something that “looks” unique: like the words Sashiko and Boro, without understanding the core of its practice. It is an illusion that one has to be special & creative to be happy, created by someone who benefits from it. They may think they are creative, but in fact, they are just following a path that “looks like” to be creating with destroying something that “looks like” special and creative.
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Again, I ask. Why do you have to be special and creative more than who you really are? If you are willing to learn what Sashiko is, I welcome you to use the word Sashiko together. I don’t teach you to be more “creative”, but I share stories based on Japanese culture. Don’t use the word if your goal is just to be special & creative. You are trying to be “extraordinary” by using the culture of “appreciating to be in the ordinary”.
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As I always say, happiness isn’t something you achieve, or win-over. It is something you realize. Don’t let others define what your happiness is… and more importantly who you are. At least, Sashiko can “teach” you (not me teaching you) how to be okay (appreciate) who you are. Acknowledge it, Learn more, then you will realize what you really want. Don’t let others decide what you want in your life.
I receive many requests and offer to tranlate our Sashiko Stories to other languages besides Japanese and English. Yes, it is my wishful goal to introduce Sashiko in other languages, many other languages. If you wish, please feel free to translate our stories into your language, enjoy it, or even share the translation on your platform. I am happy to mention your account in my Platform. Only thing I ask is a valid credit (link/tag/citation). Then, you may wonder, why can Atsushi find a translator who translates what he shares periodically if his goal is to share the Sashiko? Well… when it comes to a case of “I (Atsushi)” being in charge of the translation, including outsourcing it to a professional translater, it most likely will not happen soon as of now (Summer 2021). Here is why.
What I write in English is not a direct translation of what I would write in Japanese. With spending so much time, I try my best to encourage you to understand not only the information I share but also the Japanese culture and mindset. Therefore, I really would like to trust the person who translates what I write/say – since I cannot make sure if the translation is done properly – in the language I do not understand. Asking a professional translating firm is a simple & valid way to have the “great translation”, but as an artisan who shares the cultural matters, it seems very irresponsible to just “translate” without valid checking. I am proud of being valid because I am the first source of information. When I have a translated our Sashiko Story, I want my partner to be the first source as well instead of just my “translator”. So, please be patient a bit more. From those who learn our Sashiko, I hope I can find someone eventually.
Before 2018, I wouldn’t worry a process of translating my stories this much. However, after learning the current trend of Sashiko & insufficient information of Sashiko, I had to change my mind. Now, I am spending so much time and effort to “re-twist” the cultural filteration already done in English because the translation from Japanese to English in Sashiko filtered some core & essence of Sashiko. I wish I could just focus on “sharing”, but I also need to work on “uninstalling” some of the misunderstanding (including the sense of achievement).
Therefore, I have to be extra careful to translate our Sashiko in Other Language. To be honest, I can just translate it tomorrow with outsourcing it online, or even using free Google Translate, and make money. However, “communicating what it is” more important than “how popular I can get”. Once a word start walking by itself without proper guidance from the native, it will get almost impossible to bring them back.
Sashiko in Other Languages.
I haven’t given up. It is just very difficult to find a translater who is fluent in both language (Japanese and the language to be translated), live(d) in Japan, and have Japanese culture as their ordinary, with hopefully some hand-crafting experience. Otherwise, in this time, I may repeat the filtering that I am working so hard to fulfill.
Meanwhile, please translate what I share as your “interpretation” and “translation”. As long as it is NOT translated as my first message, it isn’t going to filter the cultural essence. In fact, it would be a great support. I would like to support you as a Sashiko practitioner in other Languages. I just cannot validate a post in another language I do not read (therefore I need the trust first).
*If you know anyone, or if you are the one who is willing to learn Sashiko from us & native in other languages, please contact me. This is a big project, and I will start a crowdfunding so that I can offer good compensation to the committment.
A Japanese Native (lived in Japan) with fluent language skill besides Japanese & English (I will share as much information as possible with the translater in Japanese over Zoom Meeting)
Anyone who is fluent in English or Japanese with other language skill, who takes Atsushi’s Class first.
【Post on 11/19/2020】 https://www.instagram.com/p/CHxt2kKp2hn/
As of now, our contents are available in ENG and JPN. I receive many requests to translate my Sashiko Class & Articles to other languages. I really appreciate your interest. Please understand that translating cultural matters requires careful & time-consuming & skillful process. The result from “Machine Translation” sometimes loses its value. As I explain how ENG and JPN are different as language on my Patreon Page, the mis-translation can be critical. There are reasons I make a post in 2 languages here. It is so challenging to introduce Japanese culture in another language.
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In order to make “translation” happen, I have to find a person with 2 core abilities. (1) Language knowledge (fluent or native) in both JPN and the language & (2) (Willingness to) Understand the Japanese & Sashiko Culture. If you know anyone who is willing to help us out, please let us know.
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Please, Please do not get me wrong. I am very happy to have readers from all over the world. I wish I could express my message in all the language. It is perfectly fine to use Google Translate to read what I write here. I just want to remind you that you are reading a “message translated by machine – not human with the same knowledge” if it is not JPN/ENG. Once I find a partner I can trust & communicate in Japanese, I will start working on translation. Thank you very much for your interest in learning Sashiko. (Words on the photo are the languages I know the very basic).
