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When the world reaches an impasse, Japanese wisdom shines through.

Today, the world stands at a major crossroads. Diversifying values, societal transformation driven by AI, environmental issues... There is a mountain of challenges that can no longer be solved by modern rationalism alone. In such times, one question arises.  

“What is the true purpose of beauty?” 

A flawless finish, uniform whiteness, makeup that never smudges—
In the world of beauty, where competition has long centered on “perfection” measurable by numbers and visual standards, Japanese brands have been heading in a slightly different direction. This is deeply connected to the unique aesthetic sensibility that the Japanese people have cultivated over their long history.  

In this article, we will explore the philosophy underlying Japanese culture and delve into the essence of the “Japanese beauty philosophy” embodied by Japanese brands.  

“The Whole” Over “the Individual”—The Japanese Perspective

First, I’d like to begin by discussing the fundamental Japanese worldview.

In Western thought, the “individual” is placed at the center of the world. The self serves as the subject, seeking to understand—and at times, dominate—the world. Much of modern science and technology, as well as economic rationalism, has developed on the basis of this “individual-centered philosophy.” 

In Japan, however, things are a little different.

Since ancient times, the Japanese have viewed themselves as part of a larger whole—comprising “nature, the community, and society.” Humans are not conquerors of nature, but beings sustained by it—this sensibility quietly flows at the very foundation of Japanese culture. That is precisely why Japan has cultivated an attitude that values “harmony with nature,” “coexistence with the community,” and “the optimal solution for the whole.” Rather than thinking, “I just need to benefit myself,” people consider, “What can I do to ensure the whole environment thrives?”—and this philosophy is strongly reflected in the world of beauty as well.

The concept of “bringing out” the skin’s inherent power, rather than “remodeling” it, is precisely an extension of this philosophy.  

The Core of Japanese Beauty—The Ability to Sense the “Invisible”

So, what exactly is the “Japanese sense of beauty” that emerged from such a worldview?

In his 2018 paper titled “Historical Changes in Japanese Aesthetic Concepts and Their Structural Model: Basic Research for the Creation of Aesthetic Spaces,” architect Hironobu Takahashi (Kumamoto Prefectural University) describes the core of Japanese beauty as follows:  

“Rather than strictly defining an object to showcase its perfection, it lies in a sensibility that evokes transience, negative space, an aura, and the emotions that arise in the viewer’s heart.”  

In other words, Japanese beauty is not something “perfectly arranged,” but rather “something that dwells within negative space and fluctuation.” It finds beauty in the process of change rather than in the moment of completion. It does not assert itself, but rather stands quietly. Such is this sensibility.  There are several words in the Japanese language that express this sensibility. 

“Wabi,” meaning the depth and tranquility found in simplicity. “Sabi,” the charm brought about by the passage of time. “Yugen,” a profound beauty that cannot be expressed in words. “Ma,” the meaning that dwells within empty space and silence. “Kū,” the richness inherent in nothingness. These are the “coordinates of aesthetic sensibility” that the Japanese have cherished since ancient times.

What is particularly interesting is that all of these are linked to a sensitivity toward “the invisible” and “the ineffable.” 

This sensibility has also been keenly observed from outside Japanese culture. In *The Empire of Signs* (1970), the French philosopher Roland Barthes described the essence of Japanese culture as “a void at its center.” He argued that while Western systems of signs invariably seek to possess a “core of meaning,” Japanese culture, cities, and gestures possess a structure of “emptiness” that refuses to fix meaning at a single point. For Barthes, this was not a lack, but rather a rich void—an open space where the recipient’s imagination and sensibility could dwell freely.

“White space,” “ma,” and “kuu” (emptiness)—these concepts, which the Japanese have long cherished as expressions of their aesthetic sensibility, resonate deeply with the “structure of the void” that Barthes identified as lying outside Western logic. Fragrance, texture, silence, air, and time—the Japanese sensibility, which finds beauty in such invisible things, appeared to a foreign philosopher as the very core of Japanese culture.

Finding beauty in the invisible. This is Japan’s unique sensibility and the philosophy that underlies Japanese makeup philosophy. 

A New Answer Found in the Margins

Japanese makeup culture did not emerge in isolation. According to research by the Pola Cultural Research Institute (2020 and 2023), Japanese makeup culture originally developed under significant influence from continental cultures such as those of China and the Korean Peninsula. During the Nara and Heian periods, cosmetics such as white powder and rouge were introduced from the continent and refined within court culture.

However, an interesting shift then took place.

Rather than simply imitating these influences, Japan took time to “Japanize” them. While embracing the continent’s opulence and ornamentation, it blended in a “spirit of nature worship” and “Zen-like tranquility,” gradually sublimating them into a unique aesthetic.  This is not limited to makeup alone. Architecture, gardens, the tea ceremony, and flower arrangement—this is a process common to all aspects of Japanese aesthetic culture. This approach, also known as the “aesthetics of subtraction,” is deeply ingrained in the philosophy of contemporary Japanese brands.  

What Japanese brands have in common is that they value not only results and metrics, but also the quality of sensation, time, and experience.  A commitment to materials, scent and texture, and how to enhance the moment of use—all of these stem from the Japanese philosophy of “finding beauty in the blank spaces.” At the same time, this perspective redefines the act of beauty not as “a process of changing oneself,” but as “a time to connect oneself with nature and history.”    

Seeking perfection, competing on specifications, and demonstrating results through numbers—

The Japanese aesthetic sensibility, which stands apart from such values of modern society, may be quietly offering the “alternative answer” that the world needs right now.  Not fearing empty space. Appreciating transience. Listening intently to the unseen. Each Japanese brand is connected by a single philosophical thread, though in different forms. That thread is “the beauty that dwells in empty space.”  This philosophy, cultivated over many years by Japanese beauty brands, is not merely “Japanese-style design” or a “natural aesthetic.” It is Japan’s unique and profound response to the relationship between humans and nature, the relationship between the individual and the whole, and the question of “what is beauty?”  Now, as people around the world are beginning to grow weary of the perfect beauty they see on their screens, Japanese beauty philosophy resonates with unprecedented brilliance. 

Photography by Motohito Ito (SEPTEM); Compiled and Written by Nozomi Okabe (Editor-in-Chief, AMPULE MAGAZINE)

References:
Pola Institute of Cultural Research (2020, 2023)
Tetsuro Watsuji, *Fudo: An Anthropological Study*
Chie Nakane, *Human Relationships in a Vertical Society*
Takeshi Umehara, *Japanese Thought*