Mono no aware

For the German musical group, see Mono No Aware.

Mono no aware (物の哀れ, mono no aware, lit. "the pathos of things"), also translated as "an empathy toward things," or "a pity toward things," is a Japanese term used to describe the awareness of the transience of things and a gentle sadness at their passing. It also is referred to as the "ahness" of things/life/love. The term was popularized by the Edo-period scholar Motoori Norinaga, and was originally an idea from literary criticism. In his criticism of The Tale of Genji, Motoori noted that mono no aware is the crucial emotion that moves readers. Generally, its scope is not limited to Japanese literature but affects the Japanese view of the world in general (see also sakura).

The verb form of aware means "to commiserate" or "to pity." Many Western scholars compare it to Virgil's term lacrimae rerum, with which it shares a rough resemblance.

Notable manga artists who use mono no aware-style storytelling include Hitoshi Ashinano, Kozue Amano, and Kaoru Mori. Norwegian Wood by the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is an example of this feeling as well. British author Kazuo Ishiguro also is considered a writer in this style, particularly in his novels Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day.

External links

• Definition from the Japan Glossary by Richard Hooker of Washington State University
• Lecture notes from a Japanese culture class at Ohio State University