Roger OngKunio Yanagita’s concept of “Hare” and “Ke” is a key idea in Japanese folklore studies and cultural anthropology. It explains the contrast between special moments and daily routines in traditional Japanese life. The concept is highly relevant to our well-being and sustainability, and now may be the perfect time to look at it as we enter a new year.
Kunio Yanagita is a pioneering Japanese folklorist and ethnologist who is widely regarded as the father of modern Japanese folklore studies. His accomplishments include founding the discipline of folklore studies in Japan, documenting rural traditions, and developing key theories such as the concept of Hare and Ke.
Hare and Ke: The extraordinary and the ordinary
Yanagita’s Hare and Ke distinguishes between two key states of life. Hare represents extraordinary, ceremonial, or festive occasions. These encompass weddings, funerals, New Year’s celebrations, harvest festivals, and other significant communal or spiritual events. During these times, our “normal” routines are paused, and people engage in elaborate rituals, don special attire, and partake in communal activities.
On the other hand, Ke denotes the ordinary aspects of life, referring to the mundane daily routines chores that form the default state of existence.
It doesn’t mean that living in extraordinary is the state we should live in everyday, as Yanagita emphasised that a harmonious life requires a balance between Hare and Ke. An overemphasis on either can lead to dissatisfaction: too much focus on Hare detaches individuals from practical concerns, while an excess of Ke risks monotony and spiritual emptiness.
The loss of balance is the diminishment of our well-being
One thing to note about Hare and Ke is the cultural background the concept was rooted in. They were aligned with ancient Japan’s agricultural cycles, meaning (1) there is a rhythm between Hare and Ke that is grounded in culture, and (2) there is deep connections to both nature and community. For example, many festivals celebrate a harvest through community gatherings and by offering thanks at shrines dedicated to nature.
Yanagita would continue to observe that industrialisation and urbanisation was leading a growing erosion of the balance of Hare and Ke. More and more traditional festivals are waning in Japan, partly because of the departure from the agricultural roots of many festivals. Community significance decreases, exacerbated by depopulation of regional areas. The monotony of city life is felt with fewer opportunities for celebratory breaks.
The commercialisation of festivals also played a role in this loss of Hare and Ke, as many traditional celebrations are transformed into consumer-driven events. For example, New Year’s festivities became occasions for shopping rather than meaningful rituals. Not only does that dilute the spiritual essence of Hare, ceremonies held in consumeristic context makes them less relevant.
Yanagita warned that these shifts could lead to a loss of culture and spiritual fulfilment, as individuals loss connection from their cultural roots. The imbalance of Hare and Ke would ultimately diminish the richness of life, fostering a disconnection from community, weakening cultural identity, severing ties with nature, and reducing overall well-being.
Restoring Hare and Ke in the modern world
Some “Hare” ceremonies remain strong in Japan, like Hatsumode, where the Japanese visit shrines to give thanks to the previous year, and pray for the new one to come. For festivals that face decline, especially in rural regions, we need to give more thought to preservation. There are organisations looking out for these festivals, like Matsuri Engine, seeking to restore those irreplaceable culture.
Beyond preserving cultural practices, having a balance between Hare and Ke gives us a counterbalance to modern life’s relentless pace. Reviving this balance can enhance societal cohesion and personal well-being, and perhaps during which, rediscovering our connection with nature could help us be more sustainable.
[Reference] Wikipedia (Japanese)
