JAPAN IN
ONE MINUTE 
~ “Ichigo Ichie“: The Japanese Philosophy of Treasuring Each Encounter ~
Hey Issy, I heard someone say “Ichigo Ichie” the other day.
It sounds like a dessert, but they looked really serious when they said it.
What does it mean?
Yeah, I’ve heard that phrase too!
I thought it meant “strawberry something” at first because “Ichigo” means strawberry in Japanese,
but I was clearly way off.
Haha, I get that a lot! “Ichigo Ichie” (一期一会) is actually a famous Yojijukugo (Japanese four-character idiom).
It literally means “one time, one meeting.”
Want to learn what Yojijukugo are? Check out our introduction post here!
It comes from the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and expresses the idea that each encounter is unique and will never happen in the same way again. So, we should treasure every moment and every person we meet as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Tap to listen: “Ichigo Ichie”
Wow, that’s beautiful. It really reminds me of how precious time can be like even something simple
like chatting with a friend could be the only time that exact moment ever happens.
So it’s like… every nap is special!?
I knew I was doing something important!
Hmm… maybe not quite what it means,
but the idea of treasuring each moment is pretty close.
I think that’s a really powerful idea.
We tend to rush through things in daily life, but this reminds us to slow down and value each moment.
I’m going to treat every tuna snack like it’s my last one.
That’s “Ichigo Ichie“, right?
Exactly, Pecco. Living with that kind of mindfulness is the heart of this phrase.
Meeting readers like you on Minto is also “Ichigo Ichie“!
Summary
“Ichigo Ichie” (一期一会) is a Yojijukugo (Japanese four-character idiom). It means “one time, one meeting.”
