Thanks!

I don't admire nearly everything about Japanese culture, but their love of seasonality and how they've virtually made a life philosophy out of it is one that has resonated the most with me (all the more since we also have very distinct seasons). I think we've lost way too much of that with modern lifestyles, and I try to incorporate as much of that perspective in my daily life habits nowadays, and after a few years I enjoy it a lot. I wouldn't say it's very spiritually-based in my case, more like totally epicurian! (which possibly is connected, though). Small things, like not buying anymore imported fruits/veggies (not the tropical ones that I still buy, but things like berries or apples) and waiting instead for the local ones to be in season. Not only they taste better for being at their peak and not have travelled so much and being reaped before they're ripe, but I found out there' something really great about anticipating then enjoying, let's say top-notch strawberries, over a few weeks each summer rather than dulling the pleasure of those really good ones by eating so-so ones from California/South America year-long. Now it's preserves (which are long gone before spring) and the local ones only (and much of my cooking is now like that). It's a simple way to keep myself grounded and aware of the world around me and the passage of time, even when living in a big city. It's mostly about seasonal food for me, and I don't do cherry blossom viewing (wrong climate!), but I'd certainly feel something is missing if I didn't plan a picnic or a walk in the woods in October - or go to the summer market a few times in august/september, and stuff like that in general (and other seasonal small pleasures like this which I had quite dismissed from my mind in my twenties - my loss!).