aware the aspects of nature (or life, or art) that move a susceptible individual to an awarness of the ephemeral beauty of a world in which change is the only constant
bigaku a coined modern Japanese term, equivalent to “aesthetics”
fūryū refined manners as reflected in things regarded as tasteful or elegant
ga neatness, propriety, elegance (as defined by Gion Nakai)
hie chill beauty, somewhat like sabi
iki an urbane, chic, bourgeois type of beauty with undertones of sensuality (as defined by Ueda Makoto)
jimi good taste in an understated, plain style
kurai dignity, even loftiness, quietly or even coldly beautiful
miyabi Heian-period term suggesting the strong appreciation for beauty, elegance, and refinement
mono no aware a slightly sweet and sad quality as appreciated by an observer sensitive to the ephemeral nature of existence
mujō a Buddhist concept suggesting impermanence
sabi a slightly bleak quality suggesting age, deterioration, and the passage of time
shibui collects in one concept the aspets of semplicity, elegance, understated beauty, recognised enjoyment
shin-gyō-sō a tripartite pattern of formal, mixed, and informal styles
soboku artless simplicity (as defined by Michael Dunn)
wabi a cultivated aesthetic that finds beauty in simplicity and an impoverished rusticity
yu term for “graceful” or “refined”; often seen as something like “elegant”