German and Japanese Design Aesthetics: Why Wabi-Sabi and Bauhaus Resonate

"Less is more" – this phrase is attributed to Mies van der Rohe, but in Japanese culture, the concept of "wabi-sabi" has long embodied a similar spirit. How did these two aesthetics, born on different continents, arrive at such similar conclusions? Tracing their intersection helps us understand why Japanese people are drawn to German design.

What is Wabi-Sabi? – Beauty Residing in Imperfection and Irregularity

Wabi-sabi is a concept difficult to define in a single sentence. "Wabi" is said to refer to the tranquility found in solitude or simplicity, while "sabi" denotes the patina and charm that time brings to objects. A well-used bowl with softened edges is considered more beautiful than a perfectly polished surface. A single withered flower can be more moving than a symmetrical arrangement – wabi-sabi refers to such sensibilities.
At the heart of this aesthetic lies the question: "What remains after all unnecessary elements are removed?" Excessive decoration or assertion can obscure the true essence of an object. When one listens to the voice of the material and prioritizes fidelity to function, beauty follows. This is the essence of wabi-sabi.
Soetsu Yanagi, the philosopher who led the Mingei (folk craft) movement, expressed this sensibility with the term "beauty of utility" (yo no bi). This philosophy posits that true beauty resides in the handmade crafts of anonymous artisans used in daily life. It suggests that living beauty is found not in elaborately adorned craftworks, but in tools picked up and used every day.

From Loos's "Ornament and Crime" to Bauhaus – Convergence on Function

Around the same time, in Germany, a similar conclusion was reached through an entirely different context. Adolf Loos, an architect and one of the spiritual predecessors of Bauhaus, declared that "ornament is crime." Bauhaus inherited this principle, seeking to integrate all aspects of product, architecture, and graphic design based on the belief that "by stripping away unnecessary ornamentation, the essential beauty of an object emerges."
The "Less is More" philosophy embodied by Mies van der Rohe points in the same direction. Removing superfluous elements from architecture and letting space and material speak for themselves – this approach shares a surprisingly similar sensibility with the "negative space" (yohaku) of Japanese shoin-zukuri architecture and tea rooms.
The "Ten Principles of Good Design," inherited from Bauhaus by the Ulm School of Design and systematized by Dieter Rams, were essentially answers to the same question. Rams' repeated message to "design as little as possible" is a declaration of the belief that the essence of an object resides after ornamentation has been stripped away.

The Intersection of Two Aesthetics – Material, Craftsmanship, and Traces of Time

Wabi-sabi and Bauhaus functionalism have different starting points. Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic born from the acceptance of natural processes – aging, decay, and change. Bauhaus, on the other hand, began with the ethical question of "sincerely creating what is truly necessary for human life" within an industrializing society.
However, both intersect at several important points.
One is respect for materials. Wabi-sabi appreciates the irregular textures of natural materials like wood and earth, while Bauhaus made maximizing the inherent properties of iron, glass, and fabric the starting point of design. Both adopt an approach of letting the material speak, rather than covering it up.
Another is their relationship with time. Wabi-sabi affirms the beauty of the traces left by time. The "long-lasting design" idealized by Bauhaus also presupposes an honest construction that can withstand time. Rams' principle that "good design is long-lasting" resonates with the respect for tools that gain character with use.
The third is the affirmation of "nothingness." A single flower placed in the tokonoma of a tea room, and Rams' products with ample negative space, are both based on the idea that "blankness is not a lack, but an intentional choice."
Sori Yanagi, son of Soetsu Yanagi and a leading figure in post-war Japanese industrial design, is said to have absorbed modernist ideas from Le Corbusier and others after being exposed to lectures by Takehiko Mizutani, who was influenced by Bauhaus, while studying at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. The aesthetic sensibility of "beauty of utility," honed by his father through the Mingei movement, and Bauhaus-derived functionalism merged within Sori Yanagi. The resulting Butterfly Stool (1956), with its organic curves and functional structure, can be called a product at the intersection of these two aesthetics.

Legacy in the Modern Era – What Muji and ZACK Embody

These two lineages are clearly inherited by contemporary companies.
Muji is a brand that proposes the beauty of the "this is fine" sensibility – not "this is good," but the beauty of choosing "this is enough." The design philosophy of "Without Thought," advocated by product designer Naoto Fukasawa, also presumes the existence of the user and values the modesty of objects that don't assert themselves too much. This is the same ethical stance as Rams' "good design is unobtrusive."
ZACK products also stand within this lineage. The subtle play of light on their hairline-finished stainless steel creates a quiet presence different from mirror finishes. It's a form that emerges as a result of thoroughly pursuing function, not design for decoration. It feels more comfortable in the hand with use and blends into the space – this is Bauhaus functionalism, and at the same time, it resonates with the aesthetic of wabi-sabi.

Why Are Japanese People Attracted to German Design?

If Japanese people feel a sense of "nostalgia" when they see products from ZACK or Braun, it might not be a coincidence. The sensibility of creating beauty through "subtraction" rather than "addition" has long been nurtured within Japanese culture.
Wabi-sabi and Bauhaus differ in origin, era, and purpose. Yet, they share the conviction that "what is truly necessary emerges when unnecessary elements are stripped away." And this conviction has served as the basis for creating enduring beauty across time, whether through artisanal craftsmanship or industrial production.
When different cultures independently arrive at the same answer, there may be something universal residing in human sensibility. It could be said that this is one of the reasons why German and Japanese design continue to be loved by people around the world.

Photo: 663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0. Monochromatic.