Japanese Soba • Tea House • Antiques • Art Gallery
Wabisabi Maui brings the concept of wabisabi to Maui. Pared down to its barest essence, wabisabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It's simple, slow, and uncluttered, and it reveres authenticity above all. Wabisabi is flea markets, not warehouse stores; aged wood, not Pergo; rice paper, not glass. It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind. It reminds us that we are all but transient beings on this planet - that our bodies as well as the material world around us are in the process of returning to the dust from which we came. Through wabisabi, we learn to embrace liver spots, rust, and frayed edges, and the march of time they represent.
— from the article 'What is Wabisabi? by Japanese architect, Tadao Ando
Characteristics of the wabisabi aesthetic include asymmetry, austerity, irregularity, simplicity, modesty, humility, intimacy, subtle profundity, creativity, tranquility, and the suggestion of natural processes. Beauty is perceived in the weathered and worn, the chipped and cracked, the elegance in simplicity, and the wisdom that comes with age.
Wabisabi Maui has created an authentic Japanese cultural experience with a new Japanese Soba & Sushi restaurant complete with Japanese garden, art pieces, and music.
Now open at 161 Hana Highway in Paia, Maui!