There's a worrying trend in Japan that is spreading throughout the world: that of throwing things out.
I'm not referring to our wasteful throwaway society. I mean the trend to get rid of things we don't need and the encouragement to scrutinize each item, by asking, in the locus classicus of author Marie Kondo, "Does it spark joy?"
It's worth noting that her predecessor was Nagisa Tatsumi, author of " 'Suteru!' Gijutsu" ("The Art of Throwing Away"), which sold more than 1 million copies in 2000. Nagisa tackles the post-World War II lifestyle of consumption and the psychological resistance to getting rid of things, and asks the reader to consider what is necessary to lead a rich life. Her book reportedly influenced the young Kondo, who read the book on the way home from school one day.