Copyright The New York Times
It’s been more than a decade since Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” landed on American bookshelves, reshaping how we think about clutter with its now famous question: “Does it spark joy?” Over years of traveling to foreign countries Ms. Kondo learned that behavior that was instinctual to her, like greeting her home before tidying or thanking objects before tossing them out, perplexed non-Japanese people, she said. “What stood out to me most was how often people asked me, ‘Why do you do that?’ about actions that felt completely natural to me,” she said, speaking via email through an interpreter. “What I want to convey is not that the Japanese way of thinking is the only correct one, or that it should be recommended as the ‘right’ way,” she said. “Rather, by learning about other cultures, we can come to understand our own more deeply.” The following interview with Ms. Kondo has been edited and condensed for clarity. How has traveling over the past decade changed how you think of other cultures and places — and Japan? I had always taken certain things such as the abundance of clean water that allows me to enjoy a bath every day without a second thought about how much I’m using, or the reliability of public transportation, where everything runs precisely on schedule, for granted. It was only through living and spending time abroad that I came to recognize these differences and truly appreciate them as Japan’s strengths and charms. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
