In Place of an Epilogue
We have presented Nikken Sekkei as a single “living organism,” tracing its history from its founding to the present day. As we’ve continued this series, it seems that Nikken Sekkei has grown in step with the history of Japan’s modernization. Even in the unknown era that lies ahead, Nikken Sekkei intends to continue seeking the values necessary for each era, alongside our ever-changing society.
In *Kyōrai-shō*, a collection of Matsuo Bashō’s “poetic theories” recorded by his disciples, there is a passage that reads: “In Bashō’s school, there are verses that remain unchanged for a thousand years, and verses that are popular for a time.”Regarding “that which remains unchanged” across millennia and “that which changes” as it is innovated by shifts in the times and environment, the text states, “Their origin is one.”
“What remains unchanged for a thousand years and what is fashionable for a time”—that is, “Fuyu Ryuko.” — This is the spirit of Nikken Sekkei.
In *Kyōrai-shō*, a collection of Matsuo Bashō’s “poetic theories” recorded by his disciples, there is a passage that reads: “In Bashō’s school, there are verses that remain unchanged for a thousand years, and verses that are popular for a time.”Regarding “that which remains unchanged” across millennia and “that which changes” as it is innovated by shifts in the times and environment, the text states, “Their origin is one.”
“What remains unchanged for a thousand years and what is fashionable for a time”—that is, “Fuyu Ryuko.” — This is the spirit of Nikken Sekkei.