Japanese core values center on harmony (和 wa), respect, responsibility, and consideration for others (思いやり Omoiyari). These principles shape everyday life, encouraging kindness, cooperation, and a deep sense of connection within communities.
Many of these values are rooted in Shinto. Shinto emphasizes purity (harae), reverence for nature, and respect for the Kami-sama, and one another. Together, these traditions nurture a calm and respectful way of living in harmony with both people and the natural world.
Before we eat, we say “Itadakimasu” with our hands put together.
Why do we do this, and what does it mean? “Itadakimasu” expresses appreciation for several things:
• Appreciation for the person who made the meal
• Appreciation for the life we took to sustain our own lives
• Appreciation for the Kami who provide food and products for us
In Shinto, we believe everything has a spirit, including plants and animals. However, many other spirits make our meals possible. These include the spirits of nature, the sun, wind, and water. Without the sun and water, we can’t have plants. Without wind, we can’t have harvests. Without fire, we can’t cook. And to make fire, we need wood and natural resources. When we say “Itadakimasu“, we appreciate and respect all of these things.
For Japanese people, since ancient times the number eight has been sacred. They believed that the number had special powers. Even in modern times people considers the number 8 as lucky number because the shape of the kanji “八” looks like it is spreading wide toward the future, which is believed as a symbol of prosperity.
When you read the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, “Oyashima” (the Eight Great Islands which is a reference to the shape of the Japanese archipelago, the “Yata-no-Kagami” (a sacred mirror which is one of the three sacred treasures), and “Yasakani-no-Magatama” (another one of the three sacred treasures) all reference the number eight. Furthermore, “Yamata-no-Orochi”, “Yakumo”, “Yaoyorozu no Kami” also use the number eight in their names.
Eight is even used to represent the idea that “there are many numbers” or “a number that cannot be counted.”
There is also a Western equivalent that is very similar to the Japanese interpretation. When turned on its side, the number 8 resembles the infinity symbol, representing infinity or abundance.
