Mitate - The Power of Allusion (3'46")
Culture
New
This concept, deeply embedded in Japanese culture, refers to using one thing to suggest another by employing the power of imagination and allusion. For example, in the centuries-old storytelling art of rakugo, the performer uses just a fan and a simple hand towel as props to encourage the audience to imagine the scenes they are describing. It's found in traditional Japanese gardens too, notably in the art of karesansui, where patterns in the gravel suggest the ripples of flowing river water. And Japanese cuisine employs mitate with carving food to resemble various other objects that give diners a sense of the season.
