Nostalgia Reimagined
By Nora Smith for The J-Pop Exchange
I’ve always found myself enthralled in the past; now as a young adult with my childhood long gone and college years spent, I find myself more frequently slipping into past moments I’ve experienced, people I’ve known, and versions of myself that no longer exist.
The English term, Nostalgia, which Merriam-Webster defines as “a sad pleasure experienced in recalling what no longer exists,” intoxicates me when hugging a worn quilt, still somehow smelling of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the beach, or when walking through my backyard woods as I picture the ghosts of my sisters and I running amok.
I’ve been submerged in these feelings of melancholy my entire life. It wasn’t until recently that I began to wonder if looking back on the past could feel differently; if immersing myself in the past could bring more comfort than it does right now.
I was pleased to discover that the Japanese term, Natsukashii, despite not having a direct English translation, can be compared to the English term, Nostalgia, and describes a similar sense of immersion in the past.
In “A uniquely Japanese take on nostalgia,” for BBC, features correspondent, Erika Hobart, examined the difference between the English term, Nostalgia, and the Japanese term, Natsukashii. Hobart wrote that Natsukashii means prioritizing an experience of great joy and gratitude from having lived through past experiences. In addition, Hobart wrote that rather than dwelling on the absence of the past, Natsukashii means embracing these feelings to pay tribute to the past.
In a piece for Medium titled, “Why Japanese People Don’t Say ‘I miss it’” Asuka Tsuchiya, Ph.D. wrote on the cultural differences in acknowledging the past.
“To miss something is to perceive its absence,” Tsuchiya wrote. “It implies a lack. A loss. A gap between where the happiness once was and where you stand now — without it.”
Tsuchiya wrote that Nostalgia means mourning something that no longer exists, while Natsukashii encourages people to hold memories close and form a connection with them. She wrote that in realizing “what the English language is quietly doing to your relationship with the past,” you can begin to see your own life differently.
Tsuchiya helped me realize that these cultural differences in experiencing the past are rooted within etymology, something I have never even considered. In examining Nostalgia’s etymology, I learned it comes from two Greek roots meaning homecoming and pain. Then, Natsukashii comes from the verb Natsuku meaning to become attached to someone and feel safe.
Both terms, although describing a similar experience, have two entirely different meanings, and I’ve realized that they’re two entirely different ways of reflecting on the past.
Tsuchiya wrote that Nostalgia forces people to verify the absence of a memory from the past and therefore mourn it. Meanwhile, Natsukashii means that a memory or moment from the past is coming back to visit and encourages people to welcome it home with open arms.
I realize now that all those times I looked at an old photograph, closed my eyes, and was suddenly brought back to the sweet scents of my childhood, I wasn’t paying tribute to my younger self, or the memories that encase her; I was mourning her.
Now, I realize that there are other ways to remember the past.
These feelings don’t have to be Nostalgia; there are other words that can describe the experience and maybe even transform the ordeal entirely. Now, I feel comfortable welcoming past experiences, memories, people I've known and versions of myself that I’ve been with a smile, while saying, “welcome home.”
________________________________________
More articles:
Culture Shock in Japan: A Beautiful Blend of Surprise and Awe