"Mottainai" for the new "Passione Giappone" meeting

On Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., the third annual event will be "Passione Giappone, un viaggio tra libri e tè," an initiative dedicated to Japanese culture, featuring a guided tasting of Japanese tea offered by the "G. Canna" Civic Library of Casale Monferrato and the Yamato cultural association. As per tradition, the event will begin with a guided tea tasting hosted by tea sommelier Silvia Miglietta and offered by the Yamato association. This will be followed by a national premiere presentation of Rossella Marangoni's book "Mottainai" (Editrice Bibliografica, 2026). "Mottainai" is an ancient Japanese word that evokes the idea of not wasting and is now at the center of a renewed environmental awareness based on reuse, care for objects, and a simple yet profound principle: respecting what we have also means caring for the planet. Born in rural Japanese culture, "mottainai" took on new resonances after the 2011 tsunami. It not only indicates the complete use of things, but also a respectful approach to them: from paper to fabrics, from everyday utensils to small fragments, everything can find a second life. The book leads the reader on a discovery of the many forms of mottainai, from the creative parsimony of the countryside to "no-waste" objects that, in the postwar period and during the economic boom, became sources of inspiration, collector's items, and sometimes true works of art. An invitation to look at things with new eyes, transforming each object into a resource and a gesture of respect for the world we inhabit. The "Passion for Japan: A Journey Through Books and Tea" series will conclude in April 2026 with the final event dedicated to Japanese culture. Participation in the event is free. For more information, please contact the Civic Library at 0142444246 or email bibliote@comune.casale-monferrato.al.it