The term wabi-sabi is composed of two kanji characters. The second part, sabi (寂) is said to date back to the eighth century when it was used to designate desolation. Over time, the term evolved and referred more precisely to the delightful contemplation of what is old and worn and the beauty of faded or withered things. Sabi could also translate to "old and elegant" or "rusty", with an untranslatable impression of peacefulness that can apply to the human condition, physical beauty, or an appreciation for art.

The Japanese term wabi (侘), meaning less is more, denoting simplicity and minimalism, came along much later than sabi, not appearing until the fifteenth century to designate a new aesthetic still closely related to the tea ceremony, but referring to the general atmosphere and to the objects used during this formal service. The definition of wabi can be traced back to loneliness or melancholy, to the appreciation of a serene life, far from the urban hustle and bustle.

Wabi-sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in appreciating the scars, cracks, and dents that make us human. This notion of wabi-sabi is a feeling that has certainly always been part of Japanese sensibility.

Its origin can be found in the story of Sen no Rikyu, a sixteenth-century Zen monk. According to the legend, the young Rikyu, eager to learn the codes of the ancestral ritual of tea ceremony, looked to a legendary tea master named Takeno Joo. Joo, who tested his new apprentice's abilities, asked Rikyu to tend to a garden.

Rikyu cleaned the garden thoroughly and raked it until it was perfect. Before presenting the work to his master, he shook a cherry tree and sakura flowers fell onto the ground. This touch of imperfection brought beauty to the scene, and that's how legends tell the story of the way the concept of wabi-sabi was born.