Me no Hoyō (目の保養 – Feasting to One’s Eyes)

Both

English

Japanese

The concept of enjoying looking at beautiful or pretty things can be described with the Japanese phrase, me no hoyō (目の保養).

きれいなものや美しいものを見て楽しむことを、「目の保養」と言います。

Since me (目) means “eye,” and hoyō (保養) means “refreshment,” the literal meaning of me no hoyō is “refreshment for the eyes.”

「目」は “eye”、「保養」は “refreshment” を意味するので、「目の保養」の文字どおりの意味は “refreshment for the eyes” となります。

Originally, hoyō refers to the act of resting and maintaining one’s body and mind in a healthy state.

「保養」は本来、体や心を休ませて健康に保つことを意味する語です。

This expression was coined from the fact that looking at beautiful or pretty things can be considered a way to rest one’s eyes and keep them healthy.

すなわち、美しいものを見て楽しむことは、目を休ませて健康に保つための手段であるとも言えるいうわけです。