is a

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

specific to Japanese works, primarily manga and anime. It is a sub-genre of

slice of life Slice of life is a depiction of mundane experiences in art and entertainment. In theater, slice of life refers to naturalism, while in literary parlance it is a narrative technique in which a seemingly arbitrary sequence of events in a characte ...

, portraying characters living out peaceful lives in calming environments, and is intended to have a healing effect on the audience. The word ''iyashikei'' could mean "healing type" or just "healing" in Japanese. Shaenon K Garrity of '' Otaku USA'' wrote that in ''iyashikei'' works, "the focus is less on character and plot, more on worldbuilding and creating an immersive visual setting".

Origins

''Iyashikei'' originated in the late 1970s, but it emerged as a distinct subgenre in 1995, in the wake of the

Great Hanshin earthquake The , or Kobe earthquake, occurred on January 17, 1995, at 05:46:53 JST (January 16 at 20:46:53 UTC) in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, including the region known as Hanshin. It measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and ha ...

and the

Tokyo subway sarin attack The was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated on 20 March 1995, in Tokyo, Japan, by members of the cult movement Aum Shinrikyo. In five coordinated attacks, the perpetrators released sarin on three lines of the Tokyo Metro (then ''Teito Rapi ...

. These traumatic events, combined with the economic recession, would lead to what scholar Paul Roquet calls the ''iyashi'' trend, or healing boom. The trauma suffered by the Japanese public provided "the emotional context for the emergence of calm as a lucrative and marketable feeling."

Examples

* '' Adachi and Shimamura'' * ''

Aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

'' * ''

Azumanga Daioh is a Japanese '' yonkoma'' comedy manga series written and illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was serialized from February 1999 to May 2002 in the monthly magazine ''Dengeki Daioh'' by MediaWorks; three additional chapters were publishe ...

'' * ''

Bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep, barman, barmaid, or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the bar, usually in a licensed establishment as well as in restaurants and nightclubs, but ...

'' * ''Boku no Natsuyasumi'' series * '' Flying Witch'' * ''

Girls' Last Tour is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsukumizu. It was serialized monthly through Shinchosha's ''Kurage Bunch'' manga website from February 2014 to January 2018 and collected in six ''tankōbon'' volumes. An English release ...

'' * ''

Hakumei and Mikochi is a Japanese manga series by Takuto Kashiki. It has been serialized since 2011 in Enterbrain's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Fellows!'', which was renamed to '' Harta'' in 2013. It has been collected in ten ''tankōbon'' volumes. A 12-episode ...

'' * ''

The Helpful Fox Senko-san is a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Rimukoro. It has been serialized online via Kadokawa Shoten's Comic Newtype website since October 2017 and has been collected in eleven ''tankōbon'' volumes. An anime television seri ...

'' * ''

K-On! is a Japanese four-panel manga series written and illustrated by Kakifly serialized in Houbunsha's '' Manga Time Kirara'' magazine between the May 2007 and October 2010 issues, and also serialized in Houbunsha's '' Manga Time Kirara Car ...

'' * ''

Kiyo in Kyoto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Aiko Koyama. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' magazine since December 2016, with its chapters collected in twenty-one ''tankōbon'' volumes as of October 2 ...

'' * ''

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear is a Japanese light novel series written by Kumanano and illustrated by 029. It began serialization online in 2014 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by Shufu to Seikatsu Sha, who have ...

'' * ''

Laid-Back Camp , also known in Japan as ''Yuru Camp'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Afro. Set in and around Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, the series chronicles the adventures of Rin Shima, Nadeshiko Kagamihara, and their friend ...

'' * ''

Magical Emi, the Magic Star is a magical girl anime series by Studio Pierrot. It was simultaneously released as a manga by Kiyoko Arai. The third magical girl series created by Studio Pierrot, ''Magical Emi'' also appears in two feature-length OVAs, as well as the '' ...

'' * ''

Mushishi is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Urushibara. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Afternoon Season Zōkan'' from 1999 to 2002, and in ''Monthly Afternoon'' from December 2002 to August 20 ...

'' * ''

My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story o ...

'' * '' My Roommate Is a Cat'' * ''

Natsume's Book of Friends is a Japanese manga series by Yuki Midorikawa. It began serialization by Hakusensha in the '' shōjo'' manga magazine ''LaLa DX'' in 2005, before switching to ''LaLa'' in 2008. The chapters have been collected in twenty-nine bound volume ...

'' * ''

Non Non Biyori is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Atto. The series was serialized in Media Factory's ''Monthly Comic Alive'' magazine from September 2009 to February 2021 and is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. The ...

'' * '' Super Cub'' * ''

Tamayura is a Japanese anime series written and directed by Junichi Sato. The initial four-episode original video animation (OVA) series was produced by Hal Film Maker and released over two Blu-ray Disc and DVD volumes in November and December 201 ...

'' * ''

Wakakozake is a Japanese manga series by Chie Shinkyu. It has been serialized by Tokuma Shoten in the ''seinen'' manga magazine '' Monthly Comic Zenon'' since the September 2011 issue; it is also available on ''Web Comic Zenyon''. The series has thir ...

'' * '' Yokohama Shopping Log''

References

Anime and manga terminology Anime and manga genres Japanese culture {{Anime-stub