What Six Umbrellas in Kyoto Teach Us About Kindness

Six umbrellas hanging from a tree outside Marutamachi subway station in Kyoto, Japan symbolise kindness without expectation in return

Source: Brendan Kelly

Six umbrellas hang from a tree outside Marutamachi subway station in Kyoto, Japan. Beside them, a notice reads: ‘If you have any problems, please take one for free’.

I should explain. It is September in Kyoto. The rain showers are short but unpredictable.

Some people always carry an umbrella. Some don’t.

Some people mind their umbrella with the greatest of care. Some people mislay their umbrella and get very, very wet.

Some people borrow an umbrella and remember to give it back. Some forget.

Kindness matters

A single act of kindness can seem small, especially when the gesture itself is simple. But small acts of kindness tell another person: I noticed you, and your difficulty matters to me. That changes the emotional tone of an ordinary day.

Kindness strengthens social connection. It tells us that we are not on our own, even among strangers. In a busy city, an umbrella left for someone you will never meet is a practical symbol of concern: Someone has a problem, someone else anticipated it, and nothing is expected in return.

That is what makes kindness so powerful. It is an act of giving, with no expectation of return.

The benefits of kindness

Research supports the benefits of kindness. Clearly, the recipient of kindness benefits. Who is not grateful for an umbrella in the rain?

But the person offering kindness benefits too. In a study published this year, researchers assigned people to perform three acts of kindness per week. Compared to controls, who were not asked to perform acts of kindness, people who performed acts of kindness towards others experienced significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Self-kindness matters too

Being kind to yourself matters too, but in a different way. In this study, the researchers found that people who performed acts of self-kindness also experienced decreases in depression, but no differences in anxiety and loneliness.

So, self-kindness matters, but it seems to benefit us in different ways than kindness towards others. The difference is that people who performed acts of kindness towards others felt more connected compared to people who performed only acts of self-kindness.

How to be kind

Being kind towards others involves simple acts: holding a door, listening to a story, or offering practical help when there is a problem.

Being kind towards ourselves means forgiving ourselves when we fall short, practicing self-compassion when we can, and rewarding ourselves when we do well.

Finally, let other people be kind to you. Accepting kindness creates connection too.

If it is raining in Kyoto, take the umbrella someone has left out for you. You will both feel better—and you will stay dry.