Sort of untranslatable Japanese concept that is vital to understanding--or sorta trying to understand--Japanese culture. It can be translated as "awareness of things," "the pity of things" and a few other ways, but it basically means the sense of ephemera, knowing how fleeting all things are, and how things that are transient are somehow more sadly beautiful. This is why sakura or cherry blossoms are so important to Japan, and personally, I think it's why Blade Runner was such a hit there.