The Cultural Meaning of Mottainai in Mercari Product Description: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract

In the digital era, buying and selling activities have become increasingly convenient due to the presence of e-commerce platforms. In Japan, Mercari is one of the marketplaces widely used for second-hand transactions. On this platform, sellers not only display product photos but also write descriptions that often include the reasons for selling the items. These reasons can reflect cultural values embedded in Japanese society, one of which is the concept of mottainai. This study aims to analyze the meaning of mottainai reflected in the descriptions of reasons for selling products on Mercari. This research employs a qualitative descriptive–interpretative method with a cultural studies approach using content analysis. The research data consist of ten product descriptions containing the expression patterns “~tame shuppin shimasu.” and “~node shuppin shimasu.”. The results show that the sellers reasons for selling items reflect values aligned with the concept of mottainai, namely appreciation for the utility of objects, the circulation of use (reuse), and the optimization of ownership. These findings indicate that the practice of buying and selling second-hand goods on digital platforms can represent a modern form of the cultural value of mottainai.