Ikigai is a Japanese word often explained as a reason to get up in the morning. Hector Garcia, a Spanish writer long resident in Japan, and novelist Francesc Miralles set out to understand why the village of Ogimi in northern Okinawa has so many centenarians, and whether a sense of purpose has something to do with it. Their interviews with elderly residents form the heart of the book.
The authors weave those conversations together with short overviews of ideas they connect to long life: the eighty-percent rule of stopping eating before full, a diet rich in vegetables and tofu, gentle daily movement such as radio taiso, tai chi and qigong, close-knit mutual-support groups called moai, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow. They also touch on logotherapy and Morita therapy as Western and Japanese approaches to meaning.
The book is short, light and practical, closer to a gentle wellness guide than a research study. Its popularity outside Japan helped spread the four-circle ikigai diagram, though that Venn diagram is a Western addition rather than a traditional Japanese concept. Each chapter closes with simple suggestions readers can try at home.
Book details
| Author | Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles |
|---|---|
| First published | 2016 |
| Original language | Spanish |
| Translated by | Heather Cleary |
| Genre | Self-help |
| Type | Non-fiction |
| Pages (approx.) | 208 |
| Setting | Ogimi, Okinawa, Japan |
Themes
- Purpose
- Longevity
- Community
- Flow
- Simple living
Who should read it
Readers who want a gentle, easy introduction to Japanese ideas about purpose, healthy ageing and everyday wellbeing.
If you liked this, try
- Man's Search for Meaning
- The Blue Zones
- Flow