Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Kindle Edition

The rather exotic sounding name of this book, ikigai, as the authors explain, is relatively straightforward. “This Japanese concept, which translates roughly as “the happiness of always being busy,” is, “like logotherapy, but it goes a step beyond.” Logotherapy, they explain, “…helps people find their purpose in life.”

It is a good book. My overall rating of the book has little to do with the quality of the writing or the underlying concept. The former is quite good and the latter is valid. My rating is strictly personal and relates more to who might be considering adding it to their reading list. Not a “don’t,” for sure. More like, “understand it for what it is.”

For those who are ardent fans of all things philosophical and psychological, as I am, this is a good book that plows relatively little new ground. Finding purpose in life, keeping busy, eating well, and finding connection to the world around you is important. It’s ground, however, that has been covered by many authors over the years.

If you haven’t sampled of these past triumphs you will enjoy this book very much. It is a great and easily read introduction to the topics of longevity and the benefits of living in the moment. And it chronicles many of the philosophies and prior contributions to the topic, from Buddhism to Stoicism, with a stop at the Serenity Prayer. Eastern, and particularly Japanese, contributions are given extra attention. Wabi-sabi and ichi-go ischi-e, for example, are explained in some detail, but remain an overview. Relatively newer concepts like antifragility are also explained. It even covers the Six Healing Sounds introduced by Sun Simiao in the sixth century. (This one was new to me.)

A lot of the book turns on Ogimi, in the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, which holds the distinction of being the oldest village on the planet. (In that many of the residents have lived very long lives.) It’s a delightful visit. Having lived in China for nine years and having visited Japan many times over the course of more than three decades, I have a deep fondness for places like Ogimi. I’m not sure, however, that they aren’t byproducts of the totality of Japanese culture. Could they take seed in places like California or Virginia, for example?

Part of my ikigai is to be a nice person and not think disparagingly of anyone. And I am not here. This book was an interesting read for me, and may be a revelational read for you. I make no judgment on that. I just give you my experience as a reader.

This book would, in my opinion, make an excellent gift for anyone in your life that might need a little boost or is otherwise hard to buy for. There is absolutely nothing here that could meet with controversy or resistance. It is decidedly upbeat throughout.

And that is saying a lot of good things about any book.

Absolutely, love this book. It is full of wonderful life philosophies by people who know what matters. I loved it so much I bought my husband his own copy, so he can also reflect and discover his own Ikigai. He is immersed in the book as I write this review :)

Life is fast. Slowing down can make us happier and healthier and this book is a quick read and full of helpful information.

Excellent.

comforting and soothing

I once studied in France for a summer, and one of my classmates was a Japanese girl who impressed me greatly with her unflappable nature. She was kind, thoughtful, and quiet, but she weathered inconveniences much better than the rest of us. I admired her character. Being a strong person, a good person, is a lifetyle and not a one-time event. This book on the Japanese secret to a long and happy life conveys a similar message. It divulges the secrets of the Japanese for living long and healthy and makes it evident that there is not just one easy button but a constellation of everyday habits that can make the difference--what you eat, how you move, your attitude toward life, and how you think about the things you face. There is wisdom in it, because the Japanese are more committed about living right than many other cultures are. A theme throughout the book is that the Japanese have identified things that increase their well-being, and they do those things every single day. They have made a lifestyle of living well and being healthy in mind and body, and that is where they differ from many others, who are looking for an instant fix or a magic bullet. Thus, no magic is required--just the patience and determination to do what works, day after day. As a Christian, I substituted the Japanese concepts of Buddhism and stoicism with the Christian concepts of faith in God and prayer, but overall, I found this book inspiring. To me it was as illuminating as having a 100-year-old Japanese next-door neighbor who shared the secrets of her longevity with me. It's simple to read, with short chapters but good information, and it can help you reorient your daily routine to one more conducive to peace, health, and long life.

Ikigai is an informative book that looks at the peoples of Okinawa Japan and their extreme and active longevity to set a bar on what is possible for us hamster wheel folks here in the West. Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) is basically the mental state of finding your meaning, your purpose, your passion and continuing this life style long after what we (Westerners) define retirement.

The one factor that I found in the book and practically cheered is the concept that multitasking is actually counterproductive and sucks the very life out of its practitioners. There is a lot of information based soundly on scientific data but I must admit that there’s also a little that moves into the realm of hippy-dippy mentality. But if it works, who cares. Not I.

The basic concepts you can take away include: Stay active, Don’t retire; Don’t fill your stomach (the 80% rule apples); Smile; Reconnect with nature; Live in the moment; Follow your ikigai or your purpose. If you haven’t found it yet this little book will help you in discovering your path.

This is listed as being a guide to the concept of ikigai. I think this booklet mentions it only a few times and never really explains it. There was more information on Wikipedia. Instead, this just lists a few comments by elders, talks about how Okinawa is statistically different from most parts of the world, names a few healthy foods you should eat (green tea, oh really) and tells a few exercises you can do when you're old, like Tai Chi. I was really disappointed by this purchase and I don't understand how it's getting such high ratings.