Japanese Ikigai: Age old Philosophy and its pillars which help people of Japan lead longer lives

According to research Japanese people live the longest and lead a happier and healthier life than the rest of the world. The reason behind this is their age-old philosophy called ‘Ikigai’.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is an ancient Japanese philosophy that has inspired the way Japanese people live. It is believed that Ikigai is the reason behind their happiness and long life.

There have been many books written about it and even the whole world is adapting the philosophy for a happy and healthy lifestyle.

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What is the meaning of Ikigai?

Ikigai means your ‘reason for being’. ‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ means value or worth.

A person’s ikigai is what they believe is their purpose of life or something they are living for. It is something that brings happiness and inspires someone to keep going in life.

5 pillars of Ikigai

1- Starting small

2- Releasing yourself

3- Harmony and sustainability

4- The joy of little things

5- Being in the here and now

Lifestyle the Japanese lead

Japanese people eat fresh vegetables and consume fresh fish and seafood. These foods are low in cholesterol and high in fat. Japanese also do a lot of physical exercises.

They walk a lot and cycle even at old age. They consume more tea rather than coffee and take warm bath every night. These are the few reasons behind their healthy life.

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