I came across this little book while doing some research for my Jiro Dreams of Sushi article. While scanning the book’s description, I was intrigued by this sentence: “the happiness of always being busy.” Although I work hard every day, I also enjoy ticking off the last item on my to-do list and enjoying some rest. Is there more happiness in being in constant activity?

Ikigai

“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”

  • Friedrich Nietzsche

According to Japanese culture, everybody has a purpose in life: the ikigai. “Ikigai is the reason we get up in the morning.” The book explores this concept through interesting stories and brings related notions from various areas to explain ikigai to the Western mind.

There are many different ikigai, and people can have several ikigai simultaneously. For example, some people have their vegetable garden as their ikigai, while others have drawing or calligraphy. Jiro has making sushi as his ikigai. Even though many people have their work as their ikigai, it does not necessarily have to be the case. Ikigai can also be of a social nature, such as a family or local community.

Retirement

When I watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi for the first time, I was surprised that Jiro still worked at his restaurant every day at age 85. This book explores that further.

Apparently, many people never really retire in Japan. The concept of retirement, as we know it in the West, does not exist in the Japanese language: there is “no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense of “leaving the workforce for good” as in English.” People continue doing what they like doing as long as their health allows. They keep following their ikigai.

This concept was very refreshing to me and had a profound influence on how I imagine my own future. After becoming more intentional about my career, I became interested in FIRE and the possibility of retiring early. However, as I contemplated this strategy, I discovered that I didn’t want to stop working because I really enjoy my work.

Why would I want to retire if I’m doing what I love? That was the whole point of switching my career to IT, and this is where Western culture can learn a lot from Japanese culture. In Japanese culture, there is more emphasis on aligning your career with your interests and continuing that passion well into old age.

When to quit? The job you have worked so hard for? I never once hated my job. I fell in love with my work and gave my life to it. Even though I’m 85 years old, I don’t feel like retiring.

  • Jiro

Longevity

A large part of the book is about the residents of Okinawa: the island with the highest number of people 100 years old or older. The authors tell the story of their visit to the island to reveal the secret of the Okinawan’s long lives. It is not uncommon to see people working in the fields who are well into their eighties. The Okinawans freely share their secrets with us, and the authors do a great job translating the Japanese principles into actionable advice.

Much of the advice is centered around dietary habits. Not only what to eat, but also how to eat it: “Okinawans stop eating when they feel their stomachs reach 80 percent of their capacity, rather than overeating”, a practice which is named “hara haci bu.” They consume a daily average of 1800 to 1900 calories, a significant difference from the 2200 to 3300 calories consumed by an average person in the US every day.

Another theme that keeps returning is the crucial function of social groups for finding meaning in life, especially in old age: “It is customary in Okinawa to form close bonds within local communities. A moai is an informal group of people with common interests who look out for one another. For many, serving the community becomes part of their ikigai.”

This book may be a good resource if you are interested in longevity. Even though I only expected to read about the ikigai concept, it contains a surprisingly large amount of valuable advice and practical tips to live a longer and happier life.

Chock-full

“Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” is a small book that covers an astonishing amount of subjects. It covers topics such as meditation, flow states, and exercise methods such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong. The disadvantage is that it does not deeply cover any of these topics. But I think this book can be a very useful springboard for further research and a great introduction to many different subjects that can improve your life.

It is a short read, but it contains a lot of wisdom, and I learned much from this book. It has changed the way I think of retirement and the way I approach my work. I am also very interested in health and longevity. Through the conversations with the centenarians of Okinawa, I received a lot of helpful tips, which I’m already applying to my daily life.

Have I discovered the art of being busy? I believe I took this definition too literally when I started reading this book. I found that Okinawans lead active lives full of meaning but also take plenty of rest. Always being busy does not mean that you have to work yourself to death. However, it does mean that the secret to reaching a healthy old age is to keep doing what you love. There is no need to become sedentary and only sit in front of the TV when you turn 67. I think Western culture has a lot to learn in this area.