I really enjoyed this article because I also disagree with the ridgid model that has become popular. I am trained in career and life design counselling and so ikigai is an interesting concept to me. I'm always very keen to learn about a more authentic Japanese understanding of it so I'm very grateful for your article.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the article! It’s great to hear your perspective, especially with your background in career and life design counseling. I hope I can share more authentic Japanese concepts like this in the future—there’s so much to explore!
Very thought provoking article. I haven’t figured out my ikigai yet, but the ideas and question prompts you have shared are a great place to start! What I do know, is that when kookaburras come for a visit to my house and sit peacefully on my clothesline, it fills me with absolute joy. I sit outside with them, dig up worms and grubs to give them as snacks (sometimes supplemented with tiny scraps of raw steak!)… and enjoy their company for as long as they are happy to rest in my backyard.
That’s such a beautiful image—thank you for sharing it! I honestly think moments like that are part of your ikigai already! Finding joy in nature, in connection, in peaceful presence—that’s something many of us overlook. I’m so happy the article gave you a gentle nudge to reflect, and I hope your kookaburra friends keep visiting often!
Such a beautiful read! Thank you for sharing your perspective. I really resonate with the part "what connects you with others". Often the "western" perspective of ikigai is self-focused, self-centric, but I think that the Japanese understanding has a lot to do with how it relates to others/our community.
Thank you so much! I also read your article with Ishimoto-san, and it really shows what ikigai is all about—how it’s not just personal but deeply connected to community. I totally agree with what you said about the Western take being more self-focused, while the Japanese idea is more about relationships and shared purpose. Your story really moved me, and I’d love to try kancha someday!
Thank you Fitim! I’m so glad you found it valuable. Ikigai is just one of many deep and meaningful Japanese concepts, and I hope to share more with you in the future! Appreciate you taking the time to read!
Miki san, thank you for putting this together. It helps clarify what we, Japanese, mean by Ikigai. It is more than science can explain and in us all regardless of where we are from.
Mayumi-san, thank you so much for your message! I’m really happy to receive a message from someone born and raised in Japan. And yes, I think you’re totally right—I hope the meaning of Ikigai beyond just the scientific perspective becomes more widely understood around the world! Thanks again for your message!
Thank you for posting this excellent summary along with your personal interpretation. Your advice to let go of the pursuit of perfection is spot on, but I bet it must be challenging for most Japanese people.
Thank you for your kind message! Personally, I feel like most Japanese people weren’t really thinking about their Ikigai until the word became popular globally with the Venn diagram. So in my opinion, when it comes to Ikigai, they’re pretty laid-back and often just say they love to eat.
But you’re definitely right—I really do think Japanese people have a hard time letting go of perfectionism, especially when it comes to work…
Thank you for this post! I too have found the Venn diagram representation of ikigai stressful, so your post is a relief. It also helps me explain why slice of life is a common theme in Japanese art (films, novels, anime, in my experience) but is hard to come by (just in a few indie films, in my experience) in current Western art.
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad this post resonated with you.
I had never thought about the difference between Japanese art and contemporary Western art, but you make such an interesting point about slice of life in Japanese storytelling! I completely agree that Japanese art tends to focus less on grand achievements and more on finding meaning in simple experiences, especially compared to Western works.
Very interesting observation. I think the movie Perfect Days encapsulates this point fully! It’s so incredibly beautiful and moving and yet is just about a man at peace with his simple life.
Yes, this film embodies ikigai. I think it's not accidental that it was directed by Wim Wenders, who has created other indie films that focus on ordinary person's lives and views. I'm thinking of Buena Vista Social Club in particular. It could have been filmed as an anticapitalist film but instead it was about the everysay routines of the band members and documented their views in a very sensitive way. Wim Wenders is special among Western directors ❤️
Wow, now I have so many films I want to watch! Perfect Days sounds incredible, and Buena Vista Social Club seems like a beautiful exploration of everyday life as well. Thanks for the recommendations!!
I didn’t know about the film Perfect Days, but I looked it up, and it seems really interesting—I’ll definitely watch it! I love the idea of exploring different concepts of ikigai through films. Thank you for sharing something new with me!
I’ve watched it twice already. Once alone and once with my partner. Watching him fall in love with the film made it even better. Ikigai within Ikigai! 🫢
That is amazing, and I love the "Ikigai within Ikigai"!! Watching someone else fall in love with something you love really does make the experience even more special!
I really enjoyed this article because I also disagree with the ridgid model that has become popular. I am trained in career and life design counselling and so ikigai is an interesting concept to me. I'm always very keen to learn about a more authentic Japanese understanding of it so I'm very grateful for your article.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the article! It’s great to hear your perspective, especially with your background in career and life design counseling. I hope I can share more authentic Japanese concepts like this in the future—there’s so much to explore!
Very thought provoking article. I haven’t figured out my ikigai yet, but the ideas and question prompts you have shared are a great place to start! What I do know, is that when kookaburras come for a visit to my house and sit peacefully on my clothesline, it fills me with absolute joy. I sit outside with them, dig up worms and grubs to give them as snacks (sometimes supplemented with tiny scraps of raw steak!)… and enjoy their company for as long as they are happy to rest in my backyard.
That’s such a beautiful image—thank you for sharing it! I honestly think moments like that are part of your ikigai already! Finding joy in nature, in connection, in peaceful presence—that’s something many of us overlook. I’m so happy the article gave you a gentle nudge to reflect, and I hope your kookaburra friends keep visiting often!
Such a beautiful read! Thank you for sharing your perspective. I really resonate with the part "what connects you with others". Often the "western" perspective of ikigai is self-focused, self-centric, but I think that the Japanese understanding has a lot to do with how it relates to others/our community.
Thank you so much! I also read your article with Ishimoto-san, and it really shows what ikigai is all about—how it’s not just personal but deeply connected to community. I totally agree with what you said about the Western take being more self-focused, while the Japanese idea is more about relationships and shared purpose. Your story really moved me, and I’d love to try kancha someday!
Fantastic article and valuable information for everyone who wants to learn more about Ikigai life concepts
Thank you Fitim! I’m so glad you found it valuable. Ikigai is just one of many deep and meaningful Japanese concepts, and I hope to share more with you in the future! Appreciate you taking the time to read!
Love this, and so interesting to look at the statistics you shared, thank you! 🥰
Thank you for your comment! I hope your content on ikigai spreads even more too! 🥰
Miki san, thank you for putting this together. It helps clarify what we, Japanese, mean by Ikigai. It is more than science can explain and in us all regardless of where we are from.
Mayumi-san, thank you so much for your message! I’m really happy to receive a message from someone born and raised in Japan. And yes, I think you’re totally right—I hope the meaning of Ikigai beyond just the scientific perspective becomes more widely understood around the world! Thanks again for your message!
Thank you for posting this excellent summary along with your personal interpretation. Your advice to let go of the pursuit of perfection is spot on, but I bet it must be challenging for most Japanese people.
Thank you for your kind message! Personally, I feel like most Japanese people weren’t really thinking about their Ikigai until the word became popular globally with the Venn diagram. So in my opinion, when it comes to Ikigai, they’re pretty laid-back and often just say they love to eat.
But you’re definitely right—I really do think Japanese people have a hard time letting go of perfectionism, especially when it comes to work…
Thank you for this post! I too have found the Venn diagram representation of ikigai stressful, so your post is a relief. It also helps me explain why slice of life is a common theme in Japanese art (films, novels, anime, in my experience) but is hard to come by (just in a few indie films, in my experience) in current Western art.
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad this post resonated with you.
I had never thought about the difference between Japanese art and contemporary Western art, but you make such an interesting point about slice of life in Japanese storytelling! I completely agree that Japanese art tends to focus less on grand achievements and more on finding meaning in simple experiences, especially compared to Western works.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Very interesting observation. I think the movie Perfect Days encapsulates this point fully! It’s so incredibly beautiful and moving and yet is just about a man at peace with his simple life.
Yes, this film embodies ikigai. I think it's not accidental that it was directed by Wim Wenders, who has created other indie films that focus on ordinary person's lives and views. I'm thinking of Buena Vista Social Club in particular. It could have been filmed as an anticapitalist film but instead it was about the everysay routines of the band members and documented their views in a very sensitive way. Wim Wenders is special among Western directors ❤️
Wow, now I have so many films I want to watch! Perfect Days sounds incredible, and Buena Vista Social Club seems like a beautiful exploration of everyday life as well. Thanks for the recommendations!!
I didn’t know about the film Perfect Days, but I looked it up, and it seems really interesting—I’ll definitely watch it! I love the idea of exploring different concepts of ikigai through films. Thank you for sharing something new with me!
I’ve watched it twice already. Once alone and once with my partner. Watching him fall in love with the film made it even better. Ikigai within Ikigai! 🫢
That is amazing, and I love the "Ikigai within Ikigai"!! Watching someone else fall in love with something you love really does make the experience even more special!