Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Hardcover – 29 Aug. 2017

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life is a beautifully written and insightful book that explores the Japanese concept of ikigai, which translates to "a reason for being." This book delves into how embracing this philosophy can lead to a more fulfilling and purposeful life, offering both wisdom and practical advice for finding your own ikigai.The book is easy to read, with a thoughtful structure that weaves together stories, insights, and lessons from Japan’s culture and philosophy. The writing is clear, engaging, and accessible, making it perfect for anyone interested in personal development or those looking to explore a new approach to happiness and well-being.What makes this book so appealing is its focus on the idea that finding purpose is a key ingredient to a long and happy life. Through interviews with centenarians from Okinawa (one of the world’s Blue Zones), where people live longer lives, the authors explore how the concept of ikigai plays a significant role in health, happiness, and longevity. The book highlights how having a sense of purpose not only enhances one’s mental and emotional health but also contributes to physical well-being.The authors also provide actionable steps on how readers can discover their own ikigai. It’s about aligning what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This combination leads to a sense of fulfilment and direction that can significantly improve the quality of life.The book encourages reflection, helping you think about what brings joy and meaning to your life. Whether it’s your career, relationships, or personal hobbies, Ikigai provides a framework to help you integrate these aspects into your daily life, so you can live with more intention and passion. The exercises and practical tips on how to identify your ikigai are thoughtful and will inspire anyone looking to find more purpose in their life.Ikigai offers incredible value for anyone seeking inspiration or looking to live a more meaningful life. It’s an easy read that leaves you feeling motivated and thoughtful. The combination of Japanese philosophy and practical advice makes it an enriching experience that’s worth every penny.This book is perfect for anyone who wants to find more purpose in their life, whether you’re in the middle of your career, facing a life transition, or simply looking for ways to live with more intention. It’s especially valuable for people seeking balance, happiness, or longevity through mindful living.Overall, Ikigai is a heart-warming and practical guide to living a longer, happier, and more meaningful life. It encourages readers to slow down, reflect, and take small steps towards aligning their passions and purpose with their daily life. I highly recommend this book for anyone on the journey to self-discovery and personal fulfilment.

An insightful read that shared how to improve quality and quantity of your life. Some good clear points shared of practices of others who live a long and fulfilled life.Most interesting for me was the prospective of how these living in the fast lane (so to speak) in large modern cities are the most likely to be unhappy and unfilified in contrast to these in more underdeveloped counties/villages.Over all I enjoyed the read, it was easy to read and understand. Lots of take away points that can be applied.Would recommend to anyone interested in self-improvement and wellbeing.

A nice easy read. Some nice takeaways. I wonder how much of this we can apply in the west. I must find out how to correctly pronounce this word

Great used condition book and really fast delivery

I was pretty excited when I started reading this book.The concept of Ikigai was intriguing, and the first few chapters delivered on that promise - there was an interesting idea there that pulled me in. But after that, it kind of went downhill.The book started to feel more like a compilation of other people’s research and ideas. At times, it felt like they were struggling to fill the pages.For example, there’s a whole section dedicated to the concept of “flow” (based almost entirely on the book Flow), and later on, a big chunk focuses on exercise - pages and pages of instructions on how to do certain moves. I mean, who really learns to exercise from a book these days? Most people just look up a video.There were a few good nuggets scattered throughout, and I get the core idea of Ikigai - I like the focus on food, movement, and lifestyle across different dimensions. But beyond that, there wasn’t a whole lot to take away.If you haven’t already watched the Netflix documentary Blue Zones (which is also referenced in the book), you might be better off starting there. You’d probably get more out of it. It’s not a bad book - it’s just not as useful or insightful as it could’ve been.

Great book.

The negative reviewers seem to have largely missed the point. Or to have been looking for something they will not find in a book. Yes there are chapters on diet and exercise, and the content of these is not particularly new or surprising (however irritating it may be, these things are indeed features of a healthy lifestyle).But there is a good deal more, including the sense of purpose and meaning that is common to those who have lived to an advanced age. The way this is explored and its links to, for example, logotherapy, are helpful and illuminating. Ikigai offers a genuine recipe for living a meaningful life if you are prepared to give it some time and thought.I strongly disagree with the reviewer who wanted it to be much longer! Most books are badly overwritten and in need of editing: the value of a book is in the quality of its content, not the number of pages it fills. This one is attractively presented, says what it needs to, then stops.