Tokyo Weekender - September 2017

IS “IKIGAI”
THE SECRET TO
HAPPINESS?
Words by Bunny Bissoux
Possibly the next buzzword to come out of Japan, ikigai refers to one’s
reason for being, and is the subject of two new books being released
this month. But can it really help to change your life?
The latest life philosophy hitting the Western
world is based on the Japanese principle of
ikigai. Maybe you already know your hygge
from your feng shui, but this one won’t require
investing in scented candles, rearranging your
furniture, meditating, or picking up objects and deciding
whether they spark joy or not. The Japanese word ikigai
originates from the kanji for iki meaning “life” and kai
meaning “worth and value,” roughly translated into English
as “a purpose for living” or basically “a reason to get
up in the morning.” Before the cynics shrug off the idea of
such a grand promise of self-discovery, you should know
that ikigai is fairly undemanding yet fundamental in its
teachings – simply figuring out what makes us happy and
finding purpose and satisfaction in our daily lives.
This month sees two new books on the subject
released in English, offering a wealth of information
and advice for the mildly curious or the serious seeker
of happiness. Until now, the concept has generally been
summarized for foreign audiences in the straightforward
form of a Venn diagram, with four important aspects
overlapping: What you love, what you’re good at, what
the world needs, and what you can be paid to do. Through
looking closely at your passions, occupation, vocation
and mission, you can apparently discover your central
purpose: your ikigai.
The diagram is perhaps a rather simplistic route to
enlightenment, but deeper insight can be found by under-
28 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER