On ikigai
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the concept of ikigai and what it truly means. I’ve learned that a lot of the ikigai content online and in English does not represent the true concept or philosophy. Since I’m still new to the depths of ikigai, I won’t try to explain it fully here, but I’ll share some of my recent findings.
In its literal translation from Japanese, ikigai (生き甲斐) can be broken down into ‘iki’ (生き) to live or be alive, and ‘gai’ (甲斐) worth living or worthwhile. If you’ve heard of ikigai outside of Japan though, then you’re probably familiar with the Venn Diagram which shows ikigai at the centre of the following circles:
something you love
something you can make money from
something that the world needs
something that you are skilled or proficient at
Despite its popularity, the Venn diagram does not represent ikigai. Image created by Emma Launder based on Andres Zuzunaga's diagram for Proposito.
However, this isn’t the true definition of ikigai. I’ll share more about how this misconception came about later. But if ikigai isn’t the diagram, what is ikigai? I’m on a journey to find out.
A Chat with Saori Okada, Founder of Mogami Wellness
To learn more about the true meaning behind ikigai, I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Saori Okada, health coach, author, and the founder of Mogami, a wellness brand focused on empowering individuals through the art of Japanese well-being. Saori was born and raised in Japan, has studied and worked in New York, and is currently based in London. In an interview with Forbes, Saori has shared how ikigai is "about empowering individuals to define what a life worth living means" (1).
During our chat, Saori shared how the Venn diagram doesn’t fully capture the Japanese essence of ikigai. She described how ikigai is often more nuanced, fluid, and subjective. Our sense of being alive or having purpose can be felt in daily moments, and is not limited to our professional lives or a fixed framework. We spoke about our personal journeys as well as cultural differences and perspectives when it comes to well-being and entrepreneurship (see more in her white paper co-written by Adam Sox; Tradition Reimagined: A Roadmap for the Future of Japanese Entrepreneurship). It was a special opportunity to hear first-hand about her experiences and thoughts.
Photo by Finde Zukunft on Unsplash
Why ikigai isn’t the Venn Diagram
Interestingly, the Venn diagram often associated with ikigai is not actually a Japanese concept. It was created in 2012 by Spanish astrologer Andres Zuzunaga to describe ‘purpose’ and later popularized in 2014 by blogger Mark Winn, who exchanged ‘purpose’ with ‘ikigai’ in his blog “What’s Your Ikigai?”.
Zuzunaga, Andres. "Proposito." Cosmograma, 2012. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.cosmograma.com/proposito.php.
Winn, Marc. Ikigai Venn Diagram. What's Your Ikigai?, The View Inside Me, May 14, 2014, http://theviewinside.me/what-is-your-ikigai/.
My younger self had certainly tried to fit my understanding of ikigai into the Venn diagram. However, coming up with one clear purpose has proved tricky, as my interests and passions would change and I would wonder whether my own sense of being contributed to the world at large. In short, I haven’t found a singular ikigai. But I guess that’s the point. Ikigai isn’t something you place neatly into a diagram, or necessarily even find.
Ikigai Tribe, a collective and coaching program run by Australian researcher and author Nicholas Kemp, describes how ikigai became misunderstood (4) and encourages readers to look into additional resources by Japanese psychologists and researchers to learn more about the true concept of ikigai.
Bamboo forest. Photo by Emma Launder.
According to Japanese researchers, the true meaning of ikigai may be closer to the feeling or sense of a life worth living or noticing the value of being alive, often associated with finding joy in the little things of everyday life. Mieko Kamiya, a Japanese psychiatrist and the author of the Ikigai ni Tsuite (On the Meaning of Life), often considered the ‘Mother of ikigai’, wrote that “According to the dictionary, ikigai means "the will and power necessary for one to live in this world, happiness to be alive, benefit, effectiveness."” (5)
Another important researcher of ikigai is Ken Mogi, a neuroscientist at Sony Labs and author of Awakening Your Ikigai: How the Japanese Wake Up to Joy and Purpose Every Day. He explains, “The Japanese do not need grandiose motivational frameworks to keep going, but rely more on the little rituals in their daily routines.”
What do Japanese people think of ikigai?
Japanese generally consider ikigai as something quite simple (unlike the Venn Diagram). Sena Shimotsuma, a Japanese content creator, describes ikigai as “something that makes you want to get up each morning.” He also believes that you can have more than one, it can be positive or negative, and it can really be anything. It might even be something that is right in front of you but that you haven’t yet noticed. Azumi Uchitani, a Japanese consultant, coach, and writer, tells us that ikigai is not something that we find but rather something that we already have within us.
I also asked my Japanese obaachan (grandmother) what her ikigai is, and she answered that her current ikigai is about hearing updates from the grandkids (including me), knowing that they’re well, and that her second ikigai is her interest in gardening and planting flowers. Aya Kobayashi, miso maker and founder of Sumikichi Miso shares in Mogami’s Ikigai Spotlight Series how yarigai (fulfillment or satisfaction from meaningful activities) such as making miso contribute to her ikigai. This resonates strongly with me, as I tend to follow my curiosities or engage in activities that I find meaningful rather than aiming for a single, defined purpose. This has led me to unexpected, yet fulfilling, places.
Exploring. Photo by Emma Launder.
In summary, your ikigai or ‘reason for being’ may be simple, nuanced, fluid, and diverse. While the Venn diagram may not be representative of the Japanese concept of ikigai, it can still serve as a useful tool for identifying purpose in context, particularly in entrepreneurship and business, where aligning skills, interests, and societal needs can be crucial.
For me, I like to think of ikigai as connecting to something that is already within you to find meaning or a sense of being. I’ll aim to share more of my learnings as I delve into the concept of ikigai and Japanese philosophy.
I hope you have a lovely week ahead and cherish any moments that connect you with your own sense of ikigai, whatever that may be.
Be Well,
Emma
Looking up in a bamboo forest. Photo by Emma Launder.
Mindfully, Tokyo is a written series on mindfulness, purposeful living, and creativity, to help you navigate work and life in Tokyo. In times when the world moves faster by the minute, it takes courage to slow down, to appreciate the little things, and to be in tune with ourselves and our surroundings. Let’s explore living mindfully in our digital era, learn about the Japanese way of living, and embrace the tides together.
References:
Debevoise, N. D. (2024). How You’re Getting Ikigai Wrong, And What It’s Costing You. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nelldebevoise/2024/03/28/how-youre-getting-ikigai-wrong-and-what-its-costing-you/.
Zuzunaga, Andres. "Proposito." Cosmograma, 2012. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.cosmograma.com/proposito.php.
Winn, Marc. "Ikigai Venn Diagram." What's Your Ikigai?, The View Inside Me, May 14, 2014. http://theviewinside.me/what-is-your-ikigai/.
Ikigai misunderstood and the origin of the Ikigai Venn diagram. (2019). Retrieved from https://ikigaitribe.com/ikigai/ikigai-misunderstood/.
Kamiya, Mieko. Ikigai ni Tsuite (On the Meaning of Life). Tōkyō: MISUZU SHOBŌ, 1966.
