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{{short description|Japanese concept: a reason for being}}
{{Short description|Giving a sense of purpose (Japanese)}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{Italic title}}
{{nihongo3|"a reason for being"|生き甲斐|'''Ikigai'''}} is a [[Japan|Japanese]] concept referring to having a direction or purpose in life, providing a sense of fulfillment to a person, and towards which they may take actions, giving them satisfaction and a sense of [[Meaning of life|meaning]].<ref>[https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%94%9F%E3%81%8D%E7%94%B2%E6%96%90-431174 Kotobank 生き甲斐とは.] The Asahi Shimbun</ref>
{{nihongo3|{{lit|a reason for being}}|生き甲斐|'''Ikigai'''}} is a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Y. |first1=Kotera |last2=G. |first2=Kaluzeviciute |last3=Gulcan |first3=Garip |last4=Kirsten |first4=McEwan |last5=Katy |first5=Chamberlain |title=Health Benefits of Ikigai: A Review of Literature |journal=Concurrent Disorders Society Publishing |date=2021 |url=https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/92qzv/health-benefits-of-ikigai-a-review-of-literature}}</ref>


== Etymology ==
== Meaning and etymology ==
The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' defines {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfillment.<ref name="OED">{{Cite OED|term=ikigai|id=74433529|access-date=24 July 2021}}</ref>
The word consists of {{transl|ja|'Iki'}} ("to live") and {{transl|ja|'gai'}} ("reason").<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mogi|first=Ken|title=The little book of Ikigai|publisher=Quercus Editions Ltd|year=2017|isbn=9781787470279|location=Great Britain|pages=5,6}}</ref> The term {{transl|ja|'ikigai'}} [[compound (linguistics)|compounds]] two Japanese words: {{nihongo3|meaning "life;alive"|[[wikt:生き|生き]]|'iki'}} and {{nihongo3|meaning "(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail"|[[wikt:甲斐|甲斐]]|'kai'}} ([[rendaku|sequentially voiced]] as {{transl|ja|gai}}), to arrive at "a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a [[wiktionary:raison d'être|raison d'être]]".{{efn|In the game [[Go (game)|go]], {{transl|ja|'iki'}} especially means "[[Life and death|alive]]" (able to remain on the board indefinitely): "in go normally a situation in which a connected group of stones of any size contains at least two independent liberties [{{transl|ja|'me'}}] and so cannot be captured by an opponent".<ref>Watanabe Toshirō (渡邊敏郎), Edmund R. Skrzypczak, and Paul Snowden, eds. (2003), ''[[Kenkyūsha's New Japanese-English Dictionary]]'' (新和英大辞典), 5th edition, Kenkyusha, pp. 127, 459, 130.</ref>}}

The term [[compound (linguistics)|compounds]] two Japanese words: {{nihongo3|meaning 'life; alive'|[[wikt:生き|生き]]|iki}} and {{nihongo3|meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail'|[[wikt:甲斐|甲斐]]|kai}} ([[rendaku|sequentially voiced]] as {{transliteration|ja|gai}}{{--)}}, to arrive at 'a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

In their book, ''Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life'', [[Héctor García]] and [[Francesc Miralles]] explain, "This Japanese concept, which translates roughly as 'the happiness of always being busy,' is like [[logotherapy]], but it goes a step beyond."<ref name=":0" /> The [[Government of Japan|Japanese government]] posted an article about the topic on their official website in 2022 stating, "A broad concept, it [ikigai] refers to that which brings value and joy to life: from people, such as one’s children or friends, to activities including work and hobbies."<ref name=":2" />


==Overview==
==Overview==
{{transl|ja|Ikigai}} can describe having a sense of purpose in life,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schippers|first=Michaéla|url=https://repub.eur.nl/pub/100484/|title=IKIGAI: Reflection on Life Goals Optimizes Performance and Happiness|date=2017-06-16|isbn=978-90-5892-484-1|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mathews|first=Gordon|date=1996|title=The Stuff of Dreams, Fading: Ikigai and "The Japanese Self"|journal=Ethos|volume=24|issue=4|pages=718–747|issn=0091-2131|jstor=640520|doi=10.1525/eth.1996.24.4.02a00060}}</ref> as well as being motivated.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Schippers|first1=Michaéla C.|last2=Ziegler|first2=Niklas|date=2019-12-13|title=Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=10|pages=2778|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778|issn=1664-1078|pmc=6923189|pmid=31920827}}</ref> According to a study,{{vague|date=April 2021}} feeling {{transl|ja|ikigai}} as described in Japanese usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kumano|first=Michiko|date=2018-06-01|title=On the Concept of Well-Being in Japan: Feeling Shiawase as Hedonic Well-Being and Feeling Ikigai as Eudaimonic Well-Being|journal=Applied Research in Quality of Life|language=en|volume=13|issue=2|pages=419–433|doi=10.1007/s11482-017-9532-9|s2cid=149162906|issn=1871-2576}}</ref> Activities that allow one to feel {{transl|ja|ikigai}} are not forced on an individual; they are perceived as being spontaneous and undertaken willingly, therefore they are personal and depend on a person's inner self.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Nakanishi|first=N|date=1999-05-01|title='Ikigai' in older Japanese people|journal=Age and Ageing|language=en|volume=28|issue=3|pages=323–324|doi=10.1093/ageing/28.3.323|issn=1468-2834|pmid=10475874|doi-access=free}}</ref>
{{transliteration|ja|Ikigai}} can be described as having a sense of [[purpose in life]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schippers|first=Michaéla|url=https://repub.eur.nl/pub/100484/|title=IKIGAI: Reflection on Life Goals Optimizes Performance and Happiness|date=2017-06-16|publisher=Erasmus Research Institute of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam |isbn=978-90-5892-484-1|language=en|access-date=2020-03-05|archive-date=2021-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204022827/https://repub.eur.nl/pub/100484/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mathews|first=Gordon|date=1996|title=The Stuff of Dreams, Fading: Ikigai and "The Japanese Self"|journal=Ethos|volume=24|issue=4|pages=718–747|issn=0091-2131|jstor=640520|doi=10.1525/eth.1996.24.4.02a00060}}</ref> as well as being motivated.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Schippers|first1=Michaéla C.|last2=Ziegler|first2=Niklas|date=2019-12-13|title=Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=10|pages=2778|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778 |issn=1664-1078|pmc=6923189|pmid=31920827|doi-access=free}}</ref> According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} as described in Japanese usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kumano|first=Michiko|date=2018-06-01|title=On the Concept of Well-Being in Japan: Feeling Shiawase as Hedonic Well-Being and Feeling Ikigai as Eudaimonic Well-Being|journal=Applied Research in Quality of Life|language=en|volume=13|issue=2|pages=419–433|doi=10.1007/s11482-017-9532-9|s2cid=149162906|issn=1871-2576}}</ref> Activities that generate the feeling of {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} are not forced on an individual; they are perceived as being spontaneous and undertaken willingly, and thus are personal and depend on a person's inner self.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Nakanishi|first=N|date=1999-05-01|title='Ikigai' in older Japanese people|journal=Age and Ageing|language=en|volume=28|issue=3|pages=323–324|doi=10.1093/ageing/28.3.323|issn=1468-2834|pmid=10475874|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Okuzono |first1=Sakurako S. |last2=Shiba |first2=Koichiro |last3=Kim |first3=Eric S. |last4=Shirai |first4=Kokoro |last5=Kondo |first5=Naoki |last6=Fujiwara |first6=Takeo |last7=Kondo |first7=Katunori |last8=Lomas |first8=Tim |last9=Trudel-Fitzgerald |first9=Claudia |last10=Kawachi |first10=Ichiro |last11=VanderWeele |first11=Tyler J. |title=Ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese older adults: Longitudinal outcome-wide analysis |journal=The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific |date=2022 |volume=21 |pages=100391 |doi=10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100391 |pmid=35141667 |pmc=8814687 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Miyazaki |first1=Junji |last2=Shirai |first2=Kokoro |last3=Kimura |first3=Takashi |last4=Ikehara |first4=Satoyo |last5=Tamakoshi |first5=Akiko |last6=Iso |first6=Hiroyasu |title=Purpose in life (Ikigai) and employment status in relation to cardiovascular mortality: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study |journal=[[BMJ Open]] |date=2022 |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=e059725 |doi=10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059725 |pmid=36216422 |pmc=9557793 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wilkes |first1=Juliet |last2=Garip |first2=Gulcan |last3=Kotera |first3=Yasuhiro |last4=Fido |first4=Dean |title=Can Ikigai Predict Anxiety, Depression, and Well-being? |journal=International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction |date=2023 |volume=21 |issue=5 |pages=2941–2953 |doi=10.1007/s11469-022-00764-7 |pmid=35250405 |pmc=8887802 |doi-access=free}}</ref>


According to psychologist Katsuya Inoue, {{transl|ja|ikigai}} is a concept consisting of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies {{transl|ja|ikigai}} into three directions - social {{transl|ja|ikigai}}, non-social {{transl|ja|ikigai}}, and anti-social {{transl|ja|ikigai}} - from a social perspective. Social {{transl|ja|ikigai}} refers to {{transl|ja|ikigai}} that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An asocial {{transl|ja|ikigai}} is an {{transl|ja|ikigai}} that is not directly related to society, such as faith or self-discipline. Anti-social {{transl|ja|ikigai}} refers to {{transl|ja|ikigai}}, which is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire to revenge.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Psychology of Aging |last=Inoue |first=Katsuya |publisher=Chuo Hoki Shuppan |year=2000 |isbn=978-4805818954 |pages=80–99, 144–145}}</ref>
According to Japanese psychologist Katsuya Inoue, {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} is a concept that consists of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} into three directions – social {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}}, non-social {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}}, and anti-social {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} – from a social perspective. ''Social'' {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} refers to {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An ''asocial'' {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} is an {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} that is not directly related to society, such as [[faith]] or [[self-discipline]]. ''Anti-social'' {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} refers to {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}}, which is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire for revenge.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Psychology of Aging |last=Inoue |first=Katsuya |publisher=Chuo Hoki Shuppan |year=2000 |isbn=978-4805818954 |pages=80–99, 144–145}}</ref>


[[National Geographic]] reporter [[Dan Buettner]] suggested {{transl|ja|ikigai}} may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people of [[Okinawa]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100?language=en | title=How to live to be 100+}}</ref> According to Buettner, Okinawans have less desire to [[Retirement|retire]], as people continue to do their favourite job as long as they remain healthy. {{transl|ja|"Moai"}}, the close-knit friend group, is considered an important reason for the people of Okinawa to live long. In 2016, a book based on the concept, entitled 'Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life', was published by Penguin Books, written by [[Hector Garcia Puigcerver]] and [[Francesc Miralles]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life|last1=Puigcerver|first1=Hector Garcia|last2=Miralles|first 2=Francesc|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2017|isbn=978-014313072}}</ref>
''[[National Geographic]]'' reporter [[Dan Buettner]] suggested {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people of [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Buettner|first=Dan|date=September 2009|title=How to live to be 100+|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100?language=en|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-09|website=TED|archive-date=2019-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506022023/https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100?language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web | title=Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life | website=The Government of Japan - JapanGov - | date=2024-02-29 | url=https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/03/ikigai_japanese_secret_to_a_joyful_life.html | access-date=2024-04-13}}</ref> According to Buettner, [[Okinawans]] have less desire to [[Retirement|retire]]; they continue doing their favourite job as long as they remain healthy. {{transliteration|ja|Moai}}, a close-knit friend group, is also considered an important reason for the people of Okinawa to live long.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life|last1= García|first1=Héctor|last2=Miralles|first2=Francesc|author-link2=Francesc Miralles|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2017|isbn=978-0143130727}}</ref>


== Early popularisation ==
== Early popularisation ==
Although the concept of {{transl|ja|ikigai}} has long existed in Japanese culture, it was first popularised by Japanese psychiatrist and academic [[Mieko Kamiya]] in her 1966 book {{nihongo|"On the Meaning of Life"|生きがいについて|ikigai ni tsuite}}.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kamiya|first=Mieko|title="『生きがいについて』 ("On the Meaning of Life" in Japanese)"|publisher=Misuzu Shobo|year=1980|isbn=4-622-08181-4|location=Japan}}</ref> The book has not yet been translated into English.
Ikigai was first popularised by the Japanese psychiatrist and academic [[Mieko Kamiya]] in her 1966 book {{nihongo|"On the Meaning of Life"|生きがいについて|ikigai ni tsuite}}.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kamiya|first=Mieko|title="『生きがいについて』 ("On the Meaning of Life" in Japanese)"|publisher=Misuzu Shobo|year=1980|isbn=4622081814|location=Japan}}</ref> The book has not yet been translated into English.


== Importance ==
== Importance ==
In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, {{transl|ja|ikigai}} was thought to be experienced towards either the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or improvement of oneself ("following one's own path"). In the 21st century however, the focus of {{transl|ja|ikigai}} shifted towards the self; developing oneself instead of "self-sacrifice".<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Manzenreiter|first1=Wolfram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AiQlDwAAQBAJ&q=ikigai&pg=PA1|title=Happiness and the Good Life in Japan|last2=Holthus|first2=Barbara|date=2017-03-27|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-35273-0|language=en}}</ref>
In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} was thought to have two primary forms of manifestation: either in terms of the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or the improvement of oneself ("following one's own path").<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Manzenreiter|first1=Wolfram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AiQlDwAAQBAJ&q=ikigai&pg=PA1|title=Happiness and the Good Life in Japan|last2=Holthus|first2=Barbara|date=2017-03-27|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-35273-0|language=en|access-date=2020-10-04|archive-date=2023-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318120757/https://books.google.com/books?id=AiQlDwAAQBAJ&q=ikigai&pg=PA1|url-status=live}}</ref>


According to anthropologist [[Chikako Ozawa-de Silva]], for an older generation in Japan, their {{transl|ja|ikigai}} was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their {{transl|ja|ikigai}} to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".<ref name="Ozawa-de Silva">{{Cite journal|last=Ozawa-de Silva|first=Chikako|date=2020-02-11|title=In the eyes of others: Loneliness and relational meaning in life among Japanese college students|url=|journal=Transcultural Psychiatry|volume=57|issue=5|language=en|pages=623–634|doi=10.1177/1363461519899757|pmid=32041496|s2cid=211078070|issn=1363-4615}}</ref>
According to anthropologist [[Chikako Ozawa-de Silva]], for an older generation in Japan, their {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".<ref name="Ozawa-de Silva">{{Cite journal|last=Ozawa-de Silva|first=Chikako|date=2020-02-11|title=In the eyes of others: Loneliness and relational meaning in life among Japanese college students|url=|journal=Transcultural Psychiatry|volume=57|issue=5|language=en|pages=623–634|doi=10.1177/1363461519899757|pmid=32041496|s2cid=211078070|issn=1363-4615}}</ref>


A 2012 study in the ''[[Global Journal of Health Science]]'' suggested that having the feeling of {{transl|ja|ikigai}} influenced the functioning of the [[frontal lobe]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Ishida|first=Riichiro|date=2012|title=Reducing Anxiety in Stutterers through the Association between "Purpose in Life/Ikigai" and Emotions|journal=Global Journal of Health Science|volume=4 |issue=5|pages=120–4|doi=10.5539/gjhs.v4n5p120|pmid=22980384|pmc=4776915}}</ref> Some studies{{vague|date=April 2020}} showed that people who do not feel {{transl|ja|ikigai}} are more likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any co-relation with development of malignant tumors.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Sone T. |author2=Nakaya N. |author3=Ohmori K. |author4=Shimazu T. |author5=Higashiguchi M. |author6=Kakizaki M. |author7=Kikuchi N. |author8=Kuriyama S. |author9=Tsuji I. |date=2008|title=Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study|journal=Psychosomatic Medicine|volume=70|issue=6|pages=709–15|doi=10.1097/PSY.0b013e31817e7e64|pmid=18596247|s2cid=10483513}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |author=Tanno K. |author2=Sakata K. |author3=Ohsawa M. |author4=Onoda T. |author5=Itai K. |author6=Yaegashi Y. |author7=Tamakoshi A. |collaboration=JACC Study Group |title=Associations of ikigai as a positive psychological factor with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese people: findings from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study|journal=Journal of Psychosomatic|volume=67|issue=1|pages=67–75|pmid=19539820|year=2009|doi=10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.10.018}}</ref>
Studies have shown that people who do not feel {{transliteration|ja|ikigai}} are more likely to experience [[Cardiovascular disease|cardiovascular diseases]]. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Sone T. |author2=Nakaya N. |author3=Ohmori K. |author4=Shimazu T. |author5=Higashiguchi M. |author6=Kakizaki M. |author7=Kikuchi N. |author8=Kuriyama S. |author9=Tsuji I. |date=2008|title=Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study|journal=Psychosomatic Medicine|volume=70|issue=6|pages=709–15|doi=10.1097/PSY.0b013e31817e7e64|pmid=18596247|s2cid=10483513}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |author=Tanno K. |author2=Sakata K. |author3=Ohsawa M. |author4=Onoda T. |author5=Itai K. |author6=Yaegashi Y. |author7=Tamakoshi A. |collaboration=JACC Study Group |title=Associations of ikigai as a positive psychological factor with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese people: findings from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study|journal=Journal of Psychosomatic|volume=67|issue=1|pages=67–75|pmid=19539820|year=2009|doi=10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.10.018}}</ref>

== Ikigai scale ==
{{Expand section
| 1 = Add details about the scale
| section = 5
| small = no
| date = October 2024
}}
An Ikigai scale has been constructed to measure the effects on mental and physical health of those people who practice it.<ref name=Yoshida1994>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yoshida K |title=Evaluation of a revised "Ikigai" scale and the relationship between motivation for achievement of a purpose and mental health in senior high school students|journal= Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi | date = 1994 | volume = 41| issue = 12 |pages=1162–8|doi=|pmid= 7894068}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Wiktionary:raison d'être|Raison d'être]]
*[[Joie de vivre]]
*[[Joie de vivre]]
*[[Logotherapy]]
*[[Logotherapy]]
*[[Meaning-making]]
*[[Meaning-making]]
*[[Eudaimonia]]
*{{section link|Motivation|Intrinsic motivation}}
*{{section link|Motivation|Types of motivation}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


==References==
==References==
Line 36: Line 48:


==External links==
==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
*[http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1450260 "Factors associated with 'Ikigai' among members of a public temporary employment agency for seniors (Silver Human Resources Centre) in Japan; gender differences"], ''Health and Quality of Life Outcomes''. 2006; 4:12 (retrieved Nov 2008).
*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1450260/ "Factors associated with 'Ikigai' among members of a public temporary employment agency for seniors (Silver Human Resources Centre) in Japan; gender differences"], ''Health and Quality of Life Outcomes''. 2006; 4:12 (retrieved Nov 2008).
*[http://moreexplore.blogspot.com/2005/10/ikigai.html "Ikigai"], More Explore (retrieved Nov 2008).
*[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200809/ikigai-and-mortality "Ikigai and Mortality"] ''Psychology Today''. 17 Sep 2008 (retrieved Jan 2010).
*[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200809/ikigai-and-mortality "Ikigai and Mortality"] ''Psychology Today''. 17 Sep 2008 (retrieved Jan 2010).
*[http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100.html "Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+"] TED talk about longevity that explains the word in the Okinawan context. Jan 2010.
*[https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100?language=en "Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+"] TED talk about longevity that explains the word in the Okinawan context. Jan 2010.
* [http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200510-japans-formula-for-life-satisfaction Japan's formula for life satisfaction]. By Lily Crossley-Baxter, 11 May 2020, bbc.com.
* [http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200510-japans-formula-for-life-satisfaction Japan's formula for life satisfaction]. By Lily Crossley-Baxter, 11 May 2020, bbc.com.


{{Japanese social terms}}
{{Japanese social terms}}
{{Emotion navbox}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Happiness]]
[[Category:Happiness]]
[[Category:Japanese culture]]
[[Category:Culture of Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]
[[Category:Mental states]]
[[Category:Mental states]]

Latest revision as of 15:47, 4 January 2025

Ikigai (生き甲斐, lit. 'a reason for being') is a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.[1]

Meaning and etymology

[edit]

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfillment.[2]

The term compounds two Japanese words: iki (生き, meaning 'life; alive') and kai (甲斐, meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail') (sequentially voiced as gai), to arrive at 'a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

In their book, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Héctor García and Francesc Miralles explain, "This Japanese concept, which translates roughly as 'the happiness of always being busy,' is like logotherapy, but it goes a step beyond."[3] The Japanese government posted an article about the topic on their official website in 2022 stating, "A broad concept, it [ikigai] refers to that which brings value and joy to life: from people, such as one’s children or friends, to activities including work and hobbies."[4]

Overview

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Ikigai can be described as having a sense of purpose in life,[5][6] as well as being motivated.[7] According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling ikigai as described in Japanese usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.[8] Activities that generate the feeling of ikigai are not forced on an individual; they are perceived as being spontaneous and undertaken willingly, and thus are personal and depend on a person's inner self.[9][10][11][12]

According to Japanese psychologist Katsuya Inoue, ikigai is a concept that consists of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies ikigai into three directions – social ikigai, non-social ikigai, and anti-social ikigai – from a social perspective. Social ikigai refers to ikigai that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An asocial ikigai is an ikigai that is not directly related to society, such as faith or self-discipline. Anti-social ikigai refers to ikigai, which is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire for revenge.[13]

National Geographic reporter Dan Buettner suggested ikigai may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people of Okinawa.[14][4] According to Buettner, Okinawans have less desire to retire; they continue doing their favourite job as long as they remain healthy. Moai, a close-knit friend group, is also considered an important reason for the people of Okinawa to live long.[3]

Early popularisation

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Ikigai was first popularised by the Japanese psychiatrist and academic Mieko Kamiya in her 1966 book "On the Meaning of Life" (生きがいについて, ikigai ni tsuite).[15] The book has not yet been translated into English.

Importance

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In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, ikigai was thought to have two primary forms of manifestation: either in terms of the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or the improvement of oneself ("following one's own path").[16]

According to anthropologist Chikako Ozawa-de Silva, for an older generation in Japan, their ikigai was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their ikigai to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".[17]

Studies have shown that people who do not feel ikigai are more likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.[18][19]

Ikigai scale

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An Ikigai scale has been constructed to measure the effects on mental and physical health of those people who practice it.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Y., Kotera; G., Kaluzeviciute; Gulcan, Garip; Kirsten, McEwan; Katy, Chamberlain (2021). "Health Benefits of Ikigai: A Review of Literature". Concurrent Disorders Society Publishing.
  2. ^ "ikigai". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 24 July 2021. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. ^ a b García, Héctor; Miralles, Francesc (2017). Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0143130727.
  4. ^ a b "Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life". The Government of Japan - JapanGov -. 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  5. ^ Schippers, Michaéla (2017-06-16). IKIGAI: Reflection on Life Goals Optimizes Performance and Happiness. Erasmus Research Institute of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam. ISBN 978-90-5892-484-1. Archived from the original on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  6. ^ Mathews, Gordon (1996). "The Stuff of Dreams, Fading: Ikigai and "The Japanese Self"". Ethos. 24 (4): 718–747. doi:10.1525/eth.1996.24.4.02a00060. ISSN 0091-2131. JSTOR 640520.
  7. ^ Schippers, Michaéla C.; Ziegler, Niklas (2019-12-13). "Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life". Frontiers in Psychology. 10: 2778. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778. ISSN 1664-1078. PMC 6923189. PMID 31920827.
  8. ^ Kumano, Michiko (2018-06-01). "On the Concept of Well-Being in Japan: Feeling Shiawase as Hedonic Well-Being and Feeling Ikigai as Eudaimonic Well-Being". Applied Research in Quality of Life. 13 (2): 419–433. doi:10.1007/s11482-017-9532-9. ISSN 1871-2576. S2CID 149162906.
  9. ^ Nakanishi, N (1999-05-01). "'Ikigai' in older Japanese people". Age and Ageing. 28 (3): 323–324. doi:10.1093/ageing/28.3.323. ISSN 1468-2834. PMID 10475874.
  10. ^ Okuzono, Sakurako S.; Shiba, Koichiro; Kim, Eric S.; Shirai, Kokoro; Kondo, Naoki; Fujiwara, Takeo; Kondo, Katunori; Lomas, Tim; Trudel-Fitzgerald, Claudia; Kawachi, Ichiro; VanderWeele, Tyler J. (2022). "Ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese older adults: Longitudinal outcome-wide analysis". The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific. 21: 100391. doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100391. PMC 8814687. PMID 35141667.
  11. ^ Miyazaki, Junji; Shirai, Kokoro; Kimura, Takashi; Ikehara, Satoyo; Tamakoshi, Akiko; Iso, Hiroyasu (2022). "Purpose in life (Ikigai) and employment status in relation to cardiovascular mortality: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study". BMJ Open. 12 (10): e059725. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059725. PMC 9557793. PMID 36216422.
  12. ^ Wilkes, Juliet; Garip, Gulcan; Kotera, Yasuhiro; Fido, Dean (2023). "Can Ikigai Predict Anxiety, Depression, and Well-being?". International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 21 (5): 2941–2953. doi:10.1007/s11469-022-00764-7. PMC 8887802. PMID 35250405.
  13. ^ Inoue, Katsuya (2000). Psychology of Aging. Chuo Hoki Shuppan. pp. 80–99, 144–145. ISBN 978-4805818954.
  14. ^ Buettner, Dan (September 2009). "How to live to be 100+". TED. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
  15. ^ Kamiya, Mieko (1980). "『生きがいについて』 ("On the Meaning of Life" in Japanese)". Japan: Misuzu Shobo. ISBN 4622081814.
  16. ^ Manzenreiter, Wolfram; Holthus, Barbara (2017-03-27). Happiness and the Good Life in Japan. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-317-35273-0. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  17. ^ Ozawa-de Silva, Chikako (2020-02-11). "In the eyes of others: Loneliness and relational meaning in life among Japanese college students". Transcultural Psychiatry. 57 (5): 623–634. doi:10.1177/1363461519899757. ISSN 1363-4615. PMID 32041496. S2CID 211078070.
  18. ^ Sone T.; Nakaya N.; Ohmori K.; Shimazu T.; Higashiguchi M.; Kakizaki M.; Kikuchi N.; Kuriyama S.; Tsuji I. (2008). "Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study". Psychosomatic Medicine. 70 (6): 709–15. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e31817e7e64. PMID 18596247. S2CID 10483513.
  19. ^ Tanno K.; Sakata K.; Ohsawa M.; Onoda T.; Itai K.; Yaegashi Y.; Tamakoshi A.; et al. (JACC Study Group) (2009). "Associations of ikigai as a positive psychological factor with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese people: findings from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study". Journal of Psychosomatic. 67 (1): 67–75. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.10.018. PMID 19539820.
  20. ^ Yoshida K (1994). "Evaluation of a revised "Ikigai" scale and the relationship between motivation for achievement of a purpose and mental health in senior high school students". Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 41 (12): 1162–8. PMID 7894068.
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