TheOxford English Dictionary definesikigai 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 termcompounds two Japanese words:iki (生き, meaning 'life; alive') andkai (甲斐, meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail') (sequentially voiced asgai), 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 andFrancesc Miralles explain, "This Japanese concept, which translates roughly as 'the happiness of always being busy,' is likelogotherapy, but it goes a step beyond."[3] TheJapanese 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]
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, feelingikigai 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 ofikigai 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 classifiesikigai into three directions – socialikigai, non-socialikigai, and anti-socialikigai – from a social perspective.Socialikigai refers toikigai that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. Anasocialikigai is anikigai that is not directly related to society, such asfaith orself-discipline.Anti-socialikigai refers toikigai, 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 reporterDan Buettner suggestedikigai may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people ofOkinawa.[14][4] According to Buettner,Okinawans have less desire toretire; 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]
Ikigai was first popularised by the Japanese psychiatrist and academicMieko Kamiya in her 1966 book,On the Meaning of Life (生きがいについて,ikigai ni tsuite).[15]
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 anthropologistChikako Ozawa-de Silva, for an older generation in Japan, theirikigai was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported theirikigai to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".[17]
Studies have shown that people who do not feelikigai are more likely to experiencecardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.[18][19]
^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.ISSN1871-2576.S2CID149162906.
^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.PMID18596247.S2CID10483513.
^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.PMID19539820.
^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.PMID7894068.
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