What is Japan’s secret to living a long life?
What you can do in order to live a long life like the Japanese.
It doesn’t seem to go very long in between hearing about someone in Japan turning this and that many 100+ years old. Recently it was reported about the 117 years and 261 days old Kane Tanaka, who broke the record as the oldest person in Japan, ever. The previous record holder Nabi Tajima passed away in april 2018 at a respectable 117 years and 260 days old. Kane, being born in 1903, having outlived two world wars and several pandemics, celebrated according to The Guardian with a bottle of Coke and went ahead playing some boardgames. She is currently the oldest verified living person in the world and the third oldest ever.
According to recent statistics being released by Japan’s government the number of people in Japan being 65 or more is reaching 36.17 million. 80,450 of those are over 100 years old. These figures are mind-blowing. It means that Japan has the highest proportion of elderly people in the world. But why are so many people in Japan reaching that old age?
What is their secret?
Two things it turns out. Diet and lifestyle. That’s it. There’s no mumbo-jumbo magic happening. The Japanese diet mainly consists of omega fatty fish, rice, soy, miso-soup, whole grains and vegetables. They are eating less of red meat and dairies, and more of seaweed and tea. They generally tend to keep their salt and unhealthy fat intake low which is proven effective. Japan is one of the least obese countries in the world, with only 4.3% of the population being overweight (World Population Review) in 2020. In contrast The US has a 36.2% obesity rate of the population. Currently it is estimated that around 20–25 % of our lifespan is determined by genetics, the rest has to do with what we eat and how we live. It means that there is a lot we can do in order to affect our lifespan.
The Japanese people are also practicing a lifestyle called “Ikigai”. In Japanese iki means “life” and gai means “value or worth”, i.e. the reason to live. It’s an old practice which is about doing things that give purpose and meaning. It simply keeps you going. So it isn’t only about diet and genes, there is more to it. Having meaning and a purpose in life has a lot to do with how long we live it seems. The Japanese people stay active and busy even as they age. An example of that is Mieko Nagaoka who began a professional senior swimming career at the age of 84. She became the first 100 year old to complete a 1,500m freestyle swim in a 25m pool. Last year, at age 105 and having an impressive 25+ senior career, she retired from professional swimming after her last competitions in September, though still staying an active swimmer.
In Okinawa it is especially common to practice Ikigai. There they don’t have something called retirement. Instead, they simply keep themselves active and occupied with things to do as well as engaging themselves in their community and people around them. Recent research shows us that retirement can lead to earlier death because people experience a sudden lack of purpose. Having that said it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t retire after many years of work, but maybe we should find our own Ikigai.
Ken Mogi sums up the practice in “5 pillars” his book The Little Book of Ikigai. These are:
- Starting small
- Releasing yourself
- Harmony and sustainability
- The joy of little things
- Being in here and now
Following these pillars will help you understand and follow the way of Ikigai. It should have a positive impact and let you reach fulfillment and joy in life.
Another book to consider is Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a Long and Happy life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. It explains further in detail what Ikigai is and gives examples from interviews and observations of people in the area of Japan with most 100 year olds, revealing their secrets. It also has tools to help you practice it by yourself.
So if you’re planning an early retirement, perhaps it’s wisest to do so in order to fulfill your hobby project dream or to start your own business to keep yourself occupied and having a purpose. What makes you happy? What motivates you? Go out and find your own Ikigai.
About the author: Marcus Segerros is a freelance Writer, Content Creator, Designer, Engineer and Business owner with a double BS and University Diploma Degree in Design and technology.
