Awakening Your Ikigai

I had never heard of ikigai, until I read this book. This book gives a lot of history around the Japanese culture & how it pertains to Ikigai. The lessons are simple, but they can be life changing when practiced.

Awakening Your Ikiagai is a great book for all those readers who are fans of Marie Kondo and her The Life-changing Magic of Tidying up. It is an interesting and in depth guide to the Japanese concept of ikiagai, written in a style that is accessible to a Western audience.

Absolutely fascinating to read, completely understandable. A bit difficult, I would imagine. to put into practice. Well worthwhile though.

Awakening Your Ikigai by Ken Mogi
Blog post January 9 2017
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that is making its way to the broader world.
Ikigai can be best translated as a way of life that enables you to enjoy the simple joys of life even in the midst of conflict and chaos.
Ikigai promotes a balanced but simple lifestyle; in making choices to appreciate the small things in life. And, the author suggests, Ikigai could be critical to a long life.
Highlights of Ikigai include starting small, the joy of little things, harmony and stability, and being in the here and now.
It’s easy to see the appeal of Ikigai in Japan, where workers frequently log more than 80 hours a month of overtime and death related to overwork in Japan has made international news of late.
Author Ken Mogi uses multiple examples from both Japan and the western world to explain how Ikigai transcends cultural boundaries. Mogi shows how Ikigai can be seen in Japanese culture in the Sumo wrestler’s lifestyle, a famous Sushi chef’s approach, or even the fisherman who supplies that chef fresh fish. From the Western World, we can see Ikigai in an Irish television comedy, the living conditions of California and Montana, and the works of William Shakespeare.
Even though Ikigai is a Japanese term, the ideals are something that stressed out people around the globe can embrace.
Mogi’s syntax is sometimes stilted and has the feel of a speaker, or translator, who is well versed in English but not fully fluent. Some of the examples used to support the arguments for Ikigai in the Western world seem either dated or a bit of a stretch, but it is easy for the reader to grasp the main point and extrapolate that to his or her own cultural examples.
Mogi’s book particularly resonated with me, as I made my first trip through Japan last summer and visited many of the places Mogi mentions as examples in the book. But you don’t need to be an Otaku -- a fan of Japanese culture -- to find this book both interesting and rewarding.
This quick and easy read makes an effective case for adopting Ikigai regardless of where you live. Despite some minor flaws in readability and examples, this is a recommended read that can help you find joy and balance in the life you’re already living. Awekening Your Ikigai is a worthy read for a weary world.

Ken Mogi presents the five pillars of Ikigai as they appear in life, mixing and matching to bring about happiness. Each aspect of your life that brings you joy and purpose, such as your morning routine or work ethic, can be considered Ikigai.

Although I have encountered the pillars before in books focusing on mindfulness, happiness, and minimalism, I found the deep look at Japanese culture to be the true prize in this book. After all, I may find my own morning ritual Ikigai by writing, reading, and enjoying a cup of coffee, but have never considered engaging others in a rewarding morning activity.

This is the perfect read for anyone looking for examples of simple, joyful living, or encouragement to believe in your own unique interests and skills.

Thank you to the author for introducing me to Ikigai and how it pertains to Japanese culture, as I had never heard of this before.
The lessons are easy to follow and understand, but are monumental. I highly recommend this book!

This book was lovely! A fun read with practical advice based around the 5 pillars of ikigai. My favorite advice was about the small moments--it took away some of the pressure to come up with a profound purpose in life (at least for now). I've read a few books about ikigai recently, and while they all cover similar stories and concepts, this one is by far my favorite.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book for me was a huge eye opener into the cultural traditions and perspectives of the Japanese people. It made me realize that I am focusing my energy on the wrong things and I need to direct my focus onto being in the moment, appreciating where I am, and learning to be grateful for the small things. The hardest part for me is also learning to love and accept myself as who I am.
This book would be a great read for someone looking into self-improvement and performing a perspective "reset" on their outlook on life.