What is your IKIGAI? The IKIGAI of elderly Japanese people.

In this video, I am going to introduce interviews with lively elderly people in their 60s to 90s from my village in Japan about their ikigai.
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[@olgapawlak2197]

I was so surprised when I saw Yachiko-san, she looks and acts just like my grandma used to! Her mannerism, sense of humour, face (even tho my grandma was slavic from Eastern Europe, it’s so strange!) and the way she grabs people and keeps close to her, all was just like her. I miss her so much. She died in 2019. After she passed away we found out she was writing short poems and drawings as a form of diary all her life. It’s so crazy that people can be so similar. One grandma in Poland, one in Japan.

[@elifante]

That's so lovely!!!

[@SkyeHyuuga]

They would be great friends :) Lovely story ♥

[@chanchan5349]

In Japanese grandmother is Oba-Chan (familiar) or Baba for short. What do you call grandmother in Poland?

[@olgapawlak2197]

@@chanchan5349 Grandma is "babcia" in Poland but some kids say baba too!

[@lucyc2151]

And my grandma was exactly the same, living and died in Bulgaria. ❤

[@jessicacabral9867]

One of my Ikigai is watching Samurai Matcha videos! It warms my heart! You are very passionate about everything that you do. Thank you for working hard on these amazing videos for us to watch.

[@yemyvhir]

seconded!

[@dorcas7495]

Me x 3 😄

[@annavankova5927]

🙂 YES 😊 Thank You, dear Samurai Matcha, for your heartwarming video .. God blesss You and your IKIGAI ☺ Many many regards from Europe, Czechia...

[@SamuraiMatcha]

Okagesamadesu:) Thanks to you guys and warm comments！Arigatougozaimasu:)

[@Suki022]

Yes! Samurai Matcha is my very favorite channel! ❤

[@Dogsnark]

This is a useful topic for me. I’m 77 and am definitely slowing down, though my health continues to be good. However, I am questioning more and more what I am to do with the time remaining for me. It seems I’m looking to identify my ikigai, a concept I’ve never heard of, but I think describes well what I’m trying to find. I’m very lonely, I have no family or close friends. I think that makes figuring out my ikigai even more important.

[@yuinkai1004]

はじめまして！日本語でごめんなさい🙏 わたしは先日78歳の父を亡くしました あなたは、生きていてくださるだけで素晴らしい存在です コメントを書いてくれてありがとうございました このまま、幸せが続きますように、、、

[@JoP444]

💚 from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@lisaray9404]

Be of good cheer. Sending you big hugs and many good vibes. Know that you are loved and cared about even from afar. It is always there for you. Find joy in the gift of each day and the blessing for each breath you take. Take care and be safe. Peace and blessing to you. 😊💖🙏🏻

[@sasazezelic]

If you are in good health, please consider joining your local mountaineering club. There is usually a group for elderly people and it's a great way to meet new people, have regular meet-ups and fun activities in nature. And I find that people who spent a lot of time in nature tend to be more natural, funny how that works 😄, so they are very easy to hang out with.

[@SunnyIlha]

🙏

[@virginiamoo-penn9040]

One can learn so much from listening to another person’s story. I personally think that our darling elders have so much wisdom from their life experiences. I’m glad you interviewed them and share their wisdom with us through this video. Thank you!

[@karenharden6018]

From South Carolina USA. Age 72. Arigato. My IKIGAI is being outside with my happy dog , making coffee each morning and rooting plants to share and sell for charity.

[@claradontcara]

Lovely! I had thought that it was supposed to be something SUPER DEEP and all-encompassing - and PERMANENT - but it's nice to know that it doesn't have to be that way. Now I can honestly say that my ikigai is raising mushrooms and loving my cats. I could do those two things all day and be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy.

[@TheMennomilist]

I read Ikigai when it came out and really enjoyed it. It was so nice to hear these interviews and get more perspectives on it. My Ikigai is cooking & cleaning for my family. I find a lot of pleasure in it. Also, I used to garden a lot but at the moment don't have any land to do it, but one day I will again. That was so enjoyable (as many of the elderly people stated in your video). Making quilts and caring for my children and husband in general is my Ikigai. I feel like I have many Ikigai. I write to many penpals and am a person who enjoys encouraging others.

[@theoldaccountthatiusedtous6767]

Can you get a plot in a community garden? I did that last year and it was such a good experience! (and for me it was an introduction to gardening that was much more successful than I expected!)

[@TheMennomilist]

@@theoldaccountthatiusedtous6767 Unfortunately no. I used to have a plot on my parents' land but right now I am very pregnant (due in just a few weeks) so I can't work on a garden this year. :)

[@eriol_h]

Thank you for sharing. I think I have similar ikigai as yours.

[@mindaquintana3915]

My ikigai is similar to you❤❤❤❤

[@AngelikaVentura-vg8ml]

Hi I am from Italy. Some days ago i went to a shinto temple in San Marino because my boyfriend made me a surprise. That was one of the most important moments of my life. I deeply understood that simple things are the ones that make us feel in peace. I loved how nature was important in this place. I study philosophy at University but I understood that interior design is my ikigai. Thank you for your beautiful videos. I love Japan and its philosophy and with your videos I enjoy watching the japanese lifestyle I admire and I want to achieve because it really makes me deeply happy. I dealed with depression for a lots of years and your videos make me happy by loving simple things with gratitude.

[@martinaplo]

❤❤❤

[@cindyrhodes]

The war survivors are absolute inspirations ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@lorifontaine]

You are bringing joy to people all over the world. Thank you. I live in Canada and my IKIGAI involves art. I draw and paint, which I love, but I think my IKIGAI is when I sew and give the items to charity. Strangers can feel the love I am sharing without ever meeting me. How wonderful.

[@nadia.lewis.]

Mine is restoring and preserving old sewing and knitting patterns! Paper is fragile and can damage easily, so making digital copies of a single pattern for many people to use now and in the future is my ikigai.

[@cynthiahonorio9758]

I will look for your patterns Diana.

[@peacelovebliss]

What I love about this video you've shared is that ikigai means something different to everyone, and that it's ok to have a simple, caring life for yourself and others. Thank you for sharing :-)

[@theoldaccountthatiusedtous6767]

I also appreciate the examples of a simple caring life. When I first read about the concept of ikigai, it seemed so big, and it's just so wholesome to hear people talk about getting joy out of little things every day!

[@ramalakshmipradeep]

I really appreciate your effort for making such quality content videos. You are a ray of sunshine. I loved the interviews with grandpas and grandmas. Thank you.

[@XaspoX]

I really like how you tell us about your culture and your village in a way that anyone from anywhere can resonate. This video is one of my favourites, thank you!

[@nancybright5267]

Ikigai for me is enjoying the simple things in nature. A bird singing, a butterfly landing on a branch, the first flowers coming out of the ground in Spring, or a peaceful sunrise or sunset.

[@1Lightdancer]

It was lovely to see how so many enjoyed your visit, and responded to the question! I'm 72, and agree that I find my Ikigai in interactions with family and friends, in Gardening, in movement and the little daily moments. And in having a positive attitude. I recently joined a group that tends edible landscape garden boxes along several blocks - mine is the tea box (!) Which already has a small tea camellia and several hems (there's room for more!) A group of us is heading over tomorrow to spread mulch on the beds that comes from the group's founder.

[@claudialena1340]

Hello, I want to thank you!!! 1 month ago I decided to start saving to visit a dear Japanese friend of mine who lives in Tokyo. So I started learning Japanese, and looking for KZbin videos to learn more about Japan. And luckily I started watching your videos. You inspired me! I want to start a minimalist life. Starting next week, I'll start my work with Marie Kondo's technique. Today's video was what I needed!! A thousand thanks!!! Today I can say that my IKIGAI is my next trip to Japan. I hope to meet you when I'm in Japan! I'd like to thank you in person. Your videos are helping me change my life in a positive way!!!

[@annchee1329]

I really enjoyed the interviewees expressing their Ikigai, and the simplistic lifestyle that makes their "ikigai" which is so warmly rewarding My Ikigai is my daily maintenance and enjoyment of my land, ie, growing vegetables, fruit trees and sharing it with my neighbors. My daily activity of walking is also my other Ikigai

[@MelissaDeleen]

During my recent trip to Japan, I had the pleasure of interacting with the kind-hearted locals in North of Kyoto. Their attentiveness and respect left a lasting impression on me, and I'm grateful for the insight they gave me into their culture. Your video about IKIGAI captured this essence perfectly, and I appreciate the time and effort you put into creating it. As I reflect on my time in Japan, I can't help but wonder what my own IKIGAI is and how I can live a more fulfilling life. Thank you for inspiring me to explore this further! Arigato, Samurai Matcha-san!

[@haruo6830]

Hi MelissaDeleen-san I'm a entrepreneur trying to help people "find themselves" via traveling Kyoto or Tokyo. I think Japan can be a good place to ponder philosophical topics or meaning of life. I sincerely hope you can spare me 30 min to talk about self-help and self-discovery in Japan. If possible please let me know in this comment thread.

[@kolitiokada9825]

Hey Samurai Matcha! I love to start my days by waking up when I want to wake up, enjoying a big cup of hot tea with honey, and making/creating with polymer clay. I become completely immersed in the process of how one of my creations wants to emerge from the clay.

[@jaejemhmitch]

Since the time I got hired by an ESL Company teaching the English language to Japanese students, I started getting interested in Japanese culture and traditions. Watching videos such as this makes me more fascinated by Japanese. The simplicity of living and the passion for life is what I learn and that I would like to apply personally. I am a new fan, watching from the Philippines. Would love to share some of my ikigai here

[@malgroszek4247]

So nice! My IKIGAI is taking care of the house for me and my family and learning about Japan. I wish my 76 years old mother-in-law found her IKIGAI. She seems to be sad and depressed daily. ❤

[@mariaeugeniaperezgonzalez8426]

I am 65 years old and live in the Caribbean. I love watching your videos and I started drinking matcha tea . My Ikigai is writing in my notebooks and enjoying the company of friends.

[@barricadesol]

Maybe my Ikigai is to love my children... even my partner had cheated on me, i always think that i have children that needs to be loved and protected... they [my children] are not part of my present situation but their future will also be my future happiness, that they must be raised to become good person when they get old... their past will not be their basis to live and choose to be better... contentment while living life to the fullest... that is how i learn seeing your videos and it inspired me a lot... thank you Samurai Matcha for being an inspiration of living a happy life even if it is not livable... okage sama de

[@bunnywabbitt5279]

I have my career, there isn't anything else I'd rather do for money but it's never been my ikigai. Since 2000, my ikigai was to take care of my older generation family (Mom, Dad, Auntie). But since they and 3 other closest family & friends passed, none from COVID, I've been searching for my next ikigai.

[@rko2016]

the difference between these elderly and western elderly in homes is stunning, after working in a couple, most of them had given up on life and were sick and or bedridden after a short time in the home.

[@grumpy_poo]

I love all those people in your village... It seems that there aren't many older men... I think for me, I would sum up IKIGAI as get up each day and find your happy, whatever it may be....If you find a job you love you will never work a day in your life... contentment has a lot to be said for it......Those ladies just loved you.

[@JanineAnita]

Your channel is one of favourites, I find them so soothing to watch. I have known about Ikigai for some time and have tried to understand it both for myself and others but as you said it is not always something you can define so easily. The seniors you spoke to were so lovely, warm, and energetic and one can imagine they have such amazing stories to tell. What came across to me was how they all appreciated the simple pleasures in life and being in nature, growing things, and the importance of family. I also found it heartwarming that you considered talking to these seniors in your village as often they are ignored, especially on social media platforms, so thank you for introducing them to us and I hope we can hear more about their lives and stories.

[@Audrey.17]

This is a very helpful video. I LOVE how it’s just the small things that is the Ikigai. And I love how it’s older Japanese people who say they don’t know what theirs is. This was so real to me. I really appreciate the honesty. Also, I see how me being with my patients at work is my ikigai. It’s an everyday thing, and I really do enjoy it. This video inspires me to take better care of myself so I can really shine in my role as a healthcare worker taking care of the elderly.

[@adventure953]

Find the "high" in the things you do. Thank you for making this video. Take care always.

[@minesgal9788]

My Ikigai is really simple. It is finding new pens to write or draw with, to see a beautiful sunset/sunrise, be outside in nature and my version of drawing or journaling. (I’m horrible at drawing but love it to distraction) .

[@lin90210]

I've had close family members go through and still going through health treatments. I'm grateful that they and I are alive and well on this earth ❤

[@valhenning1504]

I enjoy your videos so very much. I guess at this stage of my life, my IKIGAI is trying to help others as much as I can. I have health issues, so can not always do the things I would like to do, but if I can help someone, in even a small way, and make them happy, then I am happy.

[@jillknox1406]

The people that you interviewed are lovely! 😊✨ I have 3 Ikigai: 1) Love ♥️ 2) ✨Aesthetic Gardening, Home Decorating, and Expressing myself through Fashion✨ and 3) Writing 🖊️ 🌅 ** I hope to be able to do all of my Ikigai more often.💙

[@autumnpruett1198]

Journaling 3 pages every day (almost every day) to write down what I am enjoying and grateful for, and things I am planning to do or that I would like to do. I don't like to write down things that make me angry or irritated that day, because I want to only have constructive thoughts when I read back on what I experienced. If I have an issue, I do my best to address it without complaining on paper. That way, it gets resolved and I don't have to remember the negative feelings later. I can learn from it and leave it in the past. 😊❤

[@leylagloriafanning7079]

You are the best Samurai Matcha ❤ watching your videos is one of my Ikigai for sure ! I appreciate all your effort in creating these videos. My other ikigai is working with children with autism 😊

[@madisonromero3529]

1) You do a great job showing ALL aspects of Japanese life. I think the small town life there is fascinating! 2) Your facial hair is a good look! Not everyone can pull off facial hair, but yours makes you look even more dignified.

[@gretafrank1990]

Thank you for another lovely video! My ikigai is art, specifically painting, drawing and ceramics! Even though I only make a little money doing this I help support my family doing something I am so passionate about. Making functional and beautiful pottery is my main focus now. That is my ikigai.

[@anneschellenberger785]

A year ago, at a family gathering, I shared the story of Ikigai from the view of the seaside village women who dove for their food together every morning, realizing how much they loved doing it, together! I set a sea shell on a stand in the middle of our dining table and shared my hope for the year for each member that they find their own Ikigai - the reason they look forward to getting up each day. My three year old grandson loved the shell and thinks it is called Ikigai ;). I asked my family at the end of the year if they had found their Ikigai, and they were still unsure. Your video is a great look at the variety and differing views each can have. As I am getting older, I am finding my reasons for loving my days are simpler - time with family, friends and doing the simple tasks of the day with gratitude and joy. Thank you for sharing the glimpses into the hearts and lives of these beautiful ladies - I hope I live and love as well as they do as I get older!! Please give them my love!!

[@_spartan11796]

I’ve always been striving to find this for myself.

[@leangrace7]

Every morning i walk through my garden and waters my plants and say a prayer. Secondly, talking with my neighbors especially the elderly is something special and full of fun. 😁 BTW, I’m a 48year old mom with loving hubby and 2 son now in college. From the Philippines.

[@JimBrauer]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🇯🇵 Ikigai is an ancient Japanese philosophy that contributes to happiness and longevity. 00:54 🌱 Ikigai can be simple, like working with nature, gardening, or writing a diary. 03:04 👣 Engaging in activities that are "for people" or "with people" can be your ikigai. 07:11 🙏 Ikigai often emerges from what you think about most in everyday life. 14:31 💼 Your current job might become your ikigai if you persist and succeed. 17:32 💡 Ikigai can be simple, present in daily life, and about doing things for or with people. 18:24 🍵 Discovering your ikigai can lead to a more fulfilling life. Made with HARPA AI

[@Copolia]

I think Yachiko-San wanted to keep you! 🤣I work with elderly people and they are so much fun!

[@tanie2946]

I guess my ikigai is gratitude. Every morning I wake up, I am thankful that I woke up and am breathing and able to move. There are thousands of people around the world that didn't get to wake up. Throughout my day, if I get angry, frustrated, sad or depressed, I try to remind myself that I should just be grateful to be alive. My attitude on life changed when I was 37 and diagnosed with colon cancer. I am 51 now and have celebrated my 14th birthday of being cancer free. And just this year alone (2023) I have almost died twice. Once in January and then again in March from excessive bleeding. I just had surgery in March to fix that problem and am doing much better. Having the attitude of being grateful for being alive has changed the way I deal with people. I am capable of greater tolerance, compassion, empathy, and being able to let little annoyances go. Sometimes I struggle to be tolerant or compassionate, I am human after all. But so is the person that I may be having a problem with. They are human too, so I must do my share of meeting in the middle. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone, but it makes sense to me and that's all that really matters. Thanks for giving me a space to share this with others. I love your videos and I have just become a new subscriber. Keep up the fantastic work! Have a wonderful day/night. 😊

[@natsukashiistory]

It's nice to see all the happy grannies ^^ The things that make them glad to be alive are so simple ! The more complicated and busy life is, the harder it is to see the little happy things. I like keeping journals too ! Writing down everyday stuff mixed with fantasy. And just being thankful ☆

[@cindyrhodes]

Thank you so much! I had become distracted from my own ikigai, and I appreciate your bringing me back to it!

[@renamaze1371]

My ikigai is taking care of children, organizing & decluttering, spending time w/ joyful, wise & fun ppl, being in nature, biking, cooking something delicious, dancing, doing my walks to the park, library or somewhere nice, eating something delicious, harvesting, spending time w/ dad & close friends & coworkers

[@thomasmooney5653]

Ikigai seems something like 'raison d'etre' (French: reason for being). Not literal reason for existence, but what keeps you motivated.

[@CarolGasses]

Working in the soil is magical!

[@artabloom]

Those grandmas were just eating you up! 😄 Thank you for sharing all their stories, I hope everyday I'm getting close to finding my ikigai

[@mattiemathis9549]

My ikigai is my granddaughter. When I am gone, I want her to have great memories of us together. I also want her to have a little nest egg if she ever needs it, but not a nest egg that’s easy to liquidate. 😂 Because of that, I’ve had to start taking care of my health. I’m eating better, drinking less and moving my body. We go to the skatepark together and ride scooters. 😂 I’m also looking at tangible items on the rare side now, but in 20 years will be worth much more because of the dying craft. Because most of these items require traveling to other countries to purchase, I am now cutting out all unnecessary expenses for saving. 😂 When I decided I wanted to be a major impact in my granddaughters life, it truly changed mine. I appreciate your videos. I’m currently studying the Japanese language, culture and customs. Japan is the first country I want to visit. I plan on staying three months, but I think I need to stay three lifetimes to see everything I want. 🙏

[@edithh9478]

Thank you for this! You are wonderfully talented at identifying interesting topics about which to explore and educate others. As a recently retired person, I am still working on finding my ‘Ikigai.’ I’m grateful for this word and will continue to use it! I appreciate the lady who said that her ikigai was raising her children to be independent. I am an older mother to a teenager, so I am now a full-time mom. And that is what I want for my child-especially after the impact the pandemic has had on her. And at the same time, I want to find something that is just for me. So now I am getting back to doing crafts - specifically, crocheting and sewing! It makes me happy and fulfilled. I also garden and am exploring new crafts & activities like painting and doing puzzles. You have inspired me to explore going to a senior citizen center to see what I can give and receive there, as well.♥️ I will forward this to my friends, and I look forward to seeing more videos. Blessings & okagesamade!🙏🏾😌

[@foggy_footsteps]

You have opened a floodgate of words and emotions - too many for me to express here. I need my pens, inks, and journals - and some matcha. I thank you very, very much.

[@kaddikrawall4249]

These elderly people are heart-warming, it was so much fun to hear their Stories 😊 i hope i will be this energetic until old age :)

[@thedaways]

Sent this video to my mon she’s 73 and was so thrilled to see women older than her being active and delighting in life. This is a really great video, one of your best, and your videos are always so thoughtful and interesting and helpful. Love long and well to everyone in this video 🙏.

[@josephr9551]

That is a wonderful video, Aki. My ikigai is my morning routine every single day. Get up when I have slept well (I never use an alarm clock), hand grind my coffee beans for a cup of coffee, do my Anglican daily office of Bible reading, prayer, and writing in a small devotional book, then my exercise routine of weights and stretching, read my online New York Times, and then move on to the rest of the day schedule. I have a job, which I do mostly remotely. Then plan my travels, read good books, draw imaginary maps (my hobby and passion), communicate with my family and friends, etc. Basically ikigai is enjoying life at an unhurried pace and with simplicity.

[@majalis3739]

I love how the japanese elderly still embrace their lives and show activity and positivity. In the country I live, the elderly mostly sit alone in front of the tv and dwell into their illnesses and ailments. It is bery inspiring to see a complrtely different attitude! I believe my ikigai is my work and my relationships :)

[@Couleur-Jade]

Thanks for this amazing video and sharing the wisdom of the lovely elderly people in your village. Nowadays, we rarely listen to the voice of elderly people. Elderly in their body, but both going and wise in their head! Enjoy simple things and the connection with others around us (family, friends, neighbours) seems to be the secret for a happy life.

[@joshuatall8134]

Thank you for making a deep philosophical issue seem so much simpler! You are a great motivation!

[@LukaB-pb4sd]

I don't know what my ikigai is, but I love to watch your video, thanks!

[@JasminAsterios]

Wow, that was fun to watch, I like the energy of all of the people ❤ and thank you for more Native language Videos 🥰🤩

[@NancyJulien]

After listening to the interviews it does make me take into perspective everything I have in my daily life (as a European I feel I have plenty of things, that are not really that necessary). And I can also say for sure that my IKIGAI is cooking for my partner and/or family, going for walks alone or with friends (generally enjoying local nature), playing with my two cats, and a small thing that is doing my nails. It's just a once a week ritual that I do for myself and I love it. 💫

[@wisewomanhealing]

My ikigai is my husband and the life we have together. It is peaceful. Living a peaceful life is strange to many western people, especially those who thrive on chaos. A peaceful life takes daily dedication.

[@1stSchoolofLife]

I think my Ikigai may be listening to you. I feel so happy and motivated. I have just put Ikigai on my home screen to remind me to be grateful, to keep learning, to enjoy many different people and ideas, to really listen to my inner self, that every day is a new beginning (by the Japanese characters). I bought a note pad to write daily a highlight, what I am grateful for and what to let go of. I really want to learn how to make matcha properly and incorporate a tea ceremony into my habits. I am from Vancouver, Canada, but live near Montreal. You are literally reaching and teaching people around the world. Thank you so much for helping me get back in touch with myself and others!

[@anne-marie9842]

Thank you for this video, I found it very interesting. I am grateful for small things and for having enough pension to live simply but well in a peaceful society.

[@onigirininja07]

Great content! I really enjoyed watching these people that despite their old age, they still move and talk gracefully.

[@milalila8652]

after watching your video i think my ikigai is: 1. Gymnastic in the morning (very soft, not too demanding, i wake my body up with this) 2. drinking matcha (thanks for this inspiration!) or coffee (sorry aki 😅) 3. cuddling (my partner, our office-dog, friends and every cat i meet on my way - i love cats!) 4. being outside 5. having a good meal with my partner and/or friends thank you so mutch for your wonderful videos! ❤

you made me think about ikigai. and I realized what I already knew. that I love to learn something new every day, even if it is just one word in a foreign language. I love to smile at people and wish them a nice day. I love to communicate with people the way they feel accepted. Arigatō gozaimasu.

[@elenadom6445]

One of my Ikigai is to watch videos from different cultures (I am from Russia), this expands my boundaries of mindset. It is so inspiring! Thank you for your work. I have good mood after the videos❤

[@ez7655]

Thank you for this video, it made me think about my ikigai in life. The first thing I do every day in the morning when I get up, is looking at the plants in my flat and in my balcony, check if they are all right and if they need water or anything else. I don't know why but I like it . That's my ikigai.

[@leselle777]

Ikigai is a beautiful Japanese word. I will remember it. Great culture that you have and your english is excellent. My ikigai are: walking on the soil or earthing, harvesting food and herbs from my garden, vit D sun shine, playing with my puppy, being around humans who are positive authentic and truthful people and being and observing nature. Have a great week.

[@eyeofbridget]

Thank you for this video! I really appreciate the clarity, or rather broadening, of what ikigai means. I’ve read that book, but the “makes money” part has always confused me. I am happy to hear from so many people that it has nothing to do with money. It can like the business woman, but mostly it doesn’t. My ikigai? Creativity, especially visual creativity, making things and figuring out the rest. Thank you again!!

[@yvonnejackson1696]

Thank you for your wonderful videos and for giving me a word for the great happiness I have found in living a simple life. Live a thousand years.

[@minory9978]

Maybe my ikigai is to cook and enjoy delicious food ❤ It makes me suuuper happy when someone enjoys what I cooked The "what do you think about a lot" hint really helped me to realize this, so thank you!

[@christinaroseman9926]

It seems to me that Ikigai is the reason a person has to get up each day. I am so amazed at how beautiful and bright the "elders" were in your video. As a 69 year old woman, I see that I am not "finished". The obsession we have in North America with youth and beauty is unhealthy. Thank you for this video!

[@liab563]

I think my ikigai is teaching, because I love doing it and I think about it all the time. My second is walking, either alone or in a group, because I love physical movement and enjoy socializing with others while moving. (Also, I was so excited when I looked away from the video for a second and recognized when someone used the Japanese word for "small". Yay for Rosetta Stone and learning new languages!) Than you for this video.

[@jerrycook5834]

Thank you for your work! My Ikagai is doing abstract expressionist paintings, dancing at electronic music "doof" events, surfing in the sea, and working in my veggie and flower garden. I love life. I am age 83.

[@PlanetaBasuraEC]

Oh Aki this is a very wonderfull video: one of the best videos you have ever made. 🥰 It's so wonderfull writed, the cuteness of the ederly people you've interviewed, their sense of humour and the lovely final conclusion: Your ikigai maybe is with you at this exactly moment, you only have to be present to enjoy it 🥰 Best ever conclusions, inviting people not searching happiness in future events or in something external to them, just to be presents with the simple things you enjoy right now in life. Okagesamade! 🙏 Thank you for being here 🥰

[@carolin3951]

i love how no one said something about their car, big house or anything. Even when they mentioned the garden, they loved the not the property but the gardening :D Thank you for charing!

[@eriol_h]

Thank you for this beautiful video. I also fell in love with kawai kesayo san, I hope Kami Sama blesses her with health & happiness.

[@dr.sampadakhair6204]

This is just a beautiful video . Always thought of reading this book ,but never knew we can even ask people about their ikogais n learn a lot about it . Keep it up 💯🎉

[@flourishwithzel]

Thank you, because of this I realized ikigai shouldn't be so deep. It can be something so simple that you'll enjoy doing for the rest of your life. ❤

[@monnathompson2423]

Watching your videos is just part of my ikigai. I learn so much about you culture, and have also began to learn a calmer way of being just by watching. Thank you so much!

[@AngloHello]

This is something I discovered purely by accident, but I really love grocery shopping! I currently work as a personal shopper and I've never had another job that made me so happy. I get to look at beautiful food (another ikigai lol) and produce all day long, and I'm not stuck behind a desk all day.

[@anamiranda8015]

I started watching your videos to improve my English and because I find what you say very interesting. My ikigai is learning new things, running, walking, getting up at 5 am, meditating, discovering new places, being with my cat and the people I love, watching your videos. A big hug

[@SahasraraIm]

I am here to be love and spread love. Beautiful! I loved the idea with the Ikigai, there is a spanish author that wrote books on Ikigai for adults and for kids. I bought the one for kids and gifted it to my boy. I hope he will read it so that he can find his ikigai as well ... and hopefully have fun while reading the book. I also write on a blog called cesimplu (that's the Romanian for how simple).

[@stephenoverbury1748]

Normally, I leave negative comments about useless bloggers. Not so for you. You touched a nerve for me and for that I am grateful. It leaves a positive spin on a newly acquired major physical disability that has defended on me. Now, I will actively seek my ikigai, thanks to you!

[@anitasasaki4491]

I am 75 yrs old and I learned a lot of things from your videos .Please notify me for more if you have new learnings because I love to learn. Age doesn’t matter if you’re 7years old or 70 yrs. Old . As long as you still can absorbed what is being taught … I STILL LOVE TO LEARN AND I PASS IT ON TO OTHERS. THANK YOU I’m ANITA SASAKI a foreigner leaving my later years in my adopted country Japan. All I can say is THANK YOU GOD FOR LEADING MY LIFE. OF COURSE THANKS TO YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS 🎉

[@lovemar7872]

Awww! It was great to watched grandma's still active even in their very old age . I hope when I get to that age, I will still be active and be able to remember things and converse with people.. They are an inspiration to me. Thanks so much for this video....

[@davidcifuni5686]

I love this video! It makes my heart so happy. I’m loving in Aomori Japan and I’m happy to be here! I love interacting with the elderly people here and learning from them!

[@haruo6830]

Have you ever thought of self-reflecting or self discovering in Japan?

[@ginkgo_liza]

I cried for half the video 😅❤. It's so kind and lovefull! Thank you so much!

[@lynnwales2937]

My ikigai would be my everyday life. Being able to wake up surrounded by my family. Going through our routines. Having the time to live my life day in and day out. I enjoy life’s rhythms.

[@littleforest95]

Your videos keep bringing me back to how I want to live and what is important to me. I always find them when I’m struggling, (or maybe your videos find me), so thanks for another great video. I don't think I've found my ikigai yet, but I've read the book you showed in your video. It's really good. I also find the philosophy behind Wabi-Sabi (I hope it's correct) or Wu-wei (I hope that’s correct too) very beautiful and interesting. I love that you can't translate it with just one word. There is great philosophy behind all of them.

[@emocean582]

Beautiful and deep video. I rarely cry yet it teared me up. Thank you for following your Ikigai.

[@cas8055]

Wow, hearing these beautiful people talk about their IKIGAI truly shows what's really important. Kesayo-san also melted my heart ❤the tone and eye contact! Felt like even I suddendly had another family member.

[@heikehoyer1284]

Thanks for the really interesting video!! I am so glad to see so many happy elderly people. My ikigai is gardening, growing my vegetables and sewing my clothes. Greetings from Sweden

[@DOOPAWOOP]

I am going through a transformation in life. And this was incredible. Thank you.

[@letmein8807]

Thank you for the wisdom of the seniors interviewed. Life can be pleasurably simple. Let's not make it complicated. Best wishes to one and all.

[@k8eee]

Love this video! I once saw a poster that said "If you could spend the next hour doing anything with anyone in the world, that makes you happiest, what would it be?". The easy answer was to say something like "take a nap" or "take a break from work", and those would make me happy, sure. But then it came to me, I wanted to be together with all my loved ones, making food and eating together, and I think that answer is very close to what "ikigai" would be for me.

[@madda5133]

It is so beautiful! My ikigaï is meeting my loved ones, helping people, taking care of my cats and gardening.