7 Practical Japanese Philosophies for Everyday Life

Japan is the land of ancient wisdom, which can enrich our lives, help us make sense of the world around us, and guide us in making even the tiniest daily decisions.

While the list of philosophies that we can learn from the country is long, and I've written an entire book covering 31 philosophies in-depth, here are 7 handpicked ones that'll help you get a taste of this ancient wisdom:

1 /Chisoku

Being content with what you have

Chisoku teaches us to be content with what we already have and is an antidote to our constant human cravings for more.

In an age of clever marketing and influencers selling us products and dreams, engraving Chisoku into our mindset is more necessary than ever.

You see, need is limited, but want can be infinite.

There's no shortage of things we want to buy, but we probably don't need any of them.

Companies grab our attention with flashy banners at the supermarket and targeted digital advertisements, which encourage us to buy more of their products.

The Chisoku way of dealing with this shopping epidemic is to ask yourself this one question:

“Do I really need this?”

Often, the answer is no, and this philosophy will help you make more intentional rather than reflexive purchases.

2 /Nagomi

Striking a balance in all parts of life

In an era where work dominates most of our lives, the Nagomi way helps create and maintain a sense of harmony, balance, and well-being.

With Nagomi, you don't just tend to a single area of your life but aim to glue together disjointed parts, like work, family, and health, into one well-oiled unit.

Nagomi is about zooming out and getting a bird's eye view of your life. In it, you focus on multiple facets and aim to strike a balance between them.

Every area doesn't have to be perfectly balanced on the same level.

You may not be able to devote the same level of attention to your hobbies as you put towards work and family, but acknowledging that part exists and tending to it now and then helps create an overall equilibrium.

You can taste Nagomi right now by doing the opposite of what you have done so far in your day.

If you've been sitting in a chair working all day, go for a walk.

Eating takeaway food for most of this week?

Look up an online recipe, or pick one of your all-time favourites and cook your dinner tonight.

3 /Jihi

Empathy towards all living beings

The philosophy of Jihi speaks about showing kindness, compassion, and empathy toward all living beings.

Jihi is putting yourself in someone else's shoes, understanding a situation from the other person's perspective and being a comforting support during tough times.

The benefit of Jihi rubs both ways.

Not only does it make the other person feel better and find comfort in tough times, but it also deepens the roots of your relationship, paves the way for meaningful conversations, and gives you an innate joy of helping.

But Jihi isn't only about others; you can also apply this philosophy to yourself.

We often are harsh or too brutal on ourselves, especially when we fail at something or neglect responsibilities.

In these moments, being kind to oneself through Jihi can help preserve self-confidence and see situations that don't go our way as a learning lesson rather than a reflection of who we are.

4 /Oubaitori

Everyone blooms differently

Oubaitori teaches us that just like different flowers bloom differently, each person in this world is different in their way.

And that's a good thing.

That is what brings originality and uniqueness to the table. That is why human society is so diverse in every area.

With Oubaitori, you can become more accommodating to the expectation mismatches in your relationships by accepting the unique traits of others and making room for varied perspectives.

At work, Oubaitori helps create dynamic and resilient teams.

Not everyone will be good at the same thing, but they are good at something particular that can enrich the overall quality of your team.

Identifying and championing those individualistic traits uncovers unexplored angles and allows richer teamwork.

5 /Hara Hachi Bu

Eating up to 80% full

The Okinawa prefecture in Japan is known worldwide as one of the blue zones of human longevity, where many people have lived for over 100 years.

Hara Hachi Bu is a crucial part of Okinawan culture, helping them maintain an active lifestyle even in old age.

After a large meal, our brain diverts a sizeable quantity of blood towards the digestive system to aid digestion.

We're not making up additional blood in our system, so to compensate for this diversion, our other bodily functions, such as mental and physical activities, go into what you could call a low-power mode or a “food coma”, causing lethargy.

Have you ever felt sleepy after stuffing your stomach? That's what a food coma feels like.

Hara Hachi Bu addresses this problem by instilling the habit of stopping eating as soon as you start feeling full, or the 80% mark.

When you don't overeat, you let your body balance between digesting your meal and doing other things like focusing on work.

You can practise Hara Hachi Bu through slow eating and portion control.

When you eat slowly, you're giving your brain the time and space to understand the rising levels of hormones that indicate fullness and tell you when it's time to stop eating. Your brain will tell you when your stomach is 80% full.

Eating small portions will help you eat more mindfully rather than gobbling up food and overstuffing your stomach.

6 /Ma

Leveraging the power of gaps

Have you noticed how the best speakers often pause between sentences to create a poise in their speech?

This is the Japanese concept of Ma in full swing — using gaps or spaces to create a sense of focus and dimension in your work.

The concept of Ma also helps in being an attentive listener.

Instead of jumping at the first chance to reply with an opinion, conversations become more engaging and meaningful by pausing to grasp what the other person has said before responding.

Taking pauses also projects your attentiveness to the other person. It makes the other person feel heard, valued and comfortable sharing their thoughts.

On an individual level, fitness and strength training are other areas where embodying the spirit of Ma helps promote development.

Just as it's crucial to train your body for muscle growth or, say, a marathon, giving your body some space to relax and recover from the training sessions is equally necessary.

Without a space to rest, you would be doing more harm to your body than gain.

7 /Shikata Ga Nai

Some things are beyond our control

When you're in a fix, you could resign to your fate and desperately think of ways to undo the situation or beat yourself up for falling into it in the first place.

Alternatively, you could accept that life is unpredictable and you have no control over these things and identify your options.

Shikata Ga Nai captures this mindset beautifully in the phrase:

“It cannot be helped.”

Some things in life are beyond our control, and there's no avoiding situations that don't go according to our plans.

The best thing we can do is not let these mishaps send us into a downward spiral of destruction and depression; instead, we can figure out what to do next to escape the pit we fell into.

However, Shikata Ga Nai is not about resigning to the situation.

It's about accepting that we don't have the power to change what has happened and urges us to try looking for the open roads ahead from that point.

Life is unpredictable and throws curveballs at us now and then.

Following the path of Shikata Ga Nai in these situations helps us make the best of the problem without the burden of unnecessary stress.

Ask yourself:

“What can I do to make the best of this bad situation?”

This is not the end of the road

If you enjoyed these tidbits on 7 Japanese philosophies that can help you in your everyday life, you'll love the complete book from which these bits were derived — Kokoro.

In this book, you'll find 31 Japanese philosophies and concepts covered through various practical angles and connected with real-life stories to make them relatable and quickly applicable to your life.

Here's what one of the recent readers, Patty, had to say about the book:

“Great resource for those seeking some direction, validation of their choice of path, or additional support to make the most of their and others' lives. Highly recommend to anyone needing a short, organized read to empower their next life steps.”

Get a copy and continue learning these ancient philosophies that are still relevant today.