The second blue zone I will be exploring is Okinawa, Japan (the prefecture).
Quick facts:
Okinawa as a blue zone: Okinawa has around 25 centenarians per 100,000, and it’s likely that this number is accurate, as the Japanese government is pretty thorough about the data about its people. Two concepts stood out to be unique to the Japanese and longevity: moai and ikigai. Moai is a group of lifelong friends who support each other in many aspects, from social to financial interests. These groups of friends can last from childhood all the way to the 100s! Throughout their lives, these groups meet, play games, have conversations, just like any other friend group. I think what makes these groups special, though, is the lifelong commitment to each other. Especially throughout childhood, friends usually come and go— we can be close with a couple people in elementary school, but then drift apart in middle school, and that’s the way it is. However, in moais, the friends are committed to one another for life. In a way, these groups are like extended family. Ikigai loosely translates to a reason for being, having a reason to get up in the morning. It seems like gardening is very popular among older Okinawans, which is definitely a reason to get up everyday. Gardening also provides health benefits in itself, providing physical activity and healthy foods. According to Hector Garcia, co-author of the book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, “your ikigai is at the intersection of what you are good at and what you love doing.” More specifically, it’s where what you love, what the world needs, what you’re good at, and what you can get paid for converge. At its core, it’s finding meaningfulness in life. These two Japanese concepts place value on living and living into old age. However, what makes Okinawa special compared to the rest of Japan? Ikigai is a popular concept throughout Japan, so perhaps it’s not the main reason Okinawa stands out as a blue zone. However, moai seems to have originated in Okinawa, only gaining attention after Buettner noted it as a characteristic of the blue zone. I also found another interesting characteristic of Okinawa that differs from other places in Japan: uchinaa (Okinawa) time. Contrasting Japan’s precision and punctuality, Okinawans pride themselves on “polite tardiness” and have a forgiving attitude towards being late. I think this may reflect a more relaxed attitude, perhaps related to people feeling less stress. Though, now that I’m thinking about it, if I lived on a tropical island with a group of lifelong friends, I’d definitely be less stressed!
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