5 Key Learnings from Okinawan Lifestyle Towards Holistic Health

I had heard about the Okinawan way of life when I first picked the book Ikigai many years back. At that point in time it was a casual read much less the way a book of such weightage should actually receive. Nonetheless, be it then or now, when I re-read it with a slightly more serious approach, the purposeful lifestyle of the community centered Okinawans, fascinated me. I dread of living long enough without being certain about being physically and mentally strong and so when I discovered this stat wherein two-thirds of the residents in Okinawa function independently at the mean age of 97 years, I knew there was substance to their secrets. The Land of Immortals is definitely there on my travel bucket-list, for some day 🙂

The Far East Caribbean

The Okinawa Islands are just south of Japan. There are over a hundred of the islands in total, with the largest and most populated among them taking the namesake of Okinawa. It’s a tropical area, a Caribbean archipelago of East Asia, and the people there have their own relaxed, refreshingly tropical way of living that separates them from the bigger islands of Japan.

What’s unique about the Okinawa Prefecture is the longevity and healthy lifestyle of the people there. It is included as one of the “Blue Zones”, the areas where people live exceptionally long lives. They not only live longer but live an incredibly good life. They are people who put their purpose into action.

The ideas and ideals followed by them though are not exclusive to any island culture only and can be used anywhere. You might not get all the tropical food native to their culture owing to the diet which is an important component too, but you can live like an Okinawan even in a snow covered winter country.

So what enables them to lead such fairy tale lives with deep meaning coupled with a feeling of being eternally young? I’m attempting to put out some perspectives I resonated with.

Community is What you Make it

There is a word unique to Okinawa that defines their sense of bonding and community. They extend this community to anyone, with a word “Icharibachodee” (EE-char-ee-BAH-choe-dee) which translates to “Once you meet, you are brothers.”

In other words, don’t let simple boundaries stop you from connecting with each other. Community is greater than the limits you can see.

“Moai”, (Mo-Eye) roughly translates to “meeting for a common purpose”.  The concept of Moai started in Okinawa when the rural place didn’t have a bank. At that time, people got into groups and all members donated equal amounts of money towards building a mutual fund. The money was then used for the person who needed it the most (sending a kid for higher learning, hospital needs etc.) who in turn later helped others in different ways. This kind of secure, safety nets lent financial, social and emotional support and they forged lifelong bonds. Basically, everyone had each other’s’ back and committed to their overall well-being.

Humans need emotional intimacy. We need our social connections as we are inherently social beings. Our body for that matter is also a network with different cells forming tissues in turn making up organs and thereby organ systems. Social cohesion can be said to be the bedrock of our happiness. Being a part of a group that you can fall back on anytime is indeed a blessing.

Loosen your Watch

From what I have read, seen and heard, when traveling in mainland Japan, one can set their watches by the precise arrival of a public transport. In stark contrast, Okinawan people operate on much more relaxed timelines as their busier neighbors to the north. “Uchinaa Time”, or Okinawan Time, is their own word to explain their relaxed standards. You do it when you can. No need to rush and no fears of being late. They don’t add the pressure of a ticking clock to their activities, and are more forgiving of lateness.

Their trust in community is enough to ensure that whatever needs done will get done. You might not convince your boss at work of the same thing, but being more open minded about time helps you control it.

I’m extremely time-sensitive and prefer being earlier than late to an extent that it stresses me out. My takeaway here is not that it’s okay to be late but more about how abiding by time is a discipline that shouldn’t make me anxious.