Somewhat from my early years in high school, I had developed an inclination towards the Japanese culture. And recently my friend Niyaka who is from the Japan invited me.
She lives there with her family. I had no idea that this trip would teach me a lot about that.
I was excited to seeing the cities of japan full of people and finding out about my favorite cartoons which are actually from Japan and something about them and their way of life. Here, I am able to discover some Japanese habits that actually create a new life. You should try it sometime.
Habit 1: “chanoyu” Or Japanese tea ceremony
What do we mostly do in the morning? Coffe right. I drink it every day. But what I saw there was that the tea ritual that Niyaka’s family does every day is totally different and good.
They sit in a quiet room with tatami mats in seiza-style, where they meet every morning to make matcha green tea. They would move slowly and carefully as they did it. In the end, after I was involved in that more I understood the meaning of it. Initially it was slow for me and instead of having a clear understanding of what I was doing I was more lost and confused.
They call it “Sado” or “chanoyu”. It is the tea ritual or you can call it a technique, that helps people be more present and aware. Like we all say, live in the present but they follow this.
While making the tea. They use traditional tools like chasen , chawan, and chashaku.
They all actually pay close attention to every step. From pulling out the green and bright matcha powder to whisking the tea until it was kind of foamy and smooth.
Here is the full video of Tea ceremony on YouTube by Tealeaves:
The question that may be running in your mind now is, “Why are there such tea rituals?” They say that performing this tea ritual assists people to tap into nature, and also to harmoniously interact and connect with other people.
My grandma used to say, “Being in nature and living in nature is good medicine.”
I felt that way. I was laterally stress free there.
Habit 2: Shinrin-yoku
As for the weekends, they usually visit parks and forests nearby. These people like to refer to it as ‘Shinrin-yoku,’ which literally translates to ‘forest bathing’ in English. I talked about this several times in my blog, and it has crazy benefits.
And you know what? This practice was widespread in some regions of the United States, mostly California.
Shinrin-yoku. It was originally defined by Tomohide Akiyama. And there were several studies conducted on forest bathing in the 1980s; it was also found that the tree releases a compound named phytoncides, which has crazy health benefits. So Tomohode Akiyama (who was actually the director of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture) put Shinrin-yoku as an official recognized practice in Japan.
In the United States also, the Forestry Ministry has certified guides for forest conservation. They give two hours of sessions on Puerto Rico’s El Yunque Rainforest and show the crazy effect of forest therapy.
So basically, what to do in Shinrin-yoku?
Its all about time spent outdoors especially in the forests and the interaction with the natural environment. Like sitting in the grass and in between the trees. Taking a walk there. Listening to the natural sound of the forest, all these sounds give me a me a kind of peace of mind. That smell from the forest is something different.
It’s all about connecting with nature. But make sure you don’t have your gadgets with you.
And guess what? One researcher has found a fascinating connection between spending time in nature and rejuvenating your mind and body with positive energy.
How? When you breathe the air in the forest, it maximizes the intake of negative ions. These negative ions can have a positive impact on our mood, energy levels, and overall health.
Habits 3: Hara Hachi Bu (Eating Until 80% Full)
“Hara hachi bun me.” You may have heard this before if you are someone who is weight-lossing.
Let me tell you. It simply means “eating until you’re 80 percent full.”
During my routine day, I mostly eat very fast, like in 10 minutes I am done with my lunch. But here, things were different. In her family , meals were meant to be enjoyed slowly and with intention.
And most importantly, they don’t make their tummies full. They stop eating when they are satisfied, not stuffed.
So how is this important for health? Let me tell you…
Several studies have found that “calorie restricted diets prolong life.” and it was initially discovered Clive McCay in 1935 in animal. And neumous modern studies backup this.
So according to the authors of The Okinawa Diet Plan, this Japanese practice named Hara hachi bun me may act in the form of calorie restriction. Because of this, it has the potential to ultimately result in a longer and better life.
Also, this aids in reducing overeating by encouraging attention and awareness of fullness during meals. This is accomplished by developing mindfulness.
Curious about Okinawa? Let’ me tell you! Okinawa, a region in Japan, is renowned for its large population of centenarians and the adoption of healthy lifestyle practices.
This practice is also famous in some other cultures and philosophies.
For example, a proverb from traditional Chinese medicine says, “Only eat 7 parts full, and wear 3 parts less.”
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I hope you enjoyed reading. This blog post comes from what I’ve learned, what I think, and what I believe. Sign up for my Medium newsletter.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Roméo A. on Unsplash
