Dear Reader,

I don’t think people were born into this world to be productive.

As in, all people are perfectly capable of growth and accomplishment, but I don’t think work is my (or anyone’s) life purpose.

And the moments where I am able to take a step back and recognize that, are the moments I feel the happiest and at peace.

In Japan, I think there are values of hard work and career growth as well as values of cultivating personal interest-- it often depends on who you're speaking to!

But something that I have come to appreciate and notice fondly is the acceptance and normalcy of Japanese hobbyism and the value in spending time on things that aren't necessarily "productive" but simply bring us joy.

Unlike in the US, in Japan there is less of a focus on individual exceptionalism. Individuals in Japan usually aren’t raised with the narrative that it’s important to be extraordinary, or to accomplish world-changing things. Instead, there is a stronger emphasis on doing your responsibility to contribute to the greater whole.

Setting aside the discussion of whether this is a good or bad thing, because there is less focus on exceptionalism, consequently, I think many Japanese people are more open to focusing on the joys of engaging in rather “unproductive” hobbies and a simple daily routine.

Ordinary Japanese adults often engage in hobbies, enough to have popularized the term ‘otaku’, a Japanese word established in 1983 that describes young adults with consuming interests, typically in gaming, anime, or pop culture.

While it originally was used as a rather derogatory term to describe a nerd, it’s recently been reclaimed as a way to communicate a passion for a niche hobby.

People may describe themselves as a “soccer otaku”, “foreign film/tv otaku”, or “coffee otaku”-- something to describe a personal interest. In fact, hobbies are so prevalent in Japan that according to a 2013 online survey of about 138,000 Japanese adults, 62% of teenagers, 56% of adults in their 20s, and 46% of adults in their 30s self-identify as an “otaku”.

When you view yourself as a small part of a greater whole, ironically I find that it’s easier to focus on yourself and what brings you fulfillment, rather than feeling a pressure to do something extraordinary. Job and life are seen separately, and outside of a job– well, you can just engage in what you find fun.

Cooking and baking, hiking, visiting museums, reading, gardening, photography, fashion, karaoke, dancing, knitting, and painting– there are so many hobbies out there!

It can be a hard narrative to shake-- doing things for fun, rather than to be productive-- and one that I sometimes struggle with, but I find that gaining perspective on a broader context usually helps.

Reflecting on questions like:

• What is the purpose of life?
• What makes my life meaningful?
• What do I want to be reflecting on at the end of life?

This reflection often leads to a realization that our personal value is not tied to productivity, but instead we usually discover answers like love, joy, personal passion, and connection with others.

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In what ways do you spend your time that brings you joy?

Is being productive important to that feeling of joy, and if so, why do you think that is?

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Warmly,

Kaki

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PS. I'll be taking next week off to go on a lil holiday :) I can't just write about rest, but need to make sure I make time for it too haha - and I encourage you do too! There won't be a Sunday newsletter on June 1, but feel free to still write me 💌

Thanks for reading!

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