The Ikigai Podcast
Nick Kemp from Ikigai Tribe reveals what ikigai truly means to the Japanese and how you can find it to make your life worth living. Discover how you can find meaning, purpose, and joy in your day to day living, with this podcast. From interviews with professors, authors and experts to case studies of people living their ikigai, you'll learn about the power of rituals, why having a daily morning routine is vital, how to find your confidence, how to improve your relationships, and why you should start a meaningful online business. Hit the subscribe button, and get ready to find your ikigai.
Episodes
122 episodes
Anxiety as a Compass: Exploring Ikigai, Empathy, and Emotional Wellbeing with Catherine Deeks Gnocchi
Anxiety isn’t a malfunction to be silenced; it’s a message asking to be heard. We sit down with therapist and educator Catherine Deeks Gnocchi to rethink fear through the lenses of evolution, mindfulness-based psychotherapy, and Japanese ikigai...
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Episode 122
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48:56
Discovering Ikigai Through Art and Martial Arts: A Conversation with Baptiste Tavernier
Start with a vision, test it in the dojo, and forge it in a studio where code becomes sculpture. That’s the journey we explore with Tokyo-based French-Spanish artist and independent curator Baptiste Tavenir, whose life bridges Japanese martial ...
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Episode 121
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41:35
The Transformative Power of Travel: Insights from Jake Haupert
What if your next trip did more than entertain you—what if it changed you? We sit down with Jake Haupert, founder of the Transformational Travel Council, to unpack how intentional journeys can help you stretch, learn, and grow into new ways of ...
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Episode 120
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31:52
Japanese Wisdom for a More Meaningful Life with Saori Okada
What if the words you use could change the way you breathe? We welcome author Saori Okada back to share the heart of her new book, Wisdom of Japan, a collection of 60 concise concepts designed to calm a rushed life and rekindle everyday meaning...
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Episode 119
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55:05
Reflections from the Japan Leadership Experience: Live from Tokyo with Katie Anderson
On episode 118 of the Ikigai Podcast, Katie Anderson and Nick Kemp reflect on a Katies's Japan Leadership Experience - a week in Japan exploring how kaizen, rolefulness, and community design create real leadership growth. Katie and ...
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Episode 118
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43:16
Understanding Academic Yarigai with Yu Kanazawa
Ever study hard and still wonder why it feels empty? We dive into academic yarigai—the lived, situational meaning that makes learning feel worth doing—and map out nine practical factors that turn study from grind to growth. With Dr. Yu Kanazawa...
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Episode 117
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56:54
Understanding Psychological Flexibility: The Key to Emotional Resilience with Ross White
Ever feel like your mind is running the show—and not in a good way? We sat down with clinical psychologist and author Ross White to unpack psychological flexibility, a practical skill that helps you have difficult thoughts and feelings while st...
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Episode 116
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49:26
The Shared Wisdom of Stoicism and Ikigai with Ken Mogi
What if the hard road is the honest road—and also the most creative? Neuroscientist and author Ken Mogi joins us to explore how Stoicism and Ikigai converge on a single idea: live in alignment with nature, accept limits with grace, and let diff...
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Episode 115
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51:39
What Ikigai Really Means: Insights from Japanese Culture with Minako Horaguchi
Meaning doesn’t have to shout to be real. In this conversation with educator and certified life coach Minako Horaguchi, we re-center ikigai where it belongs: in the small daily moments that make life feel worth living—morning coffee in quiet li...
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Episode 114
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41:39
Applying Japanese Wisdom in Counselling with Ai Kihara
"I believe when I sleep at nighttime I die. Then when I wake up I got a new life." These powerful words from Ai Kihara set the tone for a profound conversation about finding meaning through Japanese wisdom traditions.Based in Auckland, ...
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Episode 113
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58:34
The Transformative Effects of Sound Therapy With Nanako Aramaki
What happens when your body can no longer endure the crushing weight of corporate expectations? For Nanako Aramaki, a Japanese-Canadian marketing executive in Tokyo, the answer came through panic attacks, hives, hair loss, and finally, a comple...
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Episode 112
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54:59
Finding and Feeling Ikigai at Work with Kensuke Yamamoto
What if work wasn't something we simply endured, but instead became a vibrant source of meaning and purpose? Kensuke Yamamoto, senior consultant at Vanto Group, joins us to challenge the deeply ingrained assumption that work must be an obligati...
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Episode 111
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42:27
How Ikigai Leads to a Life of Personal Excellence with Andriana Ubunuki Kalfa
What gives meaning to your life when faced with loss and challenge? For Andriana Ubuduki-Kalfa, the answer emerged at her mother's funeral when a Japanese friend approached her about meeting her daughter, saying simply: "she was your mother's i...
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Episode 110
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43:39
The Four Secrets to Longevity with Sachiaki Takamiya
What if the secret to living longer isn't found in cutting-edge supplements or complex biohacking, but in the timeless wisdom of Japanese rural communities? In this revealing conversation, 63-year-old biohacker and Ikigai Diet expert Sachiaki T...
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Episode 109
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58:08
Ikigai Decisions: Aligning Your Life with What Matters Most with Christopher Tan
What happens when a successful financial advisor abandons commissions to build an ethical wealth management company? Christopher Tan takes us through his remarkable journey from sleeping on his family's living room floor to founding Provident, ...
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Episode 108
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59:45
The Rolefulness Book: Why We Wrote It and What We Hope It Brings You
In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick welcomes back Daiki Kato to explore their new book on rolefulness—a concept that empowers people to live more intentionally by embracing meaningful roles in everyday life.
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Episode 107
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44:56
Ikigai Musing With Rock Legend Sunplaza Nakano Kun
Ready to let ikigai rock your world?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Sunplaza Nakano Kun to explore how his music captures the spirit of ikigai and inspire...
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Episode 106
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1:04:36
Finding Clarity Through Zazen with Tosei Shinabe
How can we quiet our minds in a chaotic world?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Tosei Shinabe about how Zen meditation offers a path to deep contemplation and inner stillness amidst the noise of modern life.
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Episode 105
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1:15:53
Quiet Moments: Finding Peace in the Ritual of Tea with Dairik Amae
What can a single sip of tea reveal?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Dairik Amae on how the simple act of drinking tea can become a doorway to stillness.
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Episode 104
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59:04
Nature, Rituals, and Kami: Discovering the Essence of Shinto with Taishi Kato
Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion, is strongly rooted in animism, with Japanese believing that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Shinto does not have a single creator or specific doctrine, and instead ex...
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Episode 103
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1:05:55
Exploring Fourth Spaces: Where Personal Growth and Meaning Meet with Tomoe Ueyama and Gloria Tam
Where is your place to cultivate meaningful connections and personal growth?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Tomoe Ueyama and Gloria Tam to explore how fourth spaces can help people build authentic relationships an...
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Episode 102
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1:02:21
Ikigai and Loss: Finding Meaning in Life’s Hardest Moments
How have you handled loss in your life?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with June Kashio to explore how embracing Ikigai can provide meaning, resilience, and healing during times of loss.
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Episode 101
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1:12:32
The Spark of Life: Using Ikigai to Inspire and Empower Others with Katie Sandoe
What gives you energy? What is the spark that lights your fire?In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Katie Sandoe to explore how ikigai can inspire and energize people, helping them rediscover passion and purpose.
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Episode 100
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1:01:17
Sailing Into Life with Purpose: Navigating Your True Calling with Martin Krafft
Where does life lead us?Life is a journey, and with the right guidance, it can steer us toward our true calling.In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Martin Krafft about his transition from a life at sea to profe...
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Episode 99
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47:01
Thinking Through the Body: Cultural Perspectives on Embodied Intelligence with Igor de Almeida
How can we gain a deeper understanding of foreign concepts like ikigai and saudade?While these concepts can be challenging to define, our bodily sensations can offer valuable insights into their deeper meanings.In this episode of ...
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Episode 98
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1:28:16