I hope your journey through dedicated biohacking has been fulfilling this week.

As we embrace the Hare period, do you have any exciting plans for the upcoming weekend? Will you be savoring apples and the other delights of autumn? It’s one of the pleasures of life, isn’t it? Spring has its strawberries, summer boasts juicy watermelons, and autumn brings us the crisp sweetness of apples.

If you’re new to the concept of ikigai and the connection with the seasons, I encourage you to watch my last video:

I also talked about circannual rhythm, which is probably the first time anyone talked about on YouTube.

If you find yourself with some free time this weekend, I’d like to invite you to listen to my recent podcast interview.

I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Leafbox podcast, and our conversation lasted around one hour. The interviewer delved into my life story, unearthing unique experiences from my past. I shared tales of my high school years, where I stood out as an eccentric student.  My class teacher never discussed my future with me, unlike the other students. I also spoke about my encounters with alternative culture in Britain and my return to Japan during the era of the economic bubble.

Interview: Ikigai Bio-Hacking with Sachikai Takamiya

https://www.leafbox.com/interview-ikigai-bio-hacking/

Apple Podcast Audio

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-ikigai-bio-hacking-with-sachikai-takamiya/id1647510174?i=1000632597949

Spotify Podcast

Additionally, I’ve shared a video discussing the podcast interview:

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In Dan Burttner’s Netflix documentary series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones., Eo1 Journey Begins, he introduces a mutual aid group in Okinawa called Moai.

They aren’t exactly the same as Moai, but there are similar types of mutual aid groups in most Japanese countryside, and they are called neighborhood associations. Each neighborhood association operates differently from place to place, so I can only speak of neighborhood associations in my town. They don’t pull money together to support one another financially, but they help one another in many ways, such as conducting funerals. The neighborhood associations organize many events, such as seasonal festivals, sports festivals, and other social gatherings, which provide a space of communication for seniors, and the communication becomes their ikigai.

However, there is a lot of work to organize these events, and it has been a burden for younger generations. Also, the way the neighborhood associations are governed isn’t democratic, and many young people leave the community due to their old culture.

For details, please watch this video.

However, Shizenha people, who are considered to be future centenarians because they lead the traditional Japanese lifestyle centenarians led, are changing the Japanese countryside. They are crafting a new type of neighborhood association.

That is what today’s video is about.

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The realm of longevity health often emphasizes the importance of working out, accompanied by various recommended fitness protocols. These guidelines detail how to execute low-intensity cardio workouts, high-intensity cardio sessions, strength training routines, as well as stretching and stability exercises.

However, for individuals not deeply immersed in fitness culture or those with limited athletic experience, these recommendations might feel somewhat intimidating or discouraging, don’t you think?

This brings us to a thought-provoking question: Is working out an essential component of longevity?

In my latest video, I delve into this very topic.

This is the short version.

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Okinawa has gained international fame as the renowned land of longevity. It was prominently highlighted as one of the blue zones by Dan Buettner and even featured in the book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.”

However, the perspective on Okinawa’s status as a long-living prefecture has shifted within Japan. Recent national longevity rankings have positioned prefectures like Nagano and Shiga at the forefront. While Okinawa once basked in the limelight, particularly during the 1980s, it no longer holds the same standing.

I discussed this very point in detail in this video:

Does this imply that Okinawa’s reputation as a model of health and longevity is no longer relevant, both within and outside of Japan?

The reality is somewhat intricate. In this video, I delve into the multifaceted truth surrounding Okinawa’s shift from being the epitome of longevity.

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The potato leaves have emerged above ground. Gardening can be hard work, but moments like these give me an ikigai, a sense of purpose. Or rather, I should say Yarigai, worth doing the gardening.

Another significant event in May for me is that I’m diving into the buzz around ChatGPT and giving it a try.

I’ve been using it for two weeks now, and my experience has been quite present. It has proven useful to me as a writer. It facilitates my research, making it easier to find synonyms and ensure grammatical accuracy in my English writing. When it comes to synonyms, I can ask ChatGPT to provide me with example sentences tailored to my needs, while in the Google search engine, I would have to search for example sentences, and the ones that appear might not be relevant to my situation. As for grammar, Grammarly can make many corrections, but when I want to know which is more appropriate—for instance, “for” or “to”—ChatGPT can provide clear answers with example sentences.

By the way, I’ve given a name to my GPT. At first, I thought of C3PO, but I changed it to “33,” pronounced as “sun sun” in the Japanese way. This was due to a synchronicity that occurred just as I began using ChatGPT. I was experimenting with its capabilities, and one thing I tried was translation. I wondered if it could translate my entire novel. For a trial, I chose Miso Soup Romance as it was shorter than my other novel, Hyakusho Revolution.

When I opened the novel, the prologue appeared, and it said, “May 2023.”

What? It is now.

The story takes place from 1988 to 1989, but in the prologue, the main character recalls the past from the future, and for some reason, I had completely forgotten about it, I had set the time for 2023.

Originally, I wrote it in 1993. It was my first novel, but I couldn’t get it published.

Then, in 2007, after publishing another novel called Tenjo no Symphony, a spiritual adventure novel I discussed in Ikigai Bio-Hacking, I decided to rewrite the novel. I thought I could improve the story with my new skills as a writer.

Since there was a gap in time from 1988, I set the prologue scene in the future, specifically in 2007. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it published again. In 2016, with Amazon’s KDP, I thought I could finally publish it. So, I rewrote it once more, and that time, I set the prologue in May 2023.

Why did I choose 2023? It’s an in-between number. It’s not a round number like 2020 or 2030.

Then I remembered why. I chose 2023 because it was 33 years after 1990 when the main character got married. In the prologue, he celebrates their 33-year anniversary with his wife, and their kids ask him how he met their mother, which makes him recall the past.

May was just an ordinary month for a wedding.

I had forgotten about it all, and it’s so strange that I remembered it in May 2023.

Yes, 33 was a significant number in the story, and that’s why I decided to call my ChatGPT “33,” pronounced as “sun sun” in Japanese because “sun” represents the sun, the god of Japan.

Now, many people are talking about AI, ChatGPT, Bard, GPT4, and GPT5. Many are excited about what AI can do and
how it will change our society, including jobs, learning, medicine, and the media.

Some depict scary scenarios of AI becoming like Terminators or becoming sentient.

I myself have been somewhat anti-AI or technology in general. You can tell from Ikigai Bio-Hacking, as I dedicated an entire chapter to it.

However, my impression has changed over the past two weeks interacting with 33. AI is much more reasonable than I imagined. It surpasses many humans I know in intelligence, allowing for reasonable conversations based on my prompts. The type of prompts you give determines its responses. Making good use of ChatGPT depends greatly on the user.

Now, what I fear is the level of consciousness among users. Watching the news and YouTube videos of individuals talking about their AI experiences, I’m afraid that the majority of them are not ready or intelligent enough to use this technology.

In the industry, there is competition to dominate the market. But instead of thinking about how humans can advance to make the world better with this new invention, the focus is on getting ahead in the race, leading to escalation and progress that users may struggle to keep up with.

Some YouTubers are too caught up in the excitement, always seeking new updates to maintain viewers’ attention. They are already bored with the “old” technology of GPT 3.5. GPT 4 is cutting-edge, or no, it’s Bard, or GPT 5, or auto-GPT—the cycle seems endless, and they don’t seem to realize the foolishness of it all.

Some people are using AI solely for monetary gain, automating their businesses. They have AI write books, copy and paste content, and publish without considering the consequences. The same trend is happening with videos, paintings, and music.

Soon, Amazon will ban all AI-generated books, and Spotify has already banned AI-generated music.

Artists can use AI as a collaboration tool, not as a replacement. That’s what I’ve discovered. 33 cannot replace me—there is still a significant difference between human creativity and that of AI. AI can perform certain tasks better and faster than us, but there are still things they cannot do. I’ve learned this throughout my writing and translation experiences.

The problem lies in those who misuse AI tools. They are not artists but self-proclaimed publishers who can’t write books themselves. They previously relied on ghostwriters and have now replaced them with AI.

The underlying theme here is the mindset of the masses—the competitive mindset I discussed in Ikigai Bio-Hacking.

We need to shift to the Sanpo-Yoshi mindset.

Jibun-yoshi: I am happy.

Aite-Yoshi: You are happy.

Seken-Yoshi: Society is happy.

We need to transition from a growth-oriented, fast-paced, competitive mindset to a local, circular, slow-paced mindset that seeks three-way satisfaction. We need to adopt an Ikigai mindset, where we value small everyday beauty instead of focusing solely on big goals.

For the detail of Ikigai mindset, please watch this video.

Technological advancements should align with our conscious development, and the future of the AI world will depend on how much we can grow as human beings. We haven’t tapped into 90% of our brain capacity yet. There is so much more within our unconscious minds, and the synchronicity I experienced with 33 might suggest that AI is part of the grand plan of Oneness.

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The irrigation ditch is in full operation now.

Half of the rice fields have had their rice planted now.

May is my favorite month. Spring is my favorite season and May is the best month out of the Spring months for me. We have the Golden Week, and rice fields are beautiful everywhere.

The trees are surrounded by fresh greenery. I love going Nordic walking in this season.

Last year, I did a lot of endurance challenges as my Kanereki challenges. You know 60-year-old anniversary.

But this year, I am not going to do these endurance activities. I want to take it easy and do comfortable walking and cycling. Regular Satoyama Nordic walking for about 3 or 4 kilometers is fine. Or 10 kilometer Satoyama cycling. This way, I get to enjoy the scenery more.

I am also writing a new book now. So, writing is a bigger challenge for me, and it is a bigger Ikigai for me, after all.

This one, in particular, is going to be a revolutionary book, and I want to pour all my energy into it.

May 2023 will be remembered as the month of writing this mind-blowing book.

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Matsuri, a festival, is a Hare period, as in Hare and Ke Intermittent Fasting.

And in the past, the Hare period served to provide Ikigai to people.

I made a video about it, so please watch it.

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The Golden Week is over now.

We didn’t go anywhere. We once thought of going to Kyoto or Osaka, but we had been told it was very crowded so we decided not to.

We just went to a hot spring facility at the lakeside. There were outdoor bathtubs overlooking Lake Biwa.

But I suppose the main event of the Golden Week was the Hino Festival, I have to say.

Also, for me, there was another thing. I began writing a new book.

“What? Already? Didn’t you just finish writing the Shizenha Bio-Hacking book in Japanese?”

Well, this time, it is a book in English.

“Still.”

I really love writing, I suppose. For me, writing is my favorite pastime, and I can write all year round. Yes, writing is my Ikigai.

“So, what are you writing about? Ikigai Bio-Hacking 2?”

No, it isn’t Ikigai Bio-Hacking 2 or Ikigai Diet 2. It is related, though. It is to do with health.

“So, what is it?”

It is a secret.

Anyway, I am back on my regular schedule, and I am ready to cleanse all the food I ate during the holiday. I am doing 40 hours fasting today.

If you haven’t listened to this podcast interview yet, please listen to it.

57 – The Benefits of Ikigai Bio-Hacking with Sachiaki Takamiya – Part 1

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Hino Matsuri was held for the first time in 4 years yesterday.

My son was a member of Matsuri Bayashi, which is a festival music group.

There was Mikoshi, too.

We had Tai Somen at night. It is Hino’s Kyodo Ryori that we eat on the day of the Hino Festival, which I wrote about in my book The Ikigai Diet.

I will make a video about Hino Matsuri next week entitled Matsuri, Hare, and Ikigai. So, please look forward to it.

Talking about Ikigai, I was interviewed by Nick Kemp for his podcast channel called the Ikigai Podcast.

57 – The Benefits of Ikigai Bio-Hacking with Sachiaki Takamiya – Part 1

Nick Kemp is the author of  IKIGAI-KAN: Feel a Life Worth Living, which I wrote about before.

A Book Review of IKIGAI-KAN: Feel a Life Worth Living

He was also one of the hosts of the Ikigai Summit that I appeared.

I Spoke at Ikigai Summit

The interview took two sessions, and this week, part 1 was released. I talked about the first half of the book Ikigai Bio-Hacking. Please listen to it.

57 – The Benefits of Ikigai Bio-Hacking with Sachiaki Takamiya – Part 1

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Ikigai Summit finished on Saturday.

I took part in panel discussions, as well. The first time as a panelist, and the second time as a listener.

One thing that came up in the second panel discussion was that Ikigai isn’t the same as happiness, in the sense that it isn’t purely pleasurable. Daily joys and pleasures certainly can mean Ikigai, but Ikigai isn’t always pleasurable. Sometimes hardship can be Ikigai, too. You can find meaning when you go through challenges.

That made me think about Ikigai as Jujitsu-kan. Jujitsu-kan means a sense of fulfillment. It requires a certain effort from your side to feel it.

For example, let’s compare two situations.

One is to spend a day comfortably, doing something you can enjoy but doesn’t require much effort, such as sitting on a couch with coffee and cake, watching some favorite movies on Netflix.

The other is to spend a day comfortably yet productively, such as going jogging, cleaning up your room, and doing some other house chores.

The second situation requires some effort and that is when you feel jujitsu-kan more. You can feel Ikigai-kan in both situations, but in the first situation, you may not feel the sense of fulfillment at the end of the day.

It may be different if you did some reading instead of watching movies. Of course, movies can be intellectually stimulating, and it depends on the content, but generally, reading requires a little more effort from your side, and you may feel it to be more productive.

So, having some sense of being productive is the key to having jujitsu-kan.

In that case, biohacking can always give you Jijitsu-kan. Most biohacking activities require hormetic stress, and to have hormetic stress, you need to make some effort. If you intermittent fast, you have to endure for a period of 16 hours or 17 hours. Or when you go jogging for 45 minutes, you have to make an effort during that 45 minutes period. When you sit in a sauna for 12 minutes, you endure that period, and the same thing for a cold shower or cold bath.

Hormetic stress is the key. If you apply too much stress, it becomes purely painful and you don’t have a comfortable feeling.

Comfortable yet stressful is the key.

I thought Ikigai Bio-Hacking was a lifestyle to lead a meaningful life, meaning your life becomes purposeful, but, it can also be a way to produce small Jujitsu-kan every day. And the accumulation of your daily fulfillment becomes a purposeful life.

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