The four-circle diagram is not Japanese. It was created by a Western blogger in 2014. In Japan, ikigai has nothing to do with the intersection of passion, skill, demand, and money. It is simply the thing that makes you want to get up in the morning — and it can be as small as a cup of tea.

Going Deeper

Explore this concept further in Beyond Ikigai by Takeshi Mori.

Join the Takeshi Mori community at takeshimori.com for your free guide to Japanese philosophy for modern life.