This sequel offers 35 accessible, surface-level ways to discover your Ikigai, framed through engaging travelogue-style journeys across Japan. It's a decent starting point for self-improvement, but don't expect deep guidance, more of a gentle nudge than a life-changing read.
This is the continuation of the first book, which I read and thought was okay. The first book focused on what Ikigai is; this one is more about how to find your Ikigai, offering 35 different ways to discover and apply it in your life.
Before I dive into the review, I suggest reading both books together. They’re not groundbreaking, but they are decent reads.
Now, let’s get to the actual review.
The book begins as a travelogue, where the authors share their journey to Japan and what they hope to achieve. I enjoyed this part tremendously, as I generally like travelogues. They introduce each major section of the book with stories about different places they visit in Japan, each tied to a specific purpose or theme. These parts were great—written well enough that I felt like I was there with them.
When it comes to the 35 ways to find your Ikigai, the list was decent, but every single method felt surface-level at best. What this book can do for you is offer a wide variety of approaches, any of which you can choose to explore further. But don’t expect in-depth guidance—it serves more as an introductory catalog of ideas than a deep dive.
Those who are looking for ways to find their Ikigai or life purpose may benefit from this book, but as I’ve mentioned, don’t expect to find all the answers in detail here. This book may point you in the right direction—it’s a starting point. But you won't truly learn much about any of the methods within the pages themselves.
The tone of the book was inspirational in some parts, but mostly conversational in my opinion. The structure was easy to follow: first, it introduces a topic; then, it gives a real-life example; and finally, it offers suggestions on how to apply the concept to your life. Overall, it's a very straightforward and accessible layout.
Compared to the first book, it still suffers from the same issue—it only scratches the surface. It doesn’t go into much depth, which I found disappointing.
My takeaway is that this book is a good starting point for those interested in self-improvement through this school of thought, but on its own, it’s not enough to change your life. Don’t expect to find life-changing insights here—it’s more of a gentle nudge in the right direction.