20 Tiny Japanese Habits for a Healthier, Calmer, More Radiant You

Today I'm sharing 20 Japanese healthy habits that I personally love and practice from sunrise to bedtime. Did you know that the secret to Japanese longevity and usefulness isn't all about genetics? It actually comes from small daily habits. In a 2021 study from Duke University, they compared Japanese people living in Japan and Japanese people living abroad. The result? People living in Japan tend to live longer. Isn't it interesting? So basically, it's all about the habits. How Japanese people live, eat, and take care of themselves. So let's get started. Starting the day with hands together. Good morning. Quick question. Do you put your hands together every day? In Japan, we do it a lot. When we say thank you, when we visit a shrine, when we eat, even when we do ninja moves. I never thought much about it before because it's a habit. But lately, I realized this is actually really powerful. Because just putting your hands together, you can feel your mind settle down. Yeah, let's do it together. Gently bring your hands together. Don't you feel a little more calm? In western medicine, the right hand is young, active, giving energy. The left hand is yin, quiet, receiving energy. So when we put them together, it's like energy flows from the right hand to the left and starts to circulate gently through your body. That's why it feels grounding. It's like your awareness turns inward and connects to your soul. So when you're feeling a bit annoyed, foggy in the head, or in a rush, not just in the morning, try putting your hands together. It might be the little switch you need to calm yourself down. It's super easy and kind of magical. All right, let's step outside with my tenugui and explore more beautiful Japanese habits. Dry towel rubbing. This is a simple traditional Japanese habit for self-healing. All you need is a towel. Like this, you just rub your skin gently with a dry towel. That's it. The friction helps improve blood flow and it's said to help prevent cold. I heard in some schools, kids used to this outside and the freezing cold. Not just to stay healthy, but to build mental strength too. As a former teacher, that's wild. But don't worry, you don't need to go outside. Just try rubbing your body with a towel before your shower. Even that can make a big difference. The power of yoku. In Japan, we have a word yoku. It means bathing. But not just water, we bathe in many things. For example, kaisui yoku, shinrin yoku, nikko yoku, gekko yoku, nyu yoku. Yeah, like this in Japan, people believe that anything with yoku in it is good for your health because you're quietly receiving the energy of nature. But think about it these days, we're doing screen yoku, screen bathing, which is not great. That's why sometimes we need to return to nature, to bathe in light, in air, in water, to let our senses wake up again. This is one of Japan's quiet habits for healing. Give it a try. Barefoot at home. When I lived in Australia, I would wear shoes inside the house. But when I came back to Japan, I realized barefoot at home feels heavenly. It just feels so good. Did you know being barefoot actually has real health benefits? The soles of your feet are full of nerves, so some people even call them the second heart. That's why walking barefoot helps stimulate those nerves that can help you feel more relaxed and balanced. So I really recommend going barefoot at home like you're walking warm sand at the beach. Every time you step inside, your happiness switch turns off. Five-minute morning cleaning. You might be thinking, wait, what does cleaning have to do with health? Well, in Japan, cleaning isn't just about tidying your room, it's about tidying your mind. Yeah, we believe your room and your heart are connected. So in a nutshell, if your space is messy, your thoughts feel messy too. So if you want to feel clear inside, start by cleaning your outside. Just five minutes in the morning. Oh, what a hassle. Come on, it's just five minutes. You can do that. Instead of scrolling social media, try a quick clean-up. It's a small habit, but it can bring a big shift in your life. You've got this. All right, time to make breakfast. What am I gonna make today? I'm making a Japanese style breakfast, miso soup. You know what? Japan is kind of fermentation paradise. We have lots of fermented foods. So some people say half of Japanese people are made of fermented food. Yeah, that's right. But anyway, I truly believe this is one of the big secrets behind Japanese health. Fermented foods have good bacteria, right? And they help your gut? Exactly. A healthy gut, a healthy body, and even more, a happy mind. In Japanese, we say hara in belly and the gut, and we use it a lot in emotional phrases. For example, I'm upset. Make up my mind. And it actually makes sense scientifically too. Many of the chemicals that affect our emotions, like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and melatonin, are produced in our gut. That's why gut health really matters. Any fermented food can help with that. My top recommendation, miso soup. This soup I'm making right now, it's a Japanese superfood. In Japan, some people call miso soup a morning cleanser because it helps detox your body. Some studies even show it can help reduce the risk of cancer. And best of all, it's delicious. You can probably find miso in your country and plenty of easy recipes on YouTube. So yeah, miso soup is one of the easiest fermented foods you can add to your diet. But cooking sounds like too much work. I want something even easier. All right then, check this out. Koso drink. Okay, you've heard of kombucha, right? Yeah, that fizzy fermented tea. Actually, it's not that popular in Japan. So when I visited LA last year, I was surprised because it was super popular and it's tasty. I really loved it. And when I was drinking it, I had a secret thought in my head. If kombucha is this popular, koso drink is going to blow up too. So what's koso drink? It's Japan's original fermented drink, the hidden hero behind Japan's health and beauty. Think of it like kombucha leveled up. Both are fermented and got friendly, but a little different. Kombucha is basically made by fermenting tea for a few weeks. But koso, it's made by fermenting lots of plant-based ingredients for several years. So it's packed with way more nutrients, more vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. That's why in Japan, a lot of people drink it, especially during fasting or when they're trying to lose weight. This is the one I drink every day. Earth's koso. Huge thanks for sponsoring this video. Let me quickly tell you why I love this. Because it tastes amazing. Of course, not only that. First off, most koso drinks use around 60 ingredients, but Earth's koso has over 100. That means I can get a ton of essential nutrients in just one glass. These days, I mix it with sparkling water. I love the citrusy, refreshing flavor. Plus, this is 100% vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO. Perfect for anyone who cares about clean, natural health. Now, let me get a little personal. Koso drinks honestly changed my life. This is before I started drinking koso drinks. And this is now. Yeah, about 10 years ago, I was struggling with depression. Things were really heavy. But when I started drinking koso, thanks to my mom, taking care of God, and little by little, I began to feel lighter. Yeah, koso drink really saved my life. So, still now, I drink koso drinks every morning. And Earth's koso is my favorite. Thanks to this, my day feels light, clear, and energized. Use the code SAMURAI15 to get 15% off your first bottle. Check the link in the description. Give your gut some love. It deserves it. Rice over bread. I used to eat bread in the morning. Yeah, bread and smoothie. That's my typical morning routine. But lately, I've been switching to rice in the morning. You know why? It helps me live gluten-free. So, why gluten-free? Well, a little while ago, I visited my girlfriend who doesn't eat much gluten, and I started eating rice in the morning. Then, my body just feels amazing after that. Yeah, I felt like my digestion improved, and my energy is more stable. Oh, plus, you can make onigiri, too. When I lived in Canada, I used this kind of rice cooker. So, you can probably find it in your country, too. Wanna start a rice onigiri life with me? Chew 100 times. Sometimes, when I'm in a rush, I eat like I'm drinking my food. But if a samurai were sitting next to me, he'd probably say, Hey, that's a sign your mind is scattered. Chew 100 times. Yeah, samurai practiced something like mindful eating. They stayed in the moment by chewing slowly. And of course, as you know, chewing helps digestion, too. So, it's great for your body and your mind. Anyway, just chew more. Simple. But honestly, it's easy to forget, right? I'm still working on it myself. So, let's try to be chew more and be mindful together. Skipping dessert. In Japan, people don't eat dessert that often. It's not like we never eat it. Just less often than Western countries, I guess. And I think this might be one of the secrets behind Japanese health. Because skipping dessert helps us stop at 80% full. Harahachibu. Harahachibu is a phrase from a 400-year Japanese health bible called Yojoku. It says, eat little, 80% full, to live longer. So, think about it. After mayonnaise, you're probably already 80% full. But if you add dessert on top of that, we go all the way to 100% or even more. So, if dessert is your habit for you, it might be tough. I know. But try skipping it once in a while. You might notice your body feeling a little lighter after that. Sorry, let me eat today. Morning matcha. Yeah, this was the habit of my great-grandma who lived until 69, oh no, 96 years old. No matter how busy she was, even in a car, she always made time to whisk matcha in the morning. Yeah, I guess it was like... Yeah. Anyway, inspired by her, I carry my matcha set with me wherever I go, so I can make matcha anytime. I always follow the same simple routine. I take a deep breath, quietly thank myself in my heart, and make the best cup of matcha for myself. So, for me, matcha isn't only good for your body, but also for your mental well-being. Yeah, matcha is just the best. All right, time to get to work. I'm heading to my ocean view tea room that I recently built myself. Oh, it's raining now. If it's sunny, it's like this. Oh, if you're curious how I made this, check out this video. Okay, let's work. Ritsuyo. In traditional Japanese culture, like tea ceremony and martial arts, posture is deeply important. For example, aligning the spine. In Japanese, we call it ritsuyo. That's because we believe that when your spine is upright, your mind becomes clear. One of my favorite Japanese educators, Shinzo Mori, once said, if your posture is aligned, your mind becomes aligned. When the mind is aligned, your words and actions follow. That's why education begins with ritsuyo. Beautiful, right? But let's be honest, keeping perfect posture all day? Super hard. I always catch myself slouching before I know it. It's like a constant battle with myself. But hey, little by little, step by step, let's keep trying. All right, it's lunch time, but I think I'll skip lunch today. Sometimes skip lunch. In the past, people in Japan used to eat just two meals in a day. After learning that, I started skipping lunch sometimes on purpose. Some people might say, that's bad for you. You'll miss nutrients. Well, that might be true. But honestly, I found even more benefits than drawbacks. When I skip lunch, I naturally feel lighter, like a mini detox. My gut feels more balanced. Plus, it saves time. No need to cook or clean. And there's no food coma because I don't eat lunch. I can focus on my work better. If I get a little hungry, I just snack on some nuts. Maybe you can try two just once. See how it feels. I'm getting thirsty. I'm gonna drink this. Umeboshi tea. This is a super simple drink. Just hot green tea with a pickled plum in it. This recipe was passed down from my great grandpa. He drank it every day and lived to be 100. So lately, I've been trying it too. Umeboshi is said to help make your body more alkaline, which is great for your health. But to be honest, I'm not a big fan of umeboshi. So I was like, yeah, I'm challenging myself. Here's green tea, hojicha, or genmaicha or something. So give it a try if you like umeboshi. Enjoy. 30 minutes of empty time. In traditional Japanese paintings, there's something called ma, initial empty space. Instead of filling the whole canvas, artists leave parts blank on purpose. Why? Because empty space calms the heart. You feel the calm? So what I want to say is, days should be like that too. If a day has full of meetings, tasks, and information, it's like a painting with too much going on. That's why you don't have to fill every moment with productivity. Leave some space on purpose. I recently moved and my life got really busy. So I realized how much I needed this quiet time. Even just 30 minutes a day, and your heart will thank you. Sometimes it's okay to eat what you love. Some people believe that to be healthy, you have to go gluten-free or only eat vegetables. No exceptions. I get it. You're amazing. Once I tried those strict lifestyle too, but honestly, it was tough. The toughest thing was when going out with my friends and not being able to what they're eating. I started to feel a bit stressful. So I changed my rule. I still avoid those foods, but sometimes it's okay. There's a line in yojoku, a diet with no joy will slowly weaken the heart. Sometimes we must enjoy our food. And I think that's true. Food isn't just fuel. It's also joy. So tonight, I'm making one of my favorite meals, Goya Champuru and a little sake. Itadakimasu. Before eating, Japanese people say one word, Itadakimasu. It's not religious. It's a habit and a quiet expression of respect for life, gratitude for animals, plants, farmers, cooks, and the earth itself. Everything that made this meal possible. I love saying this word because when I say it, I feel like I will live on carrying the life you gave me. And somehow the food feels different. Like I can feel that energy more deeply. So before you eat, take a moment, put your hands together and slowly say Itadakimasu. Moving meditation. When we think of meditation, we usually imagine sitting still, quiet, no moving. But did you know there's such a thing as moving meditation? The tea ceremony is a great example. Every motion is slow and mindful. And you know what? Everyday things, like housework, can be meditation too. Take washing tissues. Yeah, I know it feels like a chore and if you rush through it, it stays a chore. But if you slow down and do it gently, with care, it becomes a kind of meditation, a moment of calm, a way to return to the present. So try doing your daily tasks a little more slowly, a little more mindfully. That's moving Zen. Alright, time for a bath, I think. Leaving. Oh, this is heaven. Yeah, I can say that it's Japan's ultimate healing ritual and it's been keeping us healthy for centuries. As you relax, your circulation improves, waste leaves the body, stress and fatigue melt away, and your skin starts to glow. Like I said before, feet are packed with nerves. So, if you don't have a bathtub, a warm footbath is a great alternative. It warms up your whole body. Give it a try. Incense. After a bath, I always light some incense and do a little stretching. The scent makes my heart feel happy, my body relaxes too. It's double the relaxation. Oh, do you remember yoku, bathing? This practice is called scent bathing, ko-yoku in Japanese. I personally love the scent of sandalwood. It's warm and gentle and peaceful. What about you? Do you have a favorite scent? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear. All right, did any of these habits spark to you? Even just one? I hope these little habits brings more health to your daily life. If you are more interested in Japanese food and health, check out these videos too. All right, stay safe, have fun, and have a good night.