The Happy and Healthy People of Okinawa
February Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Statues”
Eat until you are 80% full.
Okinawans are known for their happiness, friendliness, and longevity. These citizens of the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan occupy half of the islands of the Ryukyu Islands chain, which includes its largest island, also called Okinawa.
According to the World Economic Forum, 81 out of 100,000 Okinawans live to the age of 100 or longer. Contrast this centenarian prevalence with that of Japan as a whole (48), France (37), Italy (32), and the United States (20).
Many factors go into making Okinawans the longest-living people on Earth. One is that many of them practice “hara hachi bu,” which means eating until you are 80% full.
While Okinawans favor pork over other meats, they also consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, soy-based foods, and Okinawan sweet potatoes. My wife Kazumi grew up in Okinawa and relishes the island’s purple potatoes steamed whenever she can find them in the U.S.
Okinawans are also spiritual people. A key part of their religion is the worship of their ancestors.
Some Okinawans mount decorative guardian lion statues on the roof of their house or atop a wall surrounding their property. These shisa are almost always seen in pairs. One of the shisa opens its mouth to ward off evil spirits. The other keeps its mouth closed to keep good spirits in.
As a whole, Okinawans are happy, healthy, and friendly people. I feel fortunate to be married to one of them.
After nearly 25 years of marriage to an Okinawan, I think I should adopt some of their ways.
Following are other writers whose statue stories you might enjoy.
Thank you, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, for this month’s “statue” challenge. It has been my favorite writing so far.
