Ikigai is a Japanese term for ‘a reason for being’. The word ‘Ikigai’ usually refers to the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. The word roughly translates to the ‘thing that you live for’ but it also has the nuance of ‘the reason for which you wake up in the morning’ similar to a daily purpose.

Each individual’s Ikigai is personal to them and specific to their lives, values and beliefs. It reflects the inner self of an individual and expresses that faithfully, while simultaneously creating a mental state in which the individual feels at ease.

Europe correspondent Toshihiro Fujii from the Japanese broadcaster NHK produces a documentary about ikigai and how it is picked up around the world.

Besides Japan, Spain and France, he also visits the Netherlands where he portraits career consultant Paul Donkers, who uses the Ikigai philosophy in his professional advice. Paul Donkers even developed an Ikigai card game, ‘to inspire and to (re)focus on your career’ and is setting up an Ikigai consultancy firm.

For this production Featurez gave advice, did the research, set up and planning and accompaniment of the filming in the Netherlands, booked a rental car and did the driving.