Eight Million Ways to Happiness

Eight Million Ways to Happiness is a timely and moving pilgrimage through Japan’s ancient spiritual traditions. As she navigates the terrain of her own grief in the wake of her mother’s death, Hiroko Yoda shows us how we might ease our own suffering and reawaken a profound appreciation of the beauty of the world – RUTH OZEKI, Booker Prize-shortlisted author of A Tale for the Time BeingIn her quest to get to grips with Japan’s spirituality, Yoda trains as a Shino shrine-dancer, hikes up mountains to meet mystics, and consults a fortune teller … This is an elegantly written book, full of insights about Japan – Constance Craig Smith * Mail on Sunday *A fascinating dive through hidden layers of the Japanese worldview – KATHERINE MAY, author of WinteringA welcome new voice … Offers a series of personal and highly practical insights into Japanese life and spirituality … Hiroko Yoda makes for an excellent guide – Christopher Harding * New Statesman *Yoda refuses to dole out a prescription for being happy but shares what she does in her own life. And what’s core to her message is this: happiness is a perspective … Which is refreshing when you consider that, in the West, we’re told that happiness comes from ticking off milestones – buying a house, getting married, landing that next big job – Claire Cohen * Grazia *Vividly illustrated with anecdotes and explanations from the author’s own life, and it is this attention to detail and pacing which allow often weighty, existential topics to sink in … Crucially, this book is not prescriptive … It is simply a presentation of the many facets to what make up the topic of spirituality in Japan … Though this book is ultimately at its core an overview of Japanese spirituality, it is also in equal measures a deeply personal coming to terms for the author with the death of their parents, and how they processed that grief – Laurence Green * Japan Society *A beautiful exploration of Japanese spirituality. With wise insights and meditative personal stories, Yoda inspires us all to be more intimately connected with nature – and with ourselves – SHUNMYO MASUNO, author of Zen: The Art of Simple LivingHiroko Yoda dives into Japanese spirituality with an open heart and a lively, questioning mind. What she discovers is religion with a lowercase r: guidance rather than rules, generosity instead of judgement. Please know: No woo-woo spiritual blather here! Yoda’s footing in cultural history and talents as a storyteller set this book apart and above – MARY ROACH, New York Times-bestselling author of Gulp and StiffTranscendently intimate. A personal journey of remembrance and healing leads to a heightened exploration of the mystic realms of Japan. Yoda provides insights into Japanese spiritual lore as well as practical lessons in opening yourself to comforting unseen presences that can change your life – ALFRED BIRNBAUM, translator of Haruki Murakami

Hiroko Yoda was born and raised in Tokyo. She is a certified cultural historian, a former Tokyo editor for CNN Go and a field producer for National Geographic TV. Over two decades she has assisted countless Japanese creators in the video game, manga, anime, toy and film industries convey their artistic visions abroad. She has written popular pieces for the New Yorker, Vice and Wired, and has also appeared on CNN, PBS, BBC, and 99% Invisible. She lives in Tokyo.