Eight Million Ways to Happiness

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A highly personal journey of remembrance and healing leads to an exploration of the mystic realms of Japan . . . Full of practical lessons that can change your life Alfred Birnbaum, translator of Haruki Murakami

A timely and moving pilgrimage through Japans ancient spiritual traditions . . . Shows us how we might ease our own suffering and reawaken a profound appreciation of the beauty of the world Ruth Ozeki, Booker Prize Finalist and winner of the Womens Prize for Fiction

Everything has a spirit. The heavens above, the ground below, the mountains afar. That is the fundamental essence of Shinto: a millennia-old Japanese philosophy that is closely attuned to the natural world. Shinto tells us that while we may feel alone, or subject to forces beyond our control, we are also part of a much bigger story. And that can make us very strong.

For Hiroko Yoda, these traditions helped pull her from the loneliness that followed a period of grief and loss. Within the pages of this transformative book, Yoda guides us through the furthest reaches of Japan, unveiling the profound ways in which you, too, can introduce Shinto traditions into your daily life. Together you will journey far and wide. You will trek into the mountains with practitioners of Shugendo, learning how to develop the art of a positive outlook. You will come face to face with Japans most furious kami in downtown Tokyo, to learn the power of acknowledging anger. And youll discover that forging your own spiritual path means never journeying alone.

Reviews

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 Being
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 The Art of Simple Living

Author Bio

Hiroko Yoda was born and raised in Tokyo. She is a certified Shinto cultural historian, an experienced Miko shrine-dancer and a lifelong practitioner of Shinto. She served as the Tokyo editor for the lifestyle site CNNGo from 2009 to 2012, and over two decades 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 on Marie Kondo and Shinzo Abe for the New Yorker, and has also contributed to Vice. She lives in Tokyo.