Eight Million Ways to Happiness

“Offers a series of personal and highly practical insights into Japanese life and spirituality… Yoda makes for an excellent guide.”
—The New Statesman

“A fascinating dive through hidden layers of the Japanese worldview.”
—Katherine May, New York Times bestselling author of Wintering

“This book is a triumph! Hiroko 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 Stiff

“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, Zen Buddhist priest and New York Times bestselling author of Booker Prize Finalist A Tale for the Time Being

“I didn’t know how much I needed this book until I read it. Hiroko Yoda shows us with tenderness and clarity that healing and resolution occur even without certainty. Eight Million Ways to Happiness reminds us that there’s no single path to meaning or to spiritual health and mental health. Eight Million Ways to Happiness is an antidote to burnout culture and binary thinking. We all need this book right now.”
—Dr. Pooja Lakshmin MD, psychiatrist and bestselling author of Real Self-Care

“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, bestselling author of The Art of Simple Living and How to Let Things Go

“Equal parts memoir, travelogue, and cultural history, Yoda’s book provides an invaluable introduction to the spiritual life of Japan. She builds a compelling case for the value of flexibility and resilience in the face of chaos.” —Laura Allen, author of Murakami

“This is a poignant and beautiful book about Japanese culture and spirituality. As prayer leads into play and vice versa, the book connects the lighthearted and delightful aspects of Japanese culture to the more serious and deeply felt elements of Japanese spiritual belief. I look forward to sharing this beautiful book with friends and colleagues.”
—Susan Napier, author of Miyazakiworld

“Transcendently 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’s works and author of Monkey Brain Sushi

“This intimate, often moving reflection on Japanese folkways promises a welcome guide to organizing messy feelings and finding joy in the larger world around us. Given the ongoing global upheaval, I was excited reading about her experiments in healing and self-care, through traditions we might otherwise never hear about.”
—Charo D’Etcheverry, author of Love After The Tale of Genji

“Through her own spiritual development, Yoda skillfully unbundles the philosophical and habitual foundations of Japanese people. Most Japanese don’t consider themselves religious and yet their way of life manifests Shinto and Buddhist belief systems.”
—Dr. Shizuka Modica, Lecturer, UVA Darden School of Business