Lessons from Kurosawa’s Ikiru (Living) on meaning of life

The COVID-19 pandemic has left us some space to ponder questions like “what would you do if you had only one day to live?” or “have I been living the way I really want?” Becoming aware that death is not unfamiliar anymore makes us reassess the purpose of living, in other words, “ikigai” (生き甲斐) in Japanese.

A nominee for the Academy Awards adapted from Kurosawa’s classic film

The new British film “Living” adapted by Kazuo Ishiguro from Akira Kurosawa’s classic 1952 film “Ikiru,” meaning “to live” in Japanese, has been nominated for the Academy Awards and has cast a light upon the original low-key film. After 70 years, the epic theme described in Kurosawa’s masterpiece still asks people living in this era, “What is the meaning of life?”

The main character, Kanji Watanabe, works as a public servant with no passion or purpose but with perfect attendance for 30 years. Watanabe discovers he has only six months to live due to terminal cancer. He feels more emptiness as he visits nightlife spots to enjoy his remaining days but discovers they never satisfy his emptiness. One day, he encounters a young female subordinate who is full of joy and excitement, and honest with herself. As he finds out that she is changing her job from the municipal office staff to a toy factory employee only because she loves it, he finally realizes what he still can do to make his life meaningful.

Many of us struggle to find our ikigai

Ironically, many of us don’t seem to find how beautiful yet short our lives are, struggling to determine our lives’ purpose until death approaches. Ikigai is not just our purpose of living strictly speaking, but it includes feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and meaningful work. According to a survey on ikigai of businessmen/women, 46.3% of them don’t have ikigai and find it difficult to feel joy, energy and motivation. Watanabe from the film also struggles to find his life’s purpose. His singing “The Gondola Song” (Gondola no Uta) with despondency and regret at the bar he visits to assuage his hollowness made me insecure and uncomfortable, as I sympathize with the anxiety he feels about the rest of his life.

Even though ikigai differs depending on the person, it is often related to vocation and profession, which allow us to feel we are valued members of society. In the end, the audience will find out that Watanabe’s decision to dedicate his life to making a better living environment for local residents seems right by seeing him singing again “The Gondola Song” on a swing joyfully with satisfaction.

How do you want to live your life?

Kurosawa also portrays how difficult it can be to suddenly change our behavior, no matter how serious we are. Although at his funeral, his co-workers speak about how they are proud of Watanabe for having his work done and determined to live like him with great enthusiasm, the next day, they work the same as usual as though they hadn’t seen his performance.

“life is brief, fall in love, maidens
before the crimson bloom fades from your lips”

How does this song sound to you? “The Gondola Song” echoes in my mind with a bit of anxiety about the future. I’m in the middle of my quest to find ikigai, feeling uncertainty yet excitement at the same time. Life is too short. But at least it’s not too short to watch both “ikiru” and “Living” to reflect on our own lives and consider our unique purpose.