French women and Italian girls may be onto something with their sacred Sundays and romanticized meals, but Japan consistently ranks among the world’s longest-living countries. However, its most enduring wellness practices have nothing to do with expensive supplements, complicated routines, or the latest biohacking trend. Spend enough time in Japan, and you might notice that the most dominant wellness habits aren’t trends at all—they’ve been woven into everyday life for generations.
And perhaps that’s what makes the Japanese approach to well-being so compelling: It doesn’t require constantly trying to optimize yourself or overhaul your routine. Many traditional Japanese wellness rituals are surprisingly simple, built around small choices repeated every day. So instead of adding another wellness hack to your list, take a cue from a culture that has long treated well-being as part of daily life. Read on for five Japanese wellness habits worth trying, why they might make a bigger difference than you think, and how to try them for yourself.
Meet The Expert
Maiko Shimazaki is the founder of Revitalist15, a New York-based wellness brand inspired by Japanese approaches to sensory well-being. Born and raised in Japan and now based in New York, she brings a cross-cultural perspective to sleep and stress management. Her work translates traditional Japanese practices into practical, science-informed rituals that support nervous system regulation and more restorative sleep.
1. Drinking tea throughout the day
You may find most of us in the U.S. with coffee or a Stanley in hand, but in Japan, tea is drank consistently throughout the day. And we’re not just talking about matcha; green tea, barley tea, hojicha, oolong, jasmine, and black tea are all the most common choices, often enjoyed without added sugar or sweeteners.
According to founder of Revitalist15 Maiko Shimazaki, bottled, unsweetened teas are so prevalent in Japan that you’ll find more of them at convenience stores and grocery store than sodas. Rather than drinking plain water, Shimazaki said many Japanese people, herself included, go for tea instead. She finds she stays better hydrated simply because tea is more interesting to drink than water.
And tea packs some major health perks. Research suggests that tea’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (antioxidants fight free radicals, which damage cells) may help lower the risk of certain chronic diseases. Green and black teas also contain L-theanine, an amino acid associated with reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Paired with caffeine, it can make for a calmer kind of alertness compared to the I’ve had three coffees wired feeling with a side of jitters.
The takeaway: Plain water may be good for you, but it isn’t exactly thrilling, meaning it’s harder to be sustainable. Make hydration something you actually enjoy, and pack in more benefits by adding tea into your daily routine. Try green tea to replace your second cup of coffee, or brew a big batch of iced tea to sip on throughout the day. Not a tea person? Romanticize your mundane cup of water instead, whether that’s drinking sparkling water from a wine glass or adding fruit ice cubes to make it feel more indulgent.
RELATED READ: 7 Easy Hacks To Stay Hydrated
2. Eating until 80 percent full (hara hachi bu)
We’ve all probably taken “one more bite” of a meal or dessert and immediately thought, OK, I definitely didn’t need that (for me, it’s a breakfast burrito or anything involving peanut butter and chocolate). That’s where the Japanese practice of hara hachi bu comes in. Originating in Okinawa, a Blue Zone known for the longevity of its residents, hara hachi bu translates to eating until you’re about 80 percent full. It’s not asking you to weigh your food or count your calories, but to slow down and be present to notice when you’re satiated—and stopping before you reach the point of feeling stuffed.
Shimazaki explained the habit encourages paying attention to your body and becoming more attuned to your hunger and fullness signals. But more broadly, hara hachi bu is a practice in moderation. “Rather than relying on restriction or extreme diets, it builds the idea of ‘enough’ into an everyday habit,” Shimazaki said. “Regularly checking in with hunger and satiety cues can also encourage us to become more attentive to the other signals our bodies are giving us.”
That’s easier said than done when we’re scrolling through breakfast, taking bites of lunch between meetings, or responding to emails over dinner. When the meal in front of us is an afterthought, it’s easy to miss when we’re satisfied. Hara hachi bu asks us to make the meal the focus, not something we multitask with three other things.
The takeaway: Eat slowly with fewer distractions, and listen to what your body is telling you before going back for seconds. Ask yourself, “Am I still really hungry, or am I eating for comfort or out of boredom or stress? And eating until you’re satisfied doesn’t mean eating food you don’t enjoy. Your meals can—and should—be delicious, nourishing, and based on what you’re craving. Hara hachi bu is simply recognizing when enough is enough.
RELATED READ: Intuitive Eating Will Break the Diet Cycle—Here’s How To Practice It
3. Taking daily baths
A long soak in the tub is the kind of special occasion we might pencil into our calendars as self-care, and we opt for morning and/or evening showers to get clean and get on with the day or night. To the Japanese, a relaxing leisurely bath isn’t an occasional indulgence, but a daily ritual to end the day. Yes, there’s something inherently relaxing and restorative about sinking into warm water before bed, but the benefits go deeper than surface level. “Bathing serves as a mental transition, washing away the demands of the day and creating a natural wind-down ritual,” Shimazaki said.
The relaxation isn’t just in your head—your body also gets the memo. “A warm bath temporarily raises body temperature, and the subsequent cooling process helps signal that it’s time for sleep, supporting faster sleep onset and better sleep quality,” Shimazaki added. One study found that even 10 minutes in a hot bath can set you up for a good night’s rest.
The Japanese tradition of bathing goes back more than 3,000 years, from sentos (public bathhouses)—places to unwind and relax solo or with co-workers, friends, and family—to the furo, the traditional Japanese bath found in homes. Either way, it’s a built-in pause, a boundary between everything the day held and allowing your body to rest.
The takeaway: It’s not an everything shower. With Japanese-style bathing, you’re not trying to squeeze in a 12-step routine or optimize your time in the tub. Try taking a warm pre-bedtime bath and giving yourself a few uninterrupted minutes to do absolutely nothing. Sleepy girl mocktail optional. No bath? A shower before bed will do the trick, but the purpose is to actually relax and enjoy the warm water, rather than checking it off as a to-do.
RELATED READ: Experts Are Saying the 3-2-1 Method Will Give You “The Perfect Night of Sleep”
4. Enjoying through the five senses (gokan)
When we’re constantly thinking about what’s next—our next task, next workout, next goal—how much are we actually in the moment we’re living? The Japanese concept of gokan, or experiencing life through all five senses, offers an antidote for that. Taken from the phrase gokan de tanoshimu, which means “to enjoy through the five senses,” the point is to stop, take in what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch, and find greater enjoyment in an otherwise ordinary moment.
Shimazaki pointed to the way people in Japan experience the seasons as one example. Take summer. They engage the five senses to create a sense of coolness: eating light, hydrating seasonal foods like cucumber and watermelon (taste); listening to furin wind chimes catching a breeze (sound); incorporating fresh scents reminiscent of a walk in the woods (smell); using glass tableware that looks visually cool and light (sight); and choosing breathable natural fabrics like linen and hemp against the skin (touch).
Instead of rushing through something while your brain is already onto the next thing, gokan de tanoshimu gives your mind and body a break from routine and a chance to notice what’s happening around you. Stopping to smell the roses is well worth it; a 2025 study suggested that stimulating multiple senses can help dial down anxiety and prompt your body to relax.
The takeaway: Quiet your mind and appreciate the little things by taking advantage of the power of the senses. The next time you drink your morning coffee (or tea), take a walk, or eat dinner, tune into the five senses you’re experiencing—the taste and aroma of your coffee, the sun on your skin, the city noise—instead of reaching for your phone.
5. Treating home as a sanctuary
The Japanese take “There’s no place like home” seriously. “There’s a strong distinction between the outside world and the home,” Shimazaki said. Japanese homes typically have a genkan, an entryway similar to a foyer that creates a physical boundary between the two. It’s where you take off your shoes before stepping into the main room, reflecting a cultural emphasis on cleanliness and respect for the home and the people living in it.
That same mindset carries into the bedroom, where the bed is reserved for rest. Shoes, coats, suitcases, and everyday clutter don’t make their way onto it. “These physical boundaries reinforce a psychological one: crossing into the home signals that you’re leaving the demands and stimulation of the outside world behind and entering a calmer, more restorative space,” she said.
We tend to think of our homes, bedrooms, and desks as backdrops to our lives. But they’re doing a lot more than sitting there looking pretty or collecting dust. Our surroundings can shape how we feel and behave. One recent study linked disorganized living environments with increased anxiety, poorer concentration, and unhealthy eating habits, suggesting that what’s happening around us can spill over into what’s happening in our heads. A calmer home can mean a calmer you, too. More organized spaces have been associated with improved mood, lower stress levels, and greater overall life satisfaction, not to mention healthier routines and even financial stability.
The takeaway: Make your environment work for you, not against you. Start with one simple practice: Take off your shoes at the door, keep your bed clear of anything but pillows and linens, and make your bedroom a phone-free zone. Set your home up so it’s a place where you can let go of the day and reset.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through expert interviews and studies, and she’s always first in line to try them firsthand.
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