11. An abundance of untouched nature
If you’ve ever taken a look at all the brochures and images picturing Japan, one thing is constant. Regardless of the urban sprawl going on, there are thousands of acres of untouched nature. You can see mountains without ski resorts and breathtaking wildlife reserves. This may indeed seem like a weird occurrence to westerners. Why is that the case anyway? For any outsider, capitalizing on touristic potential is something more than normal. In Japan, things are a little different. The entire nation nurtures a friendly outlook on nature. They don’t exploit their natural riches nor do they ruin them for the sake of profit. Ever since an early age, children are taught to live in harmony with nature and not disrespect it. Because of this, they have a tendency of going on weekend-long retreats in the wilderness. It’s a nationwide sport that takes away the stress of the work week. Therefore, it’s pretty much necessary to maintain a healthy outlook on life.
The health benefit of the wilderness is the absence of pollution and urban sprawl. We too adore retreating into the wilderness, but our green areas are more scarce. This East Asian country has a friendly and respectful relationship with nature. Because of this, they get to take the stress off their minds and relax. Despite how much we disregard it, relaxation is the key to longevity. Even though Japanese women work some of the longest hours in the world, they also live the longest. They offset their city time and hard labor with relaxing nature trips. Because they were educated in such a manner, they know how to behave in such situations. A cultural factor such as that makes their minds and bodies stay in pristine condition. It’s no wonder that they outlive everyone.