I only learned the term ikigai very recently, inside of the last year or so. I think I originally learned it through something of a Western filter - I had the impression that it had something to do with finding a job that is both financially rewarding and meaningful for the world at large. It appears (if I read this book right) that this impression is not entirely wrong, but not entirely wrong either. Ikigai is about meaning, and it can be about work, but it can also be about many other things - tending one’s garden or being a good friend, for instance. It’s a rather subtle concept, but one which the author conveys quite elegantly. I think it’s well worth a look.