Okinawa: What Can We Learn From Blue Zones?

I didn’t go to Okinawa expecting to study longevity. I went because I was drawn to the island’s rugged beauty. I'd heard there were wild forests and long sandy beaches - obviously I'm in!

But there was something more to know about this peaceful island. There was a calm pulse to life there (true of quite a lot of Japan, really) and a pace that felt entirely its own. Older men cycled slowly past me, smiles felt more genuine and the service industry felt like an offer of friendship, from smiling waitstaff, patiently trying my card three more times when it declined, to the extra care of adding chopsticks and English microwave instructions to my shopping bag with my cheap and cheerful shop bought evening meal.

I found myself reflecting on the contrast. The deadlines I’d left behind, the constant notifications, the cultural badge of busyness where everyone seems to want you to know they have somewhere they'd rather be. Here, life seemed more about enjoying what's in front of you without wishing to be elsewhere. And perhaps that’s what makes Okinawa one of the world’s five official Blue Zones!

What exactly is a Blue Zone?

The phrase Blue Zone was coined by explorer and journalist Dan Buettner, who worked with scientists and demographers to map out regions with unusually high numbers of centenarians and low rates of chronic disease.

In short, a Blue Zone is a place where people live significantly longer (and arguably, better) than average. These populations don’t just reach old age, they do so with vitality, community and joy.

The five regions most widely recognised as a Blue Zone are:

1. Okinawa (Japan)

2. Sardinia (Italy)

3. Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica)

4. Ikaria (Greece)

5. Loma Linda (California, USA)

There are others sometimes described as “emerging” Blue Zones, but these five remain the most studied. Essentially, a Blue Zone is a community where longevity is a by-product of everyday life.

How does somewhere qualify as a Blue Zone?

There’s no official tick-box or membership form; it’s based on data, validation and observable patterns.

Researchers look for:

• A measurable concentration of long life - populations where reaching 100 years is many times more common than global averages (in some cases, ten times higher than in the US).

• Low rates of chronic disease - elders remain active, mentally sharp, and socially engaged.

• Verified records - birth and death certificates reviewed by demographers to confirm authenticity.

• Shared cultural and lifestyle traits - daily movement, plant-based diets, strong family and community bonds, faith or reflective practice, and a clear sense of purpose.

In Sardinia, for example, researchers developed an Extreme Longevity Index measuring the number of centenarians per 10,000 births in a specific region. In Okinawa, they found that women live on average eight years longer than British women, and rates of dementia are among the lowest in the world. This shows that, rather than a fixed formula, a Blue Zone tends to have a pattern and these patterns represent an environment where long, healthy lives are not the exception but the norm.

What do these places have in common?

Researchers summarised their findings into the Power 9® — nine habits shared across all Blue Zones:

1. Move naturally – walking, gardening, climbing hills rather than gym sessions.

2. Purpose – a reason to get up in the morning (ikigai in Okinawa, plan de vida in Nicoya).

3. Down-shift – daily rituals that reduce stress: napping, prayer, tea with friends.

4. 80% rule – stop eating when you’re 80% full (hara hachi bu).

5. Plant-focused diet – beans, grains, greens and seasonal produce.

6. Moderate alcohol – enjoyed socially.

7. Belonging – faith, community or shared spiritual practice.

8. Loved ones first – family bonds across generations.

9. Values-based tribe – social circles that reinforce healthy behaviours.

It's important to recognise though that people in these areas don’t chase longevity, they simply live in ways that make it almost inevitable.

How diet and movement differ from modern life

In Blue Zones, food is grown, gathered and shared locally. Beans, vegetables, tofu, whole grains and olive oil dominate. Meals are simple, seasonal and enjoyed in community. The 80% rule creates a natural mindfulness around food, stopping before fullness rather than eating to capacity.

Compare that with much of the Western world, where ultra-processed foods, oversized portions and rushed meals are common, in fact, expected, in some cases! In Blue Zones, eating is not just nourishment but a daily act of balance and connection.

Exercise isn’t treated as a scheduled task, it’s embedded in life itself, whether that's walking to a neighbour’s house, tending to a garden or kneading dough. The natural topography of Sardinia’s hills or Ikaria’s steep paths keeps people moving without them ever setting foot in a gym. This is a notable contrast to our often sedentary routines. Commutes, desks, devices... Punctuated by short bursts of “fitness” effort. In Blue Zones, there’s no separation between living and moving.

Would You Try a Blue Zone Habit This Week?

🟢 Take a slow, unhurried walk with a friend, no phones, no pace goals.
🟢 Stop eating when you feel about 80% full.
🟢 Write one line that answers: Why do I get up in the morning?
🟢 Sit quietly for five minutes and breathe before your day begins.

Can we create our own Blue Zones?

So, do we have to move to the other side of the world to live longer and better, or can we recreate the conditions that make those places thrive? This could start small, with choosing local food, walking to the shop, turning dinner into a shared ritual instead of a solo rush. Maybe it’s more about nurturing friendships that feel like family, or stepping away from busyness just long enough to hear what your inner voice wants to say.

These gentle threads running through all Blue Zones are something we can choose to cultivate wherever we are!

Reflection: where you live, and how you live

So, how far from the happy and healthy Blue Zone lifestyle do you think you are? Ask yourself:

• Do I feel aligned with my environment, or at odds with it?

• Do I have daily movement built naturally into my life?

• How often do I genuinely slow down... Pause, breathe, reset?

• Do I feel connected to others, to something beyond myself?

• What’s my ikigai — my reason for getting up in the morning?

Would you want to live in a Blue Zone? Are you already creating one around you, piece by piece?

Perhaps longevity isn’t your goal at all, which is understandable, maybe it's just enough to enjoy the years we have in our average lifespan... Perhaps the real secret of the Blue Zones is to live well enough that you forget to count the years.