How Japanese spirituality can help make everyday life more beautiful

About this episode

Hiroko Yoda discusses how Japanese spirituality can enhance everyday life through various traditions.

Growing up in Tokyo, Hiroko Yoda never thought of herself as religious, but after her mother died, she began exploring the spiritual traditions of her homeland. She was inspired by the Shinto idea that there are '8 million spiritual beings', animating everything we encounter. In the different practices of Shintoism, Buddhism, and Shugendo, Hiroko found practical means of emotional support, and also ways of making her everyday life more beautiful. Further information Hiroko Yoda's book is called Eight Million Ways to Happiness This episode explores Japan, spirituality, psychology, Shintoism, Buddhism, Shugendo, family, grief, healing, religion, walking, parents, death, Tokyo, emotional support. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

People in this episode

Hosts: Richard Fidler, Sarah Kanowski

Guest: Hiroko Yoda

Topics covered

• Japan
• spirituality
• psychology
• Shintoism
• Buddhism
• grief
• healing

Keywords

• spirituality
• Shintoism
• Buddhism
• emotional support
• grief
• healing
• Tokyo

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ABC Australia

Books & works: Eight Million Ways to Happiness

Places: Tokyo

More episodes of Conversations

• From party trick to pop star — meet Molly Lewis, professional whistler · June 12, 2026 · 51 min
• Encore: My adventures on the high seas with a fugitive on the run · June 11, 2026 · 50 min
• Algorithms, accountability and the 'manosphere'—empowering men to be the solution · June 10, 2026 · 53 min
• Encore: The remarkable life of Professor Richard Scolyer · June 9, 2026 · 52 min
• Hip Hop, home, and humanity—'trials' on reckoning with his origin story · June 5, 2026 · 52 min
• Learning from the mighty matriarchs of the animal kingdom · June 4, 2026 · 52 min