How a Sick City Became the Healthiest Place in Japan
Trade shaming for moderation
If you type into the Google search bar, “What is the healthiest prefecture in Japan?” one spot comes out on top in big, bold letters: Nagano Prefecture.
Some people might be surprised, expecting Okinawa to be the healthiest prefecture. The Okinawan diet is famous around the world and its people are known for living long, healthy lives. While this is true, especially among traditional Okinawan communities that continue to adhere to old ways of living, Nagano has surpassed it.
In 2015, the people of Nagano had a life expectancy of 84.72 (81.75 for men, 87.68 for women), an average that put it at the top in terms of longevity in the country (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The prefecture also has the lowest rate of deaths due to illnesses such as heart disease, liver disease, cancer, and pneumonia in the country.
So why don’t we hear about Nagano that often? Until quite recently, Nagano was among the unhealthiest prefectures in the country. They had the highest rates of salt consumption, and, correspondingly, notoriously high rates of deaths due to strokes and heart attacks.
