Relationships between leisure and life worth living: a content analysis of photographic data

Abstract

Many studies have examined the relationships between leisure and subjective well-being. However, eudaimonic (e.g. meaning) and non-Western perspectives are lacking. Moreover, comparing leisure with other life domains could clarify leisure’s unique roles in the pursuit of well-being. This study explores leisure’s relationships with ikigai, a Japanese eudaimonic well-being concept. A purposeful sample of 27 Japanese university students provided 247 pictures of ikigai which they categorized into leisure and non-leisure groups. Photographic data were analysed via content analysis. The majority of ikigai pictures were associated with leisure. Compared with non-leisure pictures, leisure photographs were more frequently coded with ‘hobby/leisure’ and ‘nature’, while less frequently coded with ‘relationships’, ‘organizational activities’, ‘education’, and ‘values’. Leisure’s unique roles in student’s pursuit of ikigai relate to providing casual and enjoyable experiences, private time and space, and nature-based experiences. Our findings are discussed in relation to leisure studies, ikigai studies, and research on meaning in life.