This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times

Residents of Okinawa are some of the world’s healthiest and happiest. Strong social networks and good food may be why.

This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times | National Geographic By Rob Goss Photographs by Alessandro Gandolfi, Parallelozero Published October 12, 2020 • 11 min read In the village of Ogimi, located in the rural north of Okinawa’s main island, there’s a small stone marker with a few sentences written in Japanese. Roughly translated, they read: “At 80, you are merely a youth. At 90, if your ancestors invite you into heaven, ask them to wait until you are 100—then, you might consider it.” That’s not bluster. At the latest count, 15 of Ogimi’s 3,000 vi

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