Cultural Currents of Mindfulness: Tracing Mindfulness’s Use and Influence in Japan

Mindfulness research in Japan predominantly frames the concept within therapeutic and wellness contexts in clinical, educational, and occupational settings. Culturally grounded adaptations incorporate practices such as Naikan, Zen meditation, and martial arts, alongside thematic emphases on relational and psychosomatic processes. However, explicit engagement with cultural adaptation is relatively limited, raising questions about the extent to which local cultural contexts are informing or being overlooked. The authors argue that as mindfulness circulates globally, context-sensitive approaches that engage with both global frameworks and local conceptual traditions are needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Objectives: Mindfulness is now widely studied and applied in psychology, yet its use and adaptation in non-Western contexts remain underexplored. This study examines how mindfulness is discussed and studied within Japanese scholarly literature. Methods: A two-pronged approach was employed: a scoping review of English-language publications to identify prevailing research patterns (Study 1), and a topic modelling analysis of Japanese-language literature to explore themes (Study 2). Results: Findings from both analyses indicate that mindfulness in Japan is predominantly framed within therapeutic and wellness-oriented contexts in clinical, educational, and occupational settings. At the same time, culturally grounded adaptations were observed, including the incorporation of practices such as Naikan, Zen meditation, and martial arts, alongside thematic emphases on relational and psychosomatic processes. However, explicit engagement with cultural adaptation was relatively limited, raising questions about the extent to which local cultural contexts are informing or being overlooked in the adaptation process. Conclusion: As mindfulness continues to circulate globally, findings from this study highlight the need for context-sensitive approaches that engage with both global frameworks and local conceptual traditions.