Ikigai Elder Services Team

The founder of Ikigai Elder Services, Mayumi Niwa, was Born in Japan and grew up in Fukuoka City, which is well-known for its history and culture. Mayumi was deeply connected to the values of Japanese culture from a young age.  She lived with her grandparents, who planted the seeds of respect and love for elders in her heart. She remembers that being kind, having a warm heart, and carrying a smile were the gifts that her grandparents passed on to her. 

The gifts of Mayumi's grandparents are the foundation of Ikigai Elder Services today. Mayumi graduated from Fukuoka University with a degree in law and worked as a director of finance in a Japanese company for 18 years. She currently lives in Yokohama with her husband and her beautiful twins. Mayumi says reaching her mature age makes her think about what really matters in life and how she can contribute to the values of deep respect for elders that have been practiced for thousands of years in Japan. 

Mayumi decided to offer this respectful way of valuing elders to other elders. She believes that combining her Japanese and American culture can be a new innovation in elder care. This innovation is grounded in deep relational care between elders and their caregivers. 

Also an artist and spiritual person by nature, Mayumi likes to practice “sutra copyi,” a brush meditation. This form of meditation is recognized as a devotional practice comprising worship, literature, and calligraphy. Mayumi also likes to read poetry and enjoys pottery.