2025.04.03

1. The ultimate method of luck in the Edo period: "Food is life and destiny"

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"Food is life." This phrase is very familiar to us, but few people may have a deep understanding of its true meaning. Mizuno Nanboku, who made a name for himself as a Kansō family in the Edo period, was under the patronage of the Imperial Family, and had 200 disciples, added the aspect of "fate" to this word, declaring that "food is life and destiny." Throughout his life, he showed how moderation in eating can lead to destiny, and he was very successful in his later years.

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Edo-period Kansō Mizuno Nanboku preaches

Edo-period Kansō Mizuno Nanboku preaches

Through the teachings of Dr. Mizuno Nanboku, we aim to unravel the deep connection between food and fate and serve as a compass for readers to enrich their lives in the future. Luck is not left to heaven, but can be created by one's own deeds. Let's unravel the surprising teaching that "food" is the key to this.

Food disorders lurking in the shadow of the short-lived tragic heroes and heroines

If you look back at history, there are many great people and tragic heroines who died in a short time. If they had tried to be moderate in their food, their fate might have been very different. In addition, it cannot be ruled out that people who had a task they wanted to accomplish but fell ill and died unexpectedly before it was completed may have been caused by disordered eating.

I want to improve my luck at work, in my family, in my health, and in all aspects of my life. It is a natural emotion for us humans to hope so. However, some of you may have given up, saying, "It's impossible to make all your luck better." According to the teachings of Dr. Mizuno Nanboku, by practicing the right diet, it is possible to fulfill all of these wishes, be very satisfied with your life, and have a peaceful end. Doesn't this fact bring infinite hope to our lives?

The origin of my interest in the background and physiognomy of Dr. Mizuno Nanboku

In order to deeply understand Mizuno's teachings, it is first necessary to know his upbringing. According to the "Nanboku Sōhō Secret Practice Record", Sensei was born in Awaza (present-day Namba) in Osaka, lost his parents at a young age, and was raised by relatives. It is common in the world for orphans who grow up without knowing the love of their parents to become delinquents. The teacher was no exception, and he learned to drink alcohol from around the age of 10, bought alcohol as soon as he had money, and spent his days working roughly.

When he was 18 years old, he committed a bad act in a desire to pay for alcohol and was put in prison. This experience in prison was a turning point that changed his life significantly. I realized that there was a clear difference between the faces of criminals in prison and those who work diligently in society.

The Encounter of the "Phase of Sword Tribulation" and the Temperance of Food

After leaving the prison, the teacher asks the townspeople to look at his phase, and he is told that "you have a sword phase, and you have one year left to live," and he is overwhelmed with fear. When I asked him how to save himself, he told me that he had no choice but to become ordained and become a monk.

Clutching at straws, he rushed to a nearby Zen temple and begged to be ordained, but the priest saw the teacher's face and tried to decline the offer. However, he imposed a condition: "If you can continue to practice eating only wheat and white beans for the next one year, you can become a disciple."

In order to survive, the teacher continued to eat only wheat and white beans while working as a hamaokishi. A year later, when he goes to the temple again, he meets the physiognomy who had seen him before. To his surprise, as soon as he saw the teacher's face, he asked, "The sword tribulation phase is gone, have you accumulated any great merit?" The teacher replies that he has not done any particularly good deeds, but that he has abstained from eating in order to become a monk. "That's it," said the physiognomy, "that the sobriety of the meal has led to the accumulation of great virtue."

On the path of a Kansoke

Moved by this event, the teacher gave up on becoming a monk and began to study Kanso. As a bathhouse sansuke, I explored the mysteries of the bathhouse by observing the whole body of the guests in the bath, and observing the phases of the dead as a hideout at the crematorium. And finally, he mastered the path of Kanso.

He did not eat any rice or rice cakes, drank less alcohol, and continued to moderate his meals. And in his later years, he was very successful. It is said that after receiving the divine revelation that "food is God, life, and the source of destiny here" at the Ise Jingu Outer Shrine, he was able to make decisions that were always correct as a Kansō family.

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Predicting the future by the amount of food you eat: Teachings of Dr. Mizuno Nanboku

Dr. Mizuno made thorough observations to determine the effects of diet on people. He asserted that "luck is food" and preached the importance of food. "By determining whether a person eats more or less, let us pass on the law of knowing one's pleasures, dignity, possessions, lifespan, and future fortunes."

So, what is the difference between a coarse eater, a glutton, a glutton, and a gastronomic luxury?

A person who eats coarsely, fulfills his good fortune

The teacher said, "A person who eats less than his or her own allowance (a person who eats less than his or her stomach) is lucky even if his face is a little bad, and he has a natural amount of happiness for it, and he is not short-lived, and he is good even in old age." Those who continue to eat coarsely, even if they are in a bad state, can gain happiness and longevity, leave a fortune to their descendants, and leave a name after death. However, even if you usually eat coarse, it is considered bad if the amount of food is not constant, such as sometimes eating a large meal.

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People who are big eaters, and there is a constant struggle

"A person who eats more than his or her limit (a person who eats more than he does), no matter how good his face is, will have problems with everything good and bad. On top of that, there will be constant struggles throughout life, and there will be a lot of trouble in old age." It is said that gluttonous people, even if they are born with good looks and talents, are not able to take advantage of their luck and live a life of constant hardship.

Destroying gluttony

"A man who always eats and drinks as much as he pleases, no matter how good his face may be, will be unstable in status, position, and division, and will be difficult and unstable to establish, and the poor will become more and more impoverished and impoverished. Furthermore, even if you are a rich or famous person who is envied by others, you will eventually lose your home. If you have a bad face, you should be prepared that there will be no coffin even if you take your last breath," he says of the horror of gluttony. Gluttony is an extremely dangerous act that can lead to the destruction of a person's life.

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Gastronomic lovers, the road to ruin

"A man who always enjoys delicious food until he is full is a very bad person, no matter how splendid his face may be, and if he does not deepen his modesty, he will lose his home, and he will not be able to advance and develop throughout his life. The poor should know that they will only struggle and will not leave their mark for the rest of their lives, but will suffer and die," he said, strongly warning of the dangers of preferring gastronomy. Gastronomy not only undermines health and longevity, but also hinders all success in a person's life.

The arrogance of the heart brought about by gastronomy

Dr. Mizuno points out that gastronomy creates arrogance in the heart. It is said that arrogance destroys virtue and leads to a vicious cycle. In addition, sake is also one of the gastronomic dishes, and people who drink a lot of alcohol are considered to be synonymous with people who are big eaters. Liking gastronomy is an act that increases desires and leads to a loss of humility, which can lead to self-destruction.

What is Virtue: Invisible Assets and Abilities

Dr. Mizuno interpreted the phrase "luck is also a part of ability" to mean "luck is brought about by virtue." Virtue is an invisible, valuable asset and ability, and the more virtue there is, the more ability is demonstrated. In particular, he preaches that a person who is not born or educated well, but has strong luck and leads a prosperous life both financially and in relationships, is a virtuous person.

Virtue includes both the virtues of the past life and the virtues of this life. Virtuous people are helped by others, can easily survive calamities and tribulations, and ultimately win their own lives. On the other hand, a person who lacks virtue is not able to demonstrate his abilities and pass through the world well. There is no one to help you when you are in trouble, you are troubled by relationships, and even if your life is good in the first half, you will be hit by bad luck in the second half and meet a regrettable end.

Accumulating Yin Virtue, True Virtue

There are two types of virtues: yang virtue and yin virtue. Visible good deeds, such as charity, donations, and volunteering, are called yang virtues. On the other hand, good deeds that are done out of sight of people are called yin virtue. Dr. Mizuno states that yin virtue is the true virtue. "What do you have, and what do you give? For a person, the real possession is nothing but food. Giving this real thing is called true yin virtue."

The alms given by a person with a full stomach are mere leftovers, not true alms. However, the act of reducing one's own diet and giving it to others is the true yin virtue. Yin virtue is said to be full of heaven and earth, and has the power to transform the destiny of short life into longevity, and the destiny of poverty into good fortune. It is even said that a true yin virtuous person destroys all evils and is invincible.

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Gastronomy, gluttony makes us lose our virtues

Virtue is lost by overeating every day. The act of eating a lot of delicious food diminishes virtue day by day. Many modern people enjoy gluttony and gastronomy, but according to Mizuno's teachings, this act is making one's own bad luck.
If you continue to eat gluttony and gastronomy, arrogance will arise in your heart. They look down on others, show off, bully people, want more money than they need, and want status and honor even if they knock people down. As a result, disgust and shame appear in the face of the face, and people do not like it.
Gastronomy and gluttony deprive the body of vitality, deprive it of strength, and lead to illness and short life. Dr. Mizuno teaches that "abstaining from food earnestly" is the true yin virtue, the way to reduce arrogance, keep illness away, exercise one's true abilities, and build one's fortune. However, it is important to note that if you boast excessively about the fact that you have accumulated yin virtue or convey it excessively, the yin virtue will become a yang virtue and the effect of virtue will decrease.

Mizuno Nanboku's Teachings in Modern Society

Mizuno's teachings provide us with very important suggestions in modern society. In today's age, which is said to be the age of satiation, we are constantly exposed to the temptation of food. However, Mizuno-sensei's teachings teach us that it is essential to abstain from food in order to overcome that temptation and achieve true happiness.

In today's world of increasing health awareness, improving dietary habits has become an increasingly important issue. By not only reducing calories, but also viewing your daily diet as an act of accumulating virtue, you will be able to be physically and mentally healthy and enrich your life.

By practicing Mizuno-sensei's teachings, we can carve out our own destiny and achieve true happiness.

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