Naiakan is a Japanese word that means "looking within," although with a more poetic translation, it could mean "to look at oneself with the eyes of the mind."

It is a structured method of reflection that helps us understand ourselves, our relationships, and the fundamental nature of human existence.

Naiakan was developed in Japan in the 1940s by Ishin Yoshimoto, a dedicated Buddhist of the Pure Land sect (Jodo Shinshu). His strong religious spirit led him to the method of mishirabe, a painful and difficult method of meditation and reflection.

However, wanting to make this kind of introspection available to everyone, he created Naiakan as a method that can be applied on a wide scale.