George Ohsawa

George Ohsawa
櫻澤 如一
Ohsawa in Paris, 1920
Born
Nyoichi Sakurazawa

(1893-10-18)October 18, 1893
DiedApril 23, 1966(1966-04-23) (aged 72)
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Author, proponent of alternative medicine
Known forFounding the macrobiotic diet
MovementMacrobiotic diet, Pacifism

George Ohsawa (born Nyoichi Sakurazawa (櫻澤 如一); October 18, 1893 – April 23, 1966) was a Japanese author and proponent of alternative medicine who was the founder of the macrobiotic diet. When living in Europe he went by the pen names of Musagendo Sakurazawa, Nyoiti Sakurazawa, and Yukikazu Sakurazawa. He also used the French first name Georges while living in France, and his name is sometimes also given this spelling. He wrote about 300 books in Japanese and 20 in French. He defined health on the basis of seven criteria: lack of fatigue, good appetite, good sleep, good memory, good humour, precision of thought and action, and gratitude.