Quotes by Japanese Authors | Beyond Motive

top of page

Quotes by Japanese Authors

"Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure."

"Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure."

Soichiro Honda, Japanese Businessman

Success, Work, Failure, Results

164

"Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock-n-roll."

"Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock-n-roll."

Shigeru Miyamoto, Japanese Designer

129

"Everything in the world has its reasons for doing what it does. The wind has its reasons. We just don't notice as we go about our lives. But then, at some point, we are made to notice. The wind envelops you with a certain purpose in mind, and it rocks you. The wind knows everything that's inside you. And not just the wind. Everything, including a stone. They all know us very well. From top to bottom. It only occurs to us at certain times. And all we can do is go with those things. As we take them in, we survive, and deepen."

"Everything in the world has its reasons for doing what it does. The wind has its reasons. We just don't notice as we go about our lives. But then, at some point, we are made to notice. The wind envelops you with a certain purpose in mind, and it rocks you. The wind knows everything that's inside you. And not just the wind. Everything, including a stone. They all know us very well. From top to bottom. It only occurs to us at certain times. And all we can do is go with those things. As we take them in, we survive, and deepen."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Nature, Reason, Purpose, Survival

98

"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer."

"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer."

Shunryu Suzuki, Japanese Leader

96

"Tradition can, to be sure, participate in a creation, but it can no longer be creative itself."

"Tradition can, to be sure, participate in a creation, but it can no longer be creative itself."

Kenzo Tange, Japanese Architect

Creation, Tradition

95

"Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love."

"Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

Love, Power, Trust, Bravery

89

"I came to America to become an architect. And somewhere along the line while I was still in school, I was lured into theater, and that's how I became interested in theater. My first play was something called "A Banquet for the Moon." It was a weird play."

"I came to America to become an architect. And somewhere along the line while I was still in school, I was lured into theater, and that's how I became interested in theater. My first play was something called "A Banquet for the Moon." It was a weird play."

Mako, Japanese Actor

America, First, Moon, Play

86

"The causes of the China Incident were the exclusion and insult of Japan throughout China, the exclusion of Japanese goods, the persecution of Japanese residents in China, and the illegal violation of Japanese rights."

"The causes of the China Incident were the exclusion and insult of Japan throughout China, the exclusion of Japanese goods, the persecution of Japanese residents in China, and the illegal violation of Japanese rights."

Hideki Tojo, Japanese Soldier

Cause, Causes, Rights, Insult, Persecution

84

"In this context, the current recovery in the Japanese economy is taking place in tandem with the growing interdependence with the rest of the world, particularly with the other East Asian economies."

"In this context, the current recovery in the Japanese economy is taking place in tandem with the growing interdependence with the rest of the world, particularly with the other East Asian economies."

Toshihiko Fukui, Japanese Public Servant

Economy, Rest, World

84

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Resilience, Pain, Suffering, Choice

79

"There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within."

"There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

Art, Peace, Contention, Defeat

71

"The most important thing is that it's much more fun to play in a band than to be in an audience in a club. That's the main thing I think, that you can do it."

"The most important thing is that it's much more fun to play in a band than to be in an audience in a club. That's the main thing I think, that you can do it."

Ikue Mori, Japanese Musician

70

"I noticed that democracy was broken and tried to work on fixing that in Japan. Then I realized that it was broken all over the place and decided to work on that too."

"I noticed that democracy was broken and tried to work on fixing that in Japan. Then I realized that it was broken all over the place and decided to work on that too."

Joichi Ito, Japanese Businessman

Work, Democracy

66

"The truth is at the beginning of anything and its end are alike touching."

"The truth is at the beginning of anything and its end are alike touching."

Kenko Yoshida, Japanese Poet

Truth, Beginning, End

63

"People tend not to use this word beauty because it's not intellectual - but there has to be an overlap between beauty and intellect."

"People tend not to use this word beauty because it's not intellectual - but there has to be an overlap between beauty and intellect."

Tadao Ando, Japanese Architect

Beauty, People, Intellect, Word

61

"In fact, the recent increase in intra-firm trading enables businesses to shift their activities across borders smoothly, thereby strengthening the response of economic activity to exchange rate movements in the long run."

"In fact, the recent increase in intra-firm trading enables businesses to shift their activities across borders smoothly, thereby strengthening the response of economic activity to exchange rate movements in the long run."

Toshihiko Fukui, Japanese Public Servant

61

"My one ambition is to play a hero."

"My one ambition is to play a hero."

Sessue Hayakawa, Japanese Actor

60

"Many people will say, well, clothes should be worn; but I think people can look at them in public, like seeing a film. I think museum exhibitions are very important."

"Many people will say, well, clothes should be worn; but I think people can look at them in public, like seeing a film. I think museum exhibitions are very important."

Issey Miyake, Japanese Designer

People, Clothes, Film, Public

59

"With weak balance sheets, banks tend to continue lending unprofitable businesses and leave them existing."

"With weak balance sheets, banks tend to continue lending unprofitable businesses and leave them existing."

Toshihiko Fukui, Japanese Public Servant

59

"I hope that America as a whole, and especially its architects, will become more seriously involved in producing a new architectural culture that would bring the nation to the apex - where it has stood before - and lead the world."

"I hope that America as a whole, and especially its architects, will become more seriously involved in producing a new architectural culture that would bring the nation to the apex - where it has stood before - and lead the world."

Tadao Ando, Japanese Architect

Hope, America, Culture, Nation

59

"That most unfortunate war, which I deeply deplore."

"That most unfortunate war, which I deeply deplore."

Hirohito, Japanese Leader

58

"Justice has nothing to do with victor nations and vanquished nations, but must be a moral standard that all the world's peoples can agree to. To seek this and to achieve it - that is true civilization."

"Justice has nothing to do with victor nations and vanquished nations, but must be a moral standard that all the world's peoples can agree to. To seek this and to achieve it - that is true civilization."

Hideki Tojo, Japanese Soldier

Civilization, Justice, Nations, Nothing

58

"There's a practical problem about time and energy, and a more subtle problem of what it does to a writer's head, to continually analyze why they write, where it all comes from, where it's going to."

"There's a practical problem about time and energy, and a more subtle problem of what it does to a writer's head, to continually analyze why they write, where it all comes from, where it's going to."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

Time, Energy, Writer

57

"From the beginning I thought about working with the body in movement, the space between the body and clothes. I wanted the clothes to move when people moved. The clothes are also for people to dance or laugh."

"From the beginning I thought about working with the body in movement, the space between the body and clothes. I wanted the clothes to move when people moved. The clothes are also for people to dance or laugh."

Issey Miyake, Japanese Designer

Thought, People, Dance, Beginning

57

"As I grew up, I was continually to suffer hardships in different realms of life - in my family, in my relationship to Japanese society and in my way of living at large in the latter half of the twentieth century."

"As I grew up, I was continually to suffer hardships in different realms of life - in my family, in my relationship to Japanese society and in my way of living at large in the latter half of the twentieth century."

Kenzaburo Oe, Japanese Writer

Life, Society, Family, Living

56

"The world is in motion, as it seems."

"The world is in motion, as it seems."

Utada Hikaru, Japanese Musician

56

"A vote for Japan is a vote for the future of rugby. We will do our best to make rugby a global sport."

"A vote for Japan is a vote for the future of rugby. We will do our best to make rugby a global sport."

Yoshiro Mori, Japanese Prime Minister

Future, Vote, Will

56

"There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one."

"There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

56

"The divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us."

"The divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

55

"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."

"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."

Sen Rikyu, Japanese Celebrity

First, Tea, Water

55

"There's some familiarity in Celtic music, even if you've never heard that piece of music before."

"There's some familiarity in Celtic music, even if you've never heard that piece of music before."

Nobuo Uematsu, Japanese Composer

Music, Familiarity

54

"Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future."

"Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future."

Kenzo Tange, Japanese Architect

Power, Future, Reform, Today

54

"We have a long way to go before we are able to hear the voices of everyone on earth, but I believe that providing voices and building bridges is essential for the World Peace we all wish for."

"We have a long way to go before we are able to hear the voices of everyone on earth, but I believe that providing voices and building bridges is essential for the World Peace we all wish for."

Joichi Ito, Japanese Businessman

Peace, Building, Earth, World

53

"Man is a child of his environment."

"Man is a child of his environment."

Shinichi Suzuki, Japanese Educator

Environment, Man

52

"I had been plunged into a different world. I found myself spending half my time answering weird questions on book tours in the Midwest. People would stand up and explain to me the situation in their office and ask me whether they should resign or not."

"I had been plunged into a different world. I found myself spending half my time answering weird questions on book tours in the Midwest. People would stand up and explain to me the situation in their office and ask me whether they should resign or not."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

Time, People, Office, Questions

52

"In the beginning, I was searching for myself in my music. My music was for me. I didn't have the mental room to be conscious of the listener; I wrote to save myself."

"In the beginning, I was searching for myself in my music. My music was for me. I didn't have the mental room to be conscious of the listener; I wrote to save myself."

Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese Musician

Music, Beginning

51

"What is difficult is the promotion, balancing the public side of a writer's life with the writing. I think that's something a lot of writers are having to face. Writers have become much more public now."

"What is difficult is the promotion, balancing the public side of a writer's life with the writing. I think that's something a lot of writers are having to face. Writers have become much more public now."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

Life, Now, Promotion, Public

50

"I can bear any pain as long as it has meaning."

"I can bear any pain as long as it has meaning."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Endurance, Pain, Meaning

50

"The level of detail and craft is something that's inscribed within the original design concept. And so when I begin to draw, I know what kind of detailing I want the building to have."

"The level of detail and craft is something that's inscribed within the original design concept. And so when I begin to draw, I know what kind of detailing I want the building to have."

Tadao Ando, Japanese Architect

Design, Building, Detail, Want

49

"Japan is the only country in the world which suffered from the scourge of nuclear weapons."

"Japan is the only country in the world which suffered from the scourge of nuclear weapons."

Yoshiro Mori, Japanese Prime Minister

Country, Weapons, World

49

"Actually, there was another band where we were three girls, around '84 when I met John Zorn, called Sunset Chorus. It was just bass and drums and guitar- we didn't make any records but we played a lot of different clubs in New York."

"Actually, there was another band where we were three girls, around '84 when I met John Zorn, called Sunset Chorus. It was just bass and drums and guitar- we didn't make any records but we played a lot of different clubs in New York."

Ikue Mori, Japanese Musician

Girls, Guitar, Sunset

49

"However, the occasional visit of success provides just the excitement an engineer needs to face work the following day."

"However, the occasional visit of success provides just the excitement an engineer needs to face work the following day."

Koichi Tanaka, Japanese Scientist

Success, Work, Day, Excitement

48

"All we can do is see it through to the end and learn something from it, but what we learn will be no help in facing the next sorrow that comes to us without warning."

"All we can do is see it through to the end and learn something from it, but what we learn will be no help in facing the next sorrow that comes to us without warning."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Emotion, Sorrow, Learning, Life, Resilience

48

"Preparing food is not just about yourself and others. It is about everything!"

"Preparing food is not just about yourself and others. It is about everything!"

Shunryu Suzuki, Japanese Leader

47

"A certain recluse, I know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky."

"A certain recluse, I know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky."

Kenko Yoshida, Japanese Poet

Life, Regret, Sky

45

"One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train."

"One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

Art, Money, Peace, Power

45

"When reflecting upon it today, that the Pearl Harbor attack should have succeeded in achieving surprise seems a blessing from Heaven. It was clear that a great American fleet had been concentrated in Pearl Harbor, and we supposed that the state of alert would be very high."

"When reflecting upon it today, that the Pearl Harbor attack should have succeeded in achieving surprise seems a blessing from Heaven. It was clear that a great American fleet had been concentrated in Pearl Harbor, and we supposed that the state of alert would be very high."

Hideki Tojo, Japanese Soldier

History, American, Heaven, State, Today

45

"People were incredibly kind to our family and went out of their way to help."

"People were incredibly kind to our family and went out of their way to help."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

Family, People, Help

44

"Living in Europe, I was surprised to find out just how little everyone knows about Japan."

"Living in Europe, I was surprised to find out just how little everyone knows about Japan."

Hidetoshi Nakata, Japanese Athlete

Awareness, Europe, Living

44

"I believe that the way people live can be directed a little by architecture."

"I believe that the way people live can be directed a little by architecture."

Tadao Ando, Japanese Architect

Architecture, People

42

bottom of page