Japan

Explore 38 quotes by people from Japan

One loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them.

Masanobu Fukuoka

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Topic

Seeking happiness Seeking Happiness Letting go

Author

Masanobu Fukuoka

Source

The One-Straw Revolution

Statement Type

Paradox Zen koan

Language

Japanese

Time

1975 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fukuoka, Masanobu. 自然農法 わら一本の革命 [One-Straw Revolution]. Hakujusha, 1975.

If you hire only those people whom you understand, the company will never get better people than you are.

Soichiro Honda

More information about this quote

Topic

Employees Management Business

Speaker

Soichiro Honda

Source

Honda Motor

Genre

Biography

Language

Japanese

Time

1982 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Honda, Soichiro. Quoted in Honda Motor: The Men, the Management, the Machines by Tetsuo Sakiya. Kodansha, 1985.

Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?

Haruki Murakami

Sputnik Sweetheart

More information about this quote

Topic

Loneliness Isolation The human condition

Author

Haruki Murakami

Source

Sputnik Sweetheart

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Question

Language

Japanese

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Murakami, Haruki. スプートニクの恋人 [Sputnik Sweetheart]. Kodansha, 1999.

Money is not for saving.

Yayoi Kusama

More information about this quote

Topic

Saving money Personal finances Money

Speaker

Yayoi Kusama

Source

Yayoi Kusama

Medium

Interview

Language

Japanese

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Kusama, Yayoi. Interviewed by Damien Hirst. Published in the catalogue to accompany Now, an exhibition of Kusama’s work. Robert Miller Gallery, New York City, NY, USA.

If you remember me, then I don't care if everyone else forgets.

Haruki Murakami

Kafka on the Shore

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Topic

Memory

Speaker

Miss Saeki

Author

Haruki Murakami

Source

Kafka on the Shore

Medium

Novel

Language

Japanese

Time

2002 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Murakami, Haruki. 海辺のカフカ [Kafka on the Shore]. Shinchosha, 2002.

Singlemindedness is all-powerful.

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

More information about this quote

Topic

Singlemindedness Focus

Author

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Source

Hagakure

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

Japanese

Time

1716 1710s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Yamamoto, Tsunemomo. 葉隠 [Hagakure]. c. 1716.

Ceaselessly the river flows, and yet the water is never the same, while in the still pools the shifting foam gathers and is gone, never staying for a moment. Even so is man and his habitation.

Kamo no Chomei

More information about this quote

Topic

Rivers Water The only constant is change Impermanence The human condition

Author

Kamo no Chomei

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Japanese

Time

1212 1210s 13th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Kamo no Chomei. 方丈記 [An Account of My Hut]. c. 1212.

It was one of those events which at a crucial stage in one's development arrive to challenge and stretch one to the limit of one's ability and beyond, so that thereafter one has a new standard by which to judge oneself.

Kazuo Ishiguro

The Remains of the Day

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Topic

Overcoming obstacles Personal growth

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro

Source

The Remains of the Day

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Faber & Faber, 1989.

A company will get nowhere if all of the thinking is left to management.

Akio Morita

More information about this quote

Topic

Running a business Management Business

Author

Akio Morita

Source

Made in Japan

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Language

Japanese

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Morita, Akio and Edwin M. Reingold and Mitsuko Simomura. Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony. ‎E. P. Dutton, 1986.

Perhaps, then, there is something to his advice that I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day.

Kazuo Ishiguro

The Remains of the Day

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Topic

Dwelling on the past Making the most

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro

Source

The Remains of the Day

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Faber & Faber, 1989.

But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably drive oneself to distraction in this way.

Kazuo Ishiguro

The Remains of the Day

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Topic

Dwelling on the past

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro

Source

The Remains of the Day

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Faber & Faber, 1989.

It is a terrible shame for me-I came back, still alive, without having won the war.

Shoichi Yokoi

On returning to Japan after surviving for 28 years in the jungles of Guam before surrendering to the Americans in 1972.

More information about this quote

Topic

World War II Shame

Speaker

Shoichi Yokoi

Source

Independent

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1997 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Yokoi, Shoichi. Quoted in "Obituary: Shoichi Yokoi." Written by James Kirkup. The Independent, 25 Sept. 1997.

The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.

Masanobu Fukuoka

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Topic

Farming Human flourishing

Author

Masanobu Fukuoka

Source

The One-Straw Revolution

Language

Japanese

Time

1975 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fukuoka, Masanobu. 自然農法 わら一本の革命 [One-Straw Revolution]. Hakujusha, 1975.

Don't get rid of negative emotion, but just use it... Like the salt in your food.

Yoko Ono

More information about this quote

Topic

Artistic process Negative emotions Emotions Motivation

Author

Yoko Ono

Source

Twitter

Medium

Tweet

Language

English

Time

2016 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Yoko Ono [@yokoono]. "Don't get rid of negative emotion, but just use it...like the salt in your food." Twitter, 27 Mar. 2016, 3:12 p.m., twitter.com/yokoono/status/714168108844523520.

If a warrior is not unattached to life and death, he will be of no use whatsoever.

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

More information about this quote

Topic

Martial courage Courage War

Author

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Source

Hagakure

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

Japanese

Time

1716 1710s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Yamamoto, Tsunemomo. 葉隠 [Hagakure]. c. 1716.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.

Shunryu Suzuki

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Topic

Open-mindedness Clean slate Possibility

Author

Shunryu Suzuki

Source

Zen Mind, Beginnner's Mind

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill, 1970. Originally a talk given at his Zen center in c. 1969, Los Altos, CA, USA.

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

Shunryu Suzuki

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Topic

Open-mindedness Clean slate Possibility Acceptance

Author

Shunryu Suzuki

Source

Zen Mind, Beginnner's Mind

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill, 1970. Originally a talk given at his Zen center in c. 1969, Los Altos, CA, USA.

A mind full of preconceived ideas, subjective intentions, or habits is not open to things as they are.

Shunryu Suzuki

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Topic

Closed-mindedness Open-mindedness Habits Acceptance

Author

Shunryu Suzuki

Source

Zen Mind, Beginnner's Mind

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill, 1970. Originally a talk given at his Zen center in c. 1969, Los Altos, CA, USA.