Mottos of Japanese music artists: words that resonate with the heart
A personal motto is something you keep in mind as you go through life.
People use all kinds of phrases—four-character idioms and quotes from famous figures, for example.
Some of you may be looking for the personal mottos of Japanese pop artists who share their music through singing and instrumental performance.
In this article, we’ll introduce a collection of personal mottos from Japanese music artists.
We’ve gathered heartwarming words mainly from magazine and TV interviews.
Check out these messages that can support your heart when you’re striving toward dreams and goals or when you’re feeling down.
- One-line Quotes from Great Figures That Strike the Heart | A Collection of Words That Leave a Deep Impression
- Quotes by artists. Wonderful words from Japanese musicians.
- Cool quotes from Japanese (J-pop) artists and musicians
- Life quotes from Western music artists
- [One-liner Quotes] Recommended for those hesitant about effort! A collection of quotes that might make you want to try harder
- Mottos that are sure to lift your spirits and keep you positive!
- One-Line Life Quotes: Carefully selected words that gently nudge you forward
- Cool quotes from Western music artists
- A must-see for those who just can’t stay positive! A collection of inspiring quotes to lift a heavy heart
- Quotes you'll want to say out loud! A collection of cool lines from anime and words that strike the heart
- It’s sure to resonate most with those who are striving! Words of encouragement from great figures and famous people.
- Ghibli quotes that resonate with the heart! A collection of inspiring lines that give you strength when you’re feeling down
- Powerful yet gentle, words that save the heart... Encouraging words that lift you up in tough times.
Mottos of Japanese Music Artists: Words That Resonate in the Heart (11–20)
It is precisely because people keep changing that they can remain the same.Yumi Matsutoya
Yumi Matsutoya is a female singer who has remained popular across all eras.
Perhaps the reason she continues to thrive in any era is that she lives by these very words.
There are things that change simply by growing older or repeating the same things, and there are things that must change in order not to change.
If it’s tough now, it’ll definitely feel great once it’s over.Kazumasa Oda
The motto of singer-songwriter Kazumasa Oda—who has created numerous beloved songs such as “Kirakira” and “Kotoba ni Dekinai”—encapsulates his approach to making music.
He spoke about this motto in Nobuaki Onuki’s book Kazumasa Oda Interview: Tashikana Koto, conveying the message that results follow when you overcome hardship—that it’s precisely by facing difficulties that you can succeed.
Remembering these words when you feel discouraged will surely help you push yourself a little further.
I’d die for my health.Sunplaza Nakano-kun
“Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse!?” It’s the kind of humorous personal motto that makes you want to crack a joke.
Triggered by losing his father to illness, Mr.
Sunplaza Nakano-kun began paying close attention to his health, and in fact, he has even published a book on how to stay healthy with a focus on eating habits.
This phrase, blending how seriously he thinks about health with his sense of humor, is downright convincing!
The ripest rice bows its head the lowest.Aya Shimazu
Ayako Shimazu, who has been active as an enka singer since 1986, has a favorite motto that likens the idea of never forgetting humility as one becomes more accomplished to the way rice ears bow as they ripen.
She says this phrase was written in a letter from her grandfather that she received when she moved to Tokyo to pursue a career as an enka singer, and she still cherishes those words today.
The message—no matter how successful you become, never lose your humility—is something we should all value in life.
Learning new things by revisiting the oldTakako Matsu
Takako Matsu is active not only as a singer but also as an actress, and she is supported by a wide range of fans.
In a Pia interview, she cited her motto as onko chishin.
This four-character idiom is based on Confucius’s words, “review the old and learn the new.” In other words, it refers to learning from the old and applying it to contemporary issues, or incorporating it into new creations.
Matsu has said that there is much to learn from old music and theater, and this is an important way of thinking in any field.
Another good day today!LiSA
The words LiSA often says on her blog, social media, and even at live shows—“Today’s a good day!”—originally came from her mother, who told them to her before she moved to Tokyo.
They carry the hope of looking for moments of joy even when things are tough.
When daily life feels overwhelming—when you’re thinking, “Every day is exhausting,” or “There’s nothing fun”—remembering her words might give you the support you need.
There is no heaven above the sky.UA
These are the words that singer-songwriter UA introduced as her motto in the Asahi Shimbun Digital series “Yuri Nomura × UA: Sounds of Living.” The phrase is part of the lyrics to John Lennon’s classic song “Imagine.” While it’s commonly believed that “after life ends, one can go to heaven or the Pure Land,” she began to wonder, “Why isn’t this world like heaven—why is it filled with so much hardship?” It suggests that heaven isn’t somewhere up in the sky; rather, it prompts us to think about what we can do to live in a heaven-like world here and now.
Growing more vigorous with ageYoichi Hirose
The motto of Yoichi Hirose, the bassist of THE YELLOW MONKEY.
It’s also the phrase that inspired the concept for “HALE, HEARTLY, ROCK AND ROLL,” included on his solo album ODYSSEY.
As the oldest member of the band, he apparently often said, “Growing older, growing more vigorous,” expressing his determination to keep playing rock ’n’ roll energetically no matter his age.
Cool adults, after all, consciously strive to stay active day in and day out.
Let bitter troubles pile up even more upon me; with my mortal, finite body, I shall put my strength to the test.Saori Yuki
In an interview with Asahi Gunma conducted in 2012, she cited this phrase as her motto.
It is said to originate from a poem by Banzan Kumazawa and means, “Let even more hardships pile on; let me test how much strength I truly have.” In other words, it carries a strong will to face any adversity head-on, and it seems her mother often said it when confronting difficulties.
Her mother would often tell her, “Do everything you can, and if it still doesn’t work out, then it can’t be helped.” The attitude of making proper, honorable efforts is extremely important in anything, isn’t it?
Dust of the universe anywayNishina
Nishina is a singer-songwriter who has been active since 2017, known for songs like “Heavy Smoke” and “Seiran Yuuei.” In an interview with the media outlet Droptokyo, she shared her personal motto: “We’re just dust in the universe anyway.” It expresses the idea that one’s existence and worries are tiny when viewed on a cosmic scale, and it carries the feeling of “If we’re just dust anyway, I want to do what I want without worrying and go all out.” It’s something many people living in modern society can probably relate to.