Heartfelt! Inspiring Quotes Left by Great Figures of Japan
Various great figures who built Japan have left behind numerous famous sayings.
These quotes sometimes resonate with people living in the present and can serve as guideposts when moving things forward.
In this article, we introduce inspiring quotes left by those known as great figures of Japan.
We have gathered quotes from a variety of fields, including historical figures, people who supported major corporations, athletes, and entertainers.
Among the quotes we present, you may find a hint that clears your mind.
Be sure to check them out!
- Quotes from great figures that give us the power to live
- Recommended as life tips! A collection of short, memorable quotes from great figures
- A collection of quotes from people of the past: messages from famous military commanders and great figures of the world.
- Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people
- If you know them, they might become beacons that light your life’s path: a collection of memorable quotes.
- Quotes from professional baseball players: words that pierce the heart, filled with effort and passion
- Words I want to make my motto that always inspire me
- Guaranteed to move you! Memorable words by great figures and famous people.
- Short quotes that reach your heart in an instant. Words to encourage you right now.
- Gives you the power to overcome entrance exams! Short quotes by great and famous people.
- Words from famous people that I’d like to adopt as my motto. Inspiring quotes that convey the power of words.
- Short precisely because it sticks in your heart: witty, chuckle-worthy one-liners and quotes
- Short quotes that resonate with the heart. Words that reach you effortlessly.
Resonates with the Heart! Famous Quotes Left by Great Japanese Figures (31–40)
Laughed at, laughed at, I grow stronger.Osamu Dazai
If you like novels, you may have encountered his works at least once.
Osamu Dazai, the novelist who wrote many famous works such as Run, Melos!, No Longer Human, and The Setting Sun.
He is renowned as a novelist, but his tumultuous life is also well known.
This quote is one of the words he left behind: “Be laughed at, be laughed at, and grow strong.” When you’re striving for something, you will sometimes fail and be mocked.
Yet these words convey the strength to turn even that into your own power and push forward.
You should have more faith in your talents and what you’ve done.Ichiro
It teaches us the importance of not underestimating ourselves and having confidence in the effort we’ve built up.
The more things don’t go well, the more we tend to think, “Maybe I can’t do it,” but the time we’ve spent working hard has never been wasted.
For example, even when results don’t come in a sport you’ve practiced for years, believing in the effort you’ve made and continuing on can turn into strength.
In studying as well, those who have kept at it steadily are the ones who can demonstrate their abilities when it counts.
These words convey that believing in yourself becomes the foundation that supports your next step.
Winning or losing is a small thing. What matters is whether you gave it your all.Shuzo Matsuoka
People often say that in the world of competition, results are everything, but former professional tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka says that such a notion is trivial.
Of course, he doesn’t mean that results don’t matter at all; rather, there is something more important.
It’s how wholeheartedly you face the contest.
What makes you grow and become stronger is the process leading up to taking on the challenge.
Regardless of the outcome, by giving your all to something and seeing it through, you can cultivate true strength, can’t you?
We read “failure” as “success.”Katsuya Nomura
These are words by Katsuya Nomura—renowned in professional baseball as a player, manager, and strategist—expressing his view on failure.
He tells us that continual growth is vital to achieving success, and that failure can be a powerful catalyst for that growth.
Rather than giving up by focusing only on the outcome, it’s important to analyze the causes of failure and apply what you learn next time.
It’s a famous quote that conveys a positive mindset: don’t lament failure—keep moving forward without giving up.
You should be honest with your feelings.Hideo Nomo
These are words from Hideo Nomo, who had a successful career as a professional baseball player, speaking about the importance of staying true to your own convictions.
They’re known as words he shared when he was preparing to take on Major League Baseball, expressing an attitude of believing in yourself and embracing the challenge.
A key point is that many around him reacted critically to his attempt to go to the Majors, yet he forged ahead and succeeded precisely because he moved forward in that situation.
Above all, it teaches a credo of prioritizing your resolve and moving ahead so you won’t have regrets—a memorable quote about that stance.
Resonating with the Heart! Famous Quotes Left by Great Japanese Figures (41–50)
Believe that someday, your turn for a chance will surely come.Yasushi Akimoto
When it comes to Yasushi Akimoto, he’s known as the producer behind the AKB48 group.
As a lyricist, he has written over 4,000 songs, bringing many classics into the world, such as Hibari Misora’s “Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni” and AKB48’s “Aitakatta.” This time, we’re introducing some of Akimoto’s famous quotes! If you’ve been working hard but aren’t seeing results yet, these words may resonate with you.
Even someone as successful as he is has been in that state of mind—knowing that can give you courage, right?
If you don’t give up on yourself, there is no such thing as losing in life.Shigeta Saitō

These are the words of Shigeta Saito, a psychiatrist who inspired many, giving us the courage to move forward when we feel like giving up in the face of hardship.
He tells us that what matters after a major setback is how we rise again, and that as long as we keep moving forward, the path to victory will come into view.
Defeat is sealed only when we give up and stop; therefore, we must keep going so that doesn’t happen.
It’s a memorable quote that rallies a heart on the verge of breaking in adversity and reminds us to believe in ourselves.


