Quotations from literary masters: messages from authors who weave captivating works.
The literary masters who have created countless works that captivate readers’ hearts.
Adept at wielding words, they left behind many memorable sayings beyond their writings.
In this article, we introduce famous quotes spoken by these literary giants.
We’ve selected words from a variety of authors—those whose works have had a profound impact on people, those whose writings appear in school textbooks, and even those depicted as characters in manga.
Please enjoy this world of words spun by great writers—a realm distinct from their works themselves.
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Quotes from literary masters. Messages from authors who weave captivating works (21–30)
Human beings are, by nature, born alone and die alone. It’s only natural to feel lonely even when you’re among a crowd.Katai Tayama
If you’re struggling because you don’t fit well into a circle of friends or some kind of group, try reading these words.
They’re by the novelist Tayama Katai, known for works such as Futon and The Country Teacher.
He seems to be telling us that since humans can never be completely free from loneliness, not being able to join a circle isn’t something to worry about too much.
It may also mean that fretting about possibly becoming lonely in the future—even if you’re part of a group now—is an unnecessary worry.
Accepting loneliness, too, is likely something important for us as human beings.
Nature is an impartial and merciless enemy. Society is an unjust enemy with human sentiment.Soseki Natsume
Let me introduce a famous quote by Natsume Sōseki: “Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.” Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist and scholar of English literature.
His major works include I Am a Cat, Botchan, Sanshirō, And Then, Kokoro, and Light and Darkness.
This line—“Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.”—appears in his work Reminiscences.
It’s a quote that encourages us not to underestimate nature and to prepare for natural disasters.
Natural disasters strike when we least expect them.Torahiko Terada
Here is a famous and important saying by Torahiko Terada: “Natural disasters strike when they have been forgotten.” Terada was a Japanese physicist, essayist, and haiku poet.
As a researcher, he was interested in disasters such as fires and earthquakes, and it is said that after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, he became even more deeply engaged with the subject.
This quote reminds us that the peaceful passing of everyday life without incident is not something to be taken for granted.
It is a phrase worth engraving in our hearts.
The foremost condition for a person’s happiness is peace within the home. And what is peace within the home? Nothing other than husband and wife loving each other deeply.Koyo Ozaki
In addition to leaving works such as “Two Nun Disciples’ Confession of Passion” and “Kyara Makura” as a novelist, Ozaki Kōyō was also active as a haiku poet.
These are words left by this great Meiji-era literary master that express his view on what is most important among human happiness.
He says that above all, it is essential for the household to be peaceful; if there is deep love between husband and wife, one can walk through life happily.
From words like these, we can also sense that when the home is peaceful and happy, it naturally fosters a positive outlook.
People who have achieved great success tend to blame themselves rather than others for failures.Rohan Kōda
Rohan Koda, who was active as a novelist from the Meiji through the Showa era, is known for representative works such as “The Five-Storied Pagoda” and “Fate.” These are words from a great literary master, remembered as a leading figure of modern literature, about how successful people face failure.
We may want to blame someone else for our failures, but he says that those who can accept failure as their own and turn it into reflection and learning are the ones who can seize success.
It suggests that failure isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it may in fact be essential for gaining lessons for the future.
One must live. To live, one must fight. One must make a name for oneself. One must earn money. One must stake one’s life on the decisive contest.Roka Tokutomi
Tokutomi Roka was an author who was active mainly in the Meiji era, and he left a wide range of works not only in fiction but also in essays and translations.
These are words from a great literary figure who committed even his thought and way of life to writing, expressing his view on what it means to live.
He says that living is not merely the passage of time, but rather the vigorous striving to move forward in pursuit of wealth and fame—that is what it means to live vividly.
These words may prompt us to reflect on our lives so far and how we will proceed from here: Are we facing our own lives earnestly? Are we truly living in the fullest sense?
Perfect love is another name for “selflessness.”Kyoka Izumi
Kyoka Izumi, known not only for his novels but also for his plays and haiku, is celebrated for representative works such as The Surgery Room and The Holy Man of Mount Koya.
These words, by Izumi—who is also regarded as a pioneer of fantasy literature—express his view of what perfect love is.
When love grows to its fullest, one stops thinking of oneself; he suggests that this is the same as the Buddhist state of enlightenment known as selflessness (muga).
As long as one is still thinking about oneself, love is not yet complete—and the process of bringing it closer to completion seems, in itself, to be a step toward enlightenment.
Life has a way of opening and closing paths at unexpected times.Saneatsu Mushanokōji
Along with Naoya Shiga and others, Saneatsu Mushanokōji launched the magazine Shirakaba and wrote not only novels but also biographies and essays on art.
Leaving behind many works with the theme of love for humanity, he was a writer who continually gazed at the happiness hidden in everyday life.
These words teach us to accept that life is unpredictable and to adapt flexibly to change.
Even amid difficulties, one can find hope and sense an attitude of living everyday life positively.
The message that embracing life’s uncertainties can open the way to the future offers deep resonance and courage to contemporary readers as well.
Artists are not born every day, so we must not treat them carelessly.Masuji Ibuse
Masuji Ibuse, known for works such as “The Salamander” and “Black Rain,” is a writer who represents postwar Japanese literature.
He conveys the importance of recognizing the rarity of artists, respecting them, and supporting their creative endeavors.
Precisely because these are the words of someone who left many distinctive works probing the essence of humanity, they carry great persuasive power.
By depicting the tragedies of war and the inner conflicts of people in depth, he left a strong impression on readers.
This message is a memorable saying that calls on us to reexamine the value of creation and to cherish artists in order to enrich society through art.
God gave humans loneliness, and at the same time, He also gave them a nature that cannot remain lonely.Haruo Sato
Haruo Satō, a poet and novelist who left behind numerous works such as the novel “Melancholy of the Countryside” and the poem “Song of the Pacific Saury,” spoke about humanity and loneliness in words that are profoundly insightful and seem to probe the essence of being human.
In life, there is no such thing as never feeling lonely.
Even so, we cannot live entirely on our own.
Perhaps his words are telling us that life is about carrying our loneliness while supporting one another and, at times, loving one another as we go on living.