孫子
紀元前6〜5世紀頃
Sun Tzu — Military strategist of ancient China (6th–5th century BC)
“The victorious army wins first, and seeks battle afterwards.”
— The Art of War, “Form of the Army” / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →Wisdom of Japan
English · 38 people
wa-iku.com is a Japanese blog about people — from Japan and elsewhere — whose way of working and living still holds up today. Every article is written in Japanese, and each one carries a short summary in English.
This page collects those summaries. Pick a name, and the link takes you straight to the English part of that article.
Before the common era
老子
紀元前6世紀頃
Laozi — Founder of Taoist thought, China (6th century BC, by tradition)
“The highest good is like water.”
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 8 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →孔子
紀元前551年 — 前479年
Confucius — Teacher and thinker from Qufu, China (551–479 BC)
“He harmonises with others, but does not simply agree with them.”
— The Analects, Book 13 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →ソクラテス
紀元前470年頃 — 前399年
Socrates — Philosopher of Athens, Greece (c. 470–399 BC)
“What I do not know, I do not think I know.”
— Plato, Apology / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →荘子
紀元前369年頃 — 前286年頃
Zhuangzi — Taoist philosopher and storyteller, China (c. 369–286 BC)
“Everyone knows the use of the useful. No one knows the use of the useless.”
— Zhuangzi, “In the World of Men” / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →8th – 16th century
最澄
767年 — 822年
Saichō — Buddhist monk, founder of Tendai Buddhism, Japan (767–822)
“Light up your own corner.”
— Regulations for Students of the Mountain School, 818 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →雲門文偃
864年 — 949年
Yunmen Wenyan — Zen master of the Tang dynasty, China (864–949)
“Every day is a good day.”
— The Blue Cliff Record, Case 6 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →范仲淹
989年 — 1052年
Fan Zhongyan — Statesman and reformer of the Song dynasty, China (989–1052)
“Be the first to feel the world’s sorrow, and the last to enjoy its happiness.”
— Memoir of Yueyang Tower, 1046 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →千利休
1522年 — 1591年
Sen no Rikyū — Tea master from Sakai, Japan (1522–1591)
“Keep the form, break the form, leave the form — but never forget the root.”
— Attributed to Rikyū, the “Rikyū poems” / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →空海
774年 — 835年
Kukai — Buddhist monk, writer and educator in Japan (774–835)
“Whether things flourish or decline depends on people.”
— Opening of Shugei Shuchiin Shiki narabini Jo, the founding statement of his school (c. 828) / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →一休宗純
1394年 — 1481年
Ikkyu Sojun — Japanese Zen monk and poet (1394–1481)
“Let rain fall if it will; let wind blow if it will.”
— A verse traditionally associated with Ikkyu, as told at Shuonan Ikkyuji temple / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →17th – 19th century
宮本武蔵
1584年ごろ — 1645年
Miyamoto Musashi — Swordsman and writer, Japan (c. 1584–1645)
“Perception is strong; eyesight is weak.”
— The Book of Five Rings, Water Scroll / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →中江藤樹
1608年 — 1648年
Toju Nakae — Confucian scholar from Omi, Japan (1608–1648)
“I only did what was ordinary.”
— Attributed to Nakae, from accounts of Ogawa village / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →石田梅岩
1685年 — 1744年
Baigan Ishida — Merchant philosopher from Tanba, Japan (1685–1744)
“When no one comes, I speak to my desk. If you are here, that is enough.”
— Attributed to Ishida, from accounts of his lectures in Kyoto / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →ベンジャミン・フランクリン
1706年 — 1790年
Benjamin Franklin — Printer, scientist and statesman from Boston, America (1706–1790)
“I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.”
— The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, published 1791
Read the summary →伊能忠敬
1745年 — 1818年
Tadataka Ino — Merchant turned surveyor, Japan (1745–1818)
“Walk, and walk. What matters is to keep going.”
— Attributed to Ino / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →塙保己一
1746年 — 1821年
Hokiichi Hanawa — Scholar of Japanese classics, blind from the age of seven (1746–1821)
“To be able to see is, in its own way, an inconvenience.”
— Attributed to Hanawa / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →上杉鷹山
1751年 — 1822年
Yozan Uesugi — Lord of the Yonezawa domain, Japan (1751–1822)
“If you act, it is done. If you do not act, it is not. Nothing is done, because no one does it.”
— Poem attributed to Uesugi / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →良寛
1758年 — 1831年
Ryokan — Zen monk and poet from Echigo, Japan (1758–1831)
“When it is time to meet disaster, it is good to meet it. When it is time to die, it is good to die. This is the fine way to escape disaster.”
— Letter written after the Sanjo earthquake, 1828 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →二宮尊徳
1787年 — 1856年
Sontoku Ninomiya — Farmer and village reformer, Japan (1787–1856)
“Pile up small things, and they become great.”
— Sekisho-idai, a phrase at the centre of Ninomiya's teaching / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →西郷隆盛
1828年 — 1877年
Takamori Saigo — Samurai and statesman from Satsuma, Japan (1828–1877)
“Do not deal with people; deal with Heaven. Deal with Heaven, do your utmost, and do not blame others — ask instead where your own sincerity fell short.”
— Nanshu-o Ikun, the recorded teachings of Saigo / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →The modern age
張本勲
1940年 — 2026年
Isao Harimoto — Baseball's hit king from Hiroshima, Japan (1940-2026)
“This was the only way out of the tin-roofed row house.”
— Attributed to Harimoto, on why he started playing baseball / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →高橋是清
1854年 — 1936年
Korekiyo Takahashi — Statesman & financial policymaker from Tokyo, Japan (1854–1936)
“Demand for goods decreases somewhere.”
— “On the So-Called Austerity Policy”, 1929 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →正岡子規
1867年 — 1902年
Shiki Masaoka — Poet & literary reformer from Matsuyama, Japan (1867–1902)
“A sickbed six shaku long — this is my world.”
— A Sickbed Six Shaku Long, 1902 (shaku: a traditional Japanese unit of length) / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →福澤諭吉
1835年 — 1901年
Yukichi Fukuzawa — Educator, writer & publisher from Nakatsu, Japan (1835–1901)
“The essence of learning lies in putting it to use.”
— An Encouragement of Learning, Part 12 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →御木本幸吉
1858年 — 1954年
Kokichi Mikimoto — Founder of the cultured pearl industry, from Toba, Japan (1858–1954)
“I want to adorn the necks of all the women of the world with pearls.”
— His lifelong motto / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →宮沢賢治
1896年 — 1933年
Kenji Miyazawa — Poet & farmer from Hanamaki, Japan (1896–1933)
“Until the whole world is happy, there can be no happiness for the individual.”
— Outline of Peasant Art, 1926 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →岡倉天心
1863年 — 1913年
Kakuzo Okakura (Tenshin) — Japanese art thinker and cultural advocate (1863–1913)
“There is no single recipe for making the perfect tea”
— The Book of Tea (1906), Chapter 2 — excerpt
Read the summary →Our own time
金栗四三
1891年 — 1983年
Shizo Kanakuri — Marathon pioneer and physical educator from Kumamoto, Japan (1891–1983)
“Ekiden relay racing is the best way to develop many runners at once.”
— Attributed to Kanakuri on Nagomi Town's official page, "The Founding of the Hakone Ekiden" / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →野村克也
1935年 — 2020年
Katsuya Nomura — Baseball catcher & manager from Kyoto, Japan (1935–2020)
“Words are a force for winning.”
— Nomura Katsuya, “Words That Move People” / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →井深大
1908年 — 1997年
Masaru Ibuka — Engineer & co-founder of Sony, from Nikko, Japan (1908–1997)
“To build an ideal factory that is open-minded and joyful.”
— Founding Prospectus of Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo, 1946 / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →ジャッキー・ロビンソン
1919年 — 1972年
Jackie Robinson — American baseball player and civil rights advocate (1919–1972)
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
— Quoted on the official Jackie Robinson website
Read the summary →マザー・テレサ
1910年 — 1997年
Mother Teresa — Catholic nun and humanitarian based in India (1910–1997)
“Love begins at home.”
— Nobel Peace Prize lecture, 1979
Read the summary →日野原重明
1911年 — 2017年
Shigeaki Hinohara — Japanese physician and educator (1911–2017)
“Life is the time that a person has available to use.”
— From a principal's account of Hinohara's "Lesson on Life" for schoolchildren / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →ココ・シャネル
1883年 — 1971年
Coco Chanel — French fashion designer and entrepreneur (1883–1971)
“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”
— Attributed to Chanel; original record unverified
Read the summary →小平奈緒
1986年生
Nao Kodaira — Japanese former speed skater and Olympic champion (born 1986)
“Enjoy discovering.”
— From the cover band of her book "Link" / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →スティーブ・ジョブズ
1955年 — 2011年
Steve Jobs — American entrepreneur and Apple co-founder (1955–2011)
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.”
— Stanford commencement address, June 12, 2005
Read the summary →白洲正子
1910年 — 1998年
Masako Shirasu — Japanese essayist (1910–1998)
“Enjoy it for yourself, not for show.”
— "Shirasu Masako no Kimono" / English translation by WA-IKU
Read the summary →More names are added every week.
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