Yoshida Shoin

Life and death, union and separation, follow hard upon one another. Nothing is steadfast but the will, nothing endures but one's achieve­ments.…

— Yoshida Shoin

It seems hopeless, hopeless. Those who eat meat [at public expense] are a mean, selfish lot, and so the country is doomed.…

— Yoshida Shoin

To consider oneself different from ordinary men is wrong, but it is right to hope that one will not remain like ordinary…

— Yoshida Shoin

If a general and his men fear death and are apprehensive over possible defeat, then they will unavoidably suffer defeat and death.…

— Yoshida Shoin

What is important in a leader is a resolute will and determination. A man may be versatile and learned, but if he…

— Yoshida Shoin

Once a man's will is set, he need no longer rely on others or expect anything from the world. His vision encompasses…

— Yoshida Shoin

If the body dies, it does no harm to the mind, but if the mind dies, one can no longer act as…

— Yoshida Shoin

Once the will is resolved, one's spirit is strengthened. Even a peasant's will is hard to deny, but a samurai of resolute…

— Yoshida Shoin

When I consider the state of things in our fief, I find that those who hold positions and receive official stipends are…

— Yoshida Shoin

As things stand now the feudal lords are content to look on while the shogunate carries on in a highhanded manner. Neither…

— Yoshida Shoin

One who aspires to greatness should read and study, pursuing the True Way with such a firm resolve that he is perfectly…

— Yoshida Shoin