Samurai Quotes

Introduction

Many anecdotes and characteristic “words of wisdom” have been left behind by historical figures. A person’s words accurately reflect his or her personality, thoughts, or way of life. The same can be said of Japan’s Warring States period military commanders. We should not think of these words as being more than 400 years old, but they do have meanings that we, as moderns, should be aware of. We’d like to introduce you to the personalities and quotes of some of your favorite warlords.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

To win without a fight is the achievement of a good commander.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who rose from humble roots to become Japan’s ruler, had a unique way of thinking that was not understood by the samurai of his time. He not only won, but he was particular about how he won. He was concerned with how to win effectively while avoiding losses. How could he win effectively while avoiding losses?

Hideyoshi, who fought as a vassal of Oda Nobunaga, frequently used a strategy of slowly surrounding the enemy and forcing them to raise their voices, rather than attacking all at once. This was evident when he attacked Miki Castle and Tottori Castle, for example. In other words, he reduced damage without fighting and led his forces to victory. The less damage done, the more energy can be saved for the next battle, and morale among allies will improve. If you allow too many soldiers to die, no matter how many military victories you achieve, you will have nothing to show for it.

This was also true in the final battle of Japan’s unification, the attack on Odawara. Instead of forcing an attack on Odawara Castle, which was considered the strongest castle during the Warring States period, he used a long-term strategy of surrounding it with a large army. Finally, the Hojo clan surrendered, and the war was won with very little casualties. This is a typical Hideyoshi technique of emphasizing results over process.

Don’t fight with others, and don’t give your heart to others.

Oda possessed a number of unique abilities, one of which was his communication skills. He was so skilled at reading people’s hearts that he was nicknamed “Hitotarashi,” and he was very good at tickling their feelings. Even the stern and level-headed Oda Nobunaga forgave Toyotomi, and he was even given the surname “Hashiba” in honor of his two chief servants, “Niwa” and “Shibata.” As a result, he was very humble toward his superiors.

Oda’s ideas are well expressed in this quote. There will always be hostility if you fight with others or cause disagreements. What will others think if you show them the ugly side of fighting? Competition is essential in life, but we must not lose sight of our humanity. When in a position to lead others, you must maintain your humanity and composure at all times.

Then there’s the fact that we should never reveal ourselves to others. This is not to say that you should never put your trust in others. It is stated that if you allow yourself to be easily taken in, you will be taken advantage of and suffer the consequences. You should not allow yourself to be taken advantage of, especially during the Warring States period, unless you can truly trust the person with whom you are dealing.

Because we have a clear idea of what we need to do, we can devote ourselves to it day and night, while forgetting to eat and sleep.

Toyotomi never had time to rest because he became a warrior for about 30 years. He always knew what he needed to do and would have worked hard to achieve his objectives. When his lord, Oda, ordered him to carry out his orders, he would have devoted himself to it to the point of forgetting to eat or sleep, and when he faced a strong enemy, he would have considered ways to escape a difficult situation.

Life goes by quickly, and once you know what you need to do in the limited time you have, all you have to do is work hard. People will achieve greatness because they strive to live a “short and deep” life rather than a “long and thin” one.

Takeda Shingen

A man is a castle, a man is a stone wall, a man is a moat, mercy is your friend, revenge is your enemy

It is incorrect to claim that  Takeda Shingen did not build any castles during his lifetime. In fact, he built numerous castles and undertook extensive renovations. During  Takeda’s reign, the “Koshu-style castle-building technique” was born. So, what exactly do we mean by “castles”? It is the Takeda family’s and other “clans’” power.Shingen was a military commander who was skilled at assessing his subordinates’ abilities. He was also skilled at matching the right people with the right roles. In other words, Shingen handled a castle’s stone walls, turrets, moats, and walls as if they were people, and when these parts are combined, a powerful group is formed.

Mercy, on the other hand, may refer to consideration and care for one’s vassals. Your vassals will feel indebted to you if you show mercy, and they will do their best to fulfill their roles. However, if you treat them unfairly or unreasonably, you will inevitably generate opposition and dissatisfaction among the vassals. How can we strengthen the organization? Shingen had a clear understanding.

People will only do their best for you if you trust them.

When discussing the relationship between superiors and subordinates, the word “trust” comes up. Shingen did not do good things, such as exile his father Nobutora or invade other countries. Nonetheless, his vassals followed him because they trusted him. Takeda was surrounded by the Takeda Shitenno and other important vassals in his later years, when he ruled Kai, Shinano, Suruga, and western Ueno. Many of them started out as humbuggers. Yamagata Masakage was physically disabled, and Kasuga Toratsuna was a peasant. Naito Masahide had been rescued from exile. Takeda enlisted these men in his son’s service and kept them close by his side, allowing their abilities to blossom.  Takeda’s belief in their abilities must have resulted from his belief that they could do it.

Takeda is also said to have never become agitated when his retainers failed. Even if they tried their hardest and failed, they would have learned something for the next time. Perhaps he had this thought.

It is most important for a general to treat his subjects with compassion.

This is a word that can be translated as “mercy,” but “mercy” means “compassion.” In other words, it is a general’s duty to take good care of his subjects. Nobutora,  Takeda’s father, was a strong fighter who lacked compassion. He frequently killed or exiled vassals he did not like, which alienated his vassals and weakened the Takeda clan. Shingen, who took over the throne, saw this as a warning to his successor.

Lords are only as good as their vassals. He realized that if he did not take good care of his vassals, he would most likely lose his position. Takeda’s vassals’ unity was thus strengthened, and they grew to become the strongest army during the Warring States period.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Blame yourself, but do not blame others.

This means that “It is your responsibility even if there is a mistake or error. That is to say, “Never place blame on your subordinates. Although  Tokugawa Ieyasu appears to be calm, well-judged, and always composed, this was not always the case when he was younger.

He also forced the Ichimukai sect temple to provide food for his troops, sparking a revolt that divided the vassals, and in the Battle of Mikagahara against the Takeda forces, he went into battle knowing he was at a disadvantage and lost, killing many of his vassals. Ieyasu overcame such setbacks, which allowed him to regain control of the country. If all mistakes are one’s fault, one should be able to devise the best methods to avoid making them. It is also outrageous to assign blame to others. Such poise, humility, and sound judgment are the keys to success.

“In battle the strong will win. He who is patient.”

To paraphrase this expression, “If it won’t cry, let’s wait until it does.”  Life was always accompanied by death for Ieyasu, the ultimate victor “patience”. He was kidnapped by Oda and Imagawa at a young age, stood in the shadow of Oda Nobunaga even after reaching adulthood, and was forced to become a vassal when Toyotomi Hideyoshi became Emperor of Japan. He finally took control of the country after 57 years.

To borrow another quote from Ieyasu, “A man’s life is like a long journey with a heavy burden.” One can reach one’s goal by taking steady steps without detours and impatience. This is also related to the word “perseverance.” You will not be successful, no matter how hard you fight. Those who persevere and persevere until the end, without giving up, will win the battle. This is a very Ieyasu-way of thinking.

The human who pleases the greatest number of people will prosper the most.

This is most likely a quote from Ieyasu’s final years. Ieyasu eventually brought the warring world to an end and led Japan to peace, but he was also looking ahead. In other words, he made a number of strategic moves to ensure the future continuation of peace. Of course, Ieyasu’s intention was to prosper the Tokugawa family, but in order to do so, social stability and people’s peace of mind were required. If society remained unstable, no matter how great the Tokugawa family became, it would eventually lead to unrest and discontent.

The shogunate was established as a result, and a hierarchy (a pyramid-like power structure) was established, with the shogun at the top. Many people would have objected to the establishment of a status system and social hierarchy. However, “order” was formed in society by establishing the concept of “the superior person is superior.” This line of thought is also consistent with the moral principles of “take good care of your parents” and “take good care of the elderly.” As a result, many ordinary people benefited from the increased peace and social stability. And, as Ieyasu predicted, the Tokugawa family prospered even more because it pleased so many people.

Date Masamune

It is better to pursue the righteousness of a great matter with all one’s heart and mind, and not to discuss it with others.

Date Masamune took over the reins of his family at the age of 18 and set out on a journey through the harsh conditions of the Warring States period, but he frequently failed. Masamune made a decision at that time. “It is best to base decisions on one’s own thoughts,” he advised. You should be able to make a decision because you are solely responsible for everything. In other words, if you are swayed by the opinions of others, you will weaken and it is easy to shift the blame. Making decisions on one’s own initiative, on the other hand, creates confidence, self-awareness, and responsibility. Masamune most likely defeated Oshu in this manner.

However, this does not imply that Masamune ignored the advice of his retainers. When Masamune was unsure whether to support Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his trusted advisor, Katakura Kagetsuna counseled him as follows: “Summer flies are tenacious. Even if you drive them away once, they will return.” In other words, he attributed Toyotomi’s massive army to a fly and predicted that even if they were appalled once, they would return. In other words, he likened Toyotomi’s massive army to a fly and warned them that even if they were repulsed once, they would return, and it would be better to surrender to Hideyoshi. The Date family was saved from extinction in this way.

In affairs, the important things are always more important than the small things. Be on your guard.

The literal translation is: “Minor things cause major incidents.” That is why we must always exercise caution. Masamune most likely had such an experience and wanted to leave it as a maxim. In 1585, shortly after Masamune took over the reigns of his family, a general named Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu participated in a vassal rebellion, and Masamune imposed a severe punishment of confiscation of his territory. The punishment was deemed too severe and was commuted by his father Terumune, but Yoshitsugu visited Terumune’s home to thank him for his service. Masamune easily forgiven Yoshitsugu, but this proved to be a costly error.

Terumune was kidnapped by Yoshitsugu and taken to Nihonmatsu territory. Terumune was killed during the battle against Date’s army. Masamune is said to have shed tears of grief after the death of his father. The tragedy could have been avoided if he had been more cautious and alert. This quote must have come from an anecdote.

If you are too much in benevolence, you will be weak. If you are too righteous, you will be firm. If you are too polite, you are flattering. If you are too much in wisdom, you will tell lies. If you are too trusting, you will lose money.

The “benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith” mentioned in this quote are Confucius’ five virtues. In other words, they are sayings that indicate the moral principles that a human being should follow. Masamune, on the other hand, reversed this and stated that too much of anything is bad. In other words, if good deeds are overdone, they have the opposite effect and are far from their original meaning.

If you are too kind to others, you will appear weak; if you are too chivalrous, you will appear arrogant; if you are too polite, you will appear flattering; if you are too wise, you will tell lies; and if you trust people too much, you will be tricked. It is best to be sensible.

Oda Nobunaga

Those who have above-average ability but are loyal to the organization contribute more to it than those who are excellent.

Oda Nobunaga rose from a small feudal lord in Owari to become the country’s ruler, but because his family was one of the district judges under Owari’s four county governors, he had no vassals who could be called his “family retainer.” In rebellion against Nobunaga, his younger brother Nobukatsu, Hayashi Hidesada , Shibata Katsuie, and other important vassals.The first thing Nobunaga did after assuming control of his family was to build a trustworthy family. Second and third sons had no right to succeed to the family title in the samurai society of the time, and they had no choice but to start a new branch family or live in a room. Nobunaga accepted such men as direct vassals and formed a group of loyal lieutenants.

Nobunaga’s famous sons, Maeda Toshiie, Sasa Narimasa, and Niwa Nagahide, were not his eldest sons. They were all devoted to Nobunaga, who had shown them favor, and were willing to work hard for his sake. True, Nobunaga had excellent vassals like Mitsuhide Akechi and Murashige Araki, but the core of the Oda vassal organization was made up of Nobunaga monarchists.

Work is something you look for and do. It’s something you makeTo only do the tasks assigned to you is being a limited soldier.

Nobunaga was a man who promoted those who were talented and capable to higher and higher positions. Hideyoshi Hashiba in particular is a good example. Hideyoshi always contributed to his lord’s cause by thinking ahead of him, in addition to his natural competence. For example, he kept Nobunaga’s slippers warm in his pocket and led the construction of the difficult Sumimata Castle. In other words, rather than being assigned a job, it is critical to always consider what you can do.

What, on the other hand, what happened to those who only did the work that was assigned to them? Sakuma Nobumori and Hayashi Hidesada, who had been on the throne of chief vassals, were easily deposed and died in disgrace. Nobunaga is not alone in this. What top management despises the most are those who do not work hard or take initiative. The organization will not grow if there are many of these people. This is where Nobunaga’s harsh punishment policy originated.

Dexterity is one who does the opposite of what others want.

“Dexterity” refers to those who have unique ideas and think differently than others. In other words, it means being able to think outside the box and not being constrained by conventional values and concepts. The idea that “this is the way it used to be, so this is the way it should be done” was widespread in samurai society at the time. However, things change with the times and the circumstances. Applying old customs as they are may not work. At such times, Nobunaga claims that those who can think in ways that are diametrically opposed to conventional values are the ones who are successful “dexterous”.

Because Nobunaga was rational and disliked waste, he always stuck to his own opinions regardless of what others said. In this sense, Nobunaga was a dexterous individual, and he must have been looking for another dexterous individual to be appointed as a vassal.

Summary

Don’t believe that warlord quotes and sayings are ancient. They are also relevant in today’s society. When the vassals of the Warring States period are compared to today’s corporate organizations, they are surprisingly similar. There will always be superiors and subordinates as long as there is an organization. What you should do as a superior and as a subordinate are the same now as they were in the past. We’d like to take advantage of this in our own work.