Natsume Soseki

Born in 1867 in Edo (present-day Tokyo) as the youngest child of a magistrate family, Natsume Soseki entered the world when his mother was 41.
At a time when late childbirth could be seen as shameful, he was sent for adoption to a nearby secondhand dealer. Although he was soon brought back, he was later sent to another magistrate family.
Due to circumstances in the adoptive household, Soseki ended up returning to his birth family once again.
Being passed from home to home, and growing up without affection from his family, left deep emotional scars.

While studying literature, Soseki met Masaoka Shiki (まさおか しき), a haiku poet and tanka poet remembered to this day, and the two became close through poetry.
As their friendship grew, Soseki began creating more actively, writing critiques of Shiki’s poems and recording his travels to the Boso Peninsula in classical Chinese.
He also kept up his studies despite a far-from-privileged home life, earning top marks in most subjects.

After entering the Imperial University of Tokyo (now the University of Tokyo), Soseki studied English literature and continued on to graduate school.
After graduating, he was hired on exceptional terms as an English teacher at a middle school in Matsuyama, Ehime.
With marriage and the birth of his first child, his work and life seemed stable, when the Ministry of Education ordered him to study in the UK for two years to further his English research.
He initially considered refusing, but decided to go after being persuaded and learning he could also pursue his English literature research.
In the UK, he learned fundamental differences between Chinese classics and Western literature, insights that later fueled his writing.
Even so, the experience was so painful that he later called it “the most unpleasant two years,” and his already fragile mental state worsened into nervous exhaustion.
He is said to have suffered daily from financial hardship and loneliness.
When word reached Japan, the Ministry urged him to return, bringing his difficult time in the UK to an end.

After returning to Japan, Soseki became a lecturer in the English department at a high school and at the Imperial University of Tokyo.
At the university, he was the first Japanese person to serve as a lecturer in the English department.
His lectures were substantial enough to later be published as Literary Criticism and related works, but worsening nervous exhaustion led him to leave teaching.
During this difficult period, Kyoshi Takahama, a disciple of Masaoka Shiki, suggested he try writing fiction as a change of pace, and Soseki began focusing more on creative work.
His debut novel I Am a Cat first ran as a magazine serial, then was published as a book.
It became a bestseller, selling out in under a month.
His strong interest in art, including attention to the book’s design, may have also helped fuel its success.
He went on to publish enduring classics such as Botchan and Kusamakura.

Around the time he turned 40, Soseki joined the Asahi Shimbun.
The novel Gubijinsō, which he published after joining, was both popular and critically acclaimed, even inspiring merchandise themed around the work.
He continued writing, but his stomach ulcers worsened and he was hospitalized. While recuperating in Izu, he vomited a large amount of blood and lost consciousness.
He survived, and while he was still in the hospital, he received notice that he would be awarded a doctorate.
However, angry that it was pushed on him against his wishes, he sent it back.
As ulcers recurred and tragedies piled up-including the deaths of his child and close friend, and Emperor Meiji’s passing-he grew exhausted in both body and mind.
In December 1916, his condition worsened and he died.
In 1984, he was chosen for the 1,000-yen bill in recognition of his literary legacy and his international fame among Japanese cultural figures.
The 1,000-yen bill featuring Soseki was discontinued in 2019, and the next portrait went to Hideyo Noguchi.

Soseki’s debut novel, I Am a Cat, remains a beloved classic today.
It’s especially known for its unforgettable opening line: “I am a cat. As yet I have no name.”
The protagonist is a tomcat who refers to himself in an old-fashioned, lofty way, and he narrates the story.
Seen through a cat’s eyes, the humor and absurdity of human behavior is delivered in a witty, distinctive voice-one of the novel’s trademarks.

Botchan is considered a masterpiece based on Soseki’s own experiences as a teacher.
Born and raised in Tokyo, the stubborn yet strongly principled “Botchan” is assigned to a school in Matsuyama, Ehime.
The novel follows him as he struggles against unreasonable old customs and the cowardly behavior of staff who cling to them.
Its enduring appeal may lie in how relatable it feels across eras and workplaces.

Written late in his life, Kokoro is often read in Japanese language classes.
It explores subtle shifts of the heart, conflict over past wrongdoing, and egoism through the relationships among four characters.
It’s a masterpiece that invites readers to face the human “heart”, including their own.

“Soseki” is a pen name—his given name was Kinnosuke.
From a Chinese story, the phrase “Soseki chinryu” is used to mean a stubborn person who refuses to admit they’re wrong.
That phrase is said to be the origin of his pen name.
Even if you think of yourself as stubborn, it’s rare to choose a pen name from a phrase with a negative meaning.
It’s safe to say Soseki was not only stubborn, but also a bit unconventional.

The rumor that Natsume Soseki’s brain is still preserved in formalin at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Medicine is true.
Analysis reportedly found it heavier than average, with a well-developed frontal lobe associated with long-term memory and attention.
Maybe great minds really are different—even down to the brain.

The most famous Soseki anecdote claims he translated “I love you” as “The moon is beautiful.”
The story goes that while teaching English, a student translated “I love you” directly as “I love you,” and Soseki replied, “Japanese people don’t say things like that. Translate it as ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’”
It seems to capture the Japanese tendency to avoid direct expressions, but the story’s authenticity isn’t certain.
Still, the fact that such a tale exists suggests he was a person of rich sensitivity and expressive power.

This karakuri clock is modeled after the drum tower “Shinrokaku ” at the top of Dogo Onsen Honkan. On the hour, music unique to Dogo Onsen plays and characters from Soseki’s Matsuyama-set novel Botchan rise up in a performance.

Engaku-ji Temple, just outside Kita-Kamakura Station, is the head temple of the Engaku-ji school of Rinzai Zen.
Founded by Hojo Tokimune, the 8th regent of the Kamakura shogunate, it was established in 1282 (Kōan 5) to spread Zen and memorialize those killed in the Mongol invasions.
Climb the stone steps from the main gate and pass through the Sanmon gate-featured in Soseki’s novel The Gate-to enter the grounds.
The Buddha hall enshrines a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha with a jeweled crown, whose dignified yet compassionate expression can be seen even from outside the hall.

Founded around 1627 in the Edo period, “Dogo Onsen Funaya” is a long-established hot spring ryokan that hosted many writers and notable figures, including Soseki and haiku poet Masaoka Shiki.
Its 58 guest rooms range from sukiya-style special suites to Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western rooms, and Western-style rooms, offering a comfortable stay.