Natsume Sōseki

Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist. He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan and I Am a Cat. He was sent to study English literature in London by the Japanese Government between 1901 and 1903. He lived in four different lodgings, the last of which in Clapham was the only one he considered satisfactory. Between 1984 and 2004, his portrait appeared on the front of the Japanese 1000 yen note and In Japan he is often considered the greatest writer in modern Japanese history.

Sōseki began his literary career with the satirical novel I Am a Cat (1905), narrated from the perspective of a cynical feline observing human absurdities. He followed it with Botchan (1906), a humorous yet critical take on traditional and modern values, and Kusamakura (1906), a more philosophical work reflecting on art and nature.

As his career progressed, Sōseki’s writing grew more introspective and complex. Novels like Sanshirō (1908), And Then (1909), and Kokoro (1914) delve into themes of alienation, individualism, and the spiritual cost of Japan’s rapid modernization. Kokoro, perhaps his most famous work, examines guilt, generational divides, and the loneliness of modern existence.

Blue Plaque Location – 81 The Chase, Clapham, SW4 0NR