Top 50 Hiro Arikawa Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.”

— Hiro Arikawa

3. “Humans always underestimate our language skills. Just ’cause they can read and write, there’s no need to act all high and mighty.”

— Hiro Arikawa

4. “Satoru took his phone out of his pocket. Most of the photos he took with it, by the by, were of me.”

— Hiro Arikawa

5. “My story will be over soon. But it’s not something to be sad about. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.”

— Hiro Arikawa

6. “How could I ever leave him, having experienced that kind of love? I will never, ever, leave him.”

— Hiro Arikawa

7. “You could just leave the roads in Hokkaido as they were and they’d look pretty gorgeous. Not at all like the roads in Tokyo, which are surrounded by endless concrete and asphalt. Even in the more built-up areas here, the hard shoulders are all dirt. Because of that, perhaps, it’s easier for the soil to breathe and the flowers to thrive. The scenery was very soothing.”

— Hiro Arikawa

8. “Our silver van was like a magic carriage. Every time I got into it, it carried me to a place I’d never been before. At that moment, we were without a doubt the greatest travelers in the world. And I was the world’s greatest traveling cat.”

— Hiro Arikawa

9. “No other animal in the world would try to defy the laws of nature, but humans are a very peculiar species.”

— Hiro Arikawa

10. “If you don’t mourn a dead cat properly, you’ll never get over it.”

— Hiro Arikawa

11. “As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another.”

— Hiro Arikawa

12. “Feeling the weight of a cat’s paws pressing into your shoulders in the middle of the night – not much beats that.”

— Hiro Arikawa

13. “Cats the world over prefer to discover things they like on their own and rarely go for anything that’s been provided for them.”

— Hiro Arikawa

14. “If you have to consider what’s going to happen after you die, life becomes doubly troublesome.”

— Hiro Arikawa

15. “At that moment, we were without doubt the greatest travellers in the world. And I was the world’s greatest travelling cat.”

— Hiro Arikawa

16. “The sea is where you go to reminisce when you are far away from home.”

— Hiro Arikawa

17. “Humans who think we don’t understand them are the stupid ones.”

— Hiro Arikawa

18. “As I explained earlier, most animals are multilingual when it comes to listening, but reading is beyond us. Reading and writing seem to belong to a special linguistic system that only humans possess.”

— Hiro Arikawa

19. “A stray cat’s skill lies in building up a complex web of connections in order to survive on the streets.”

— Hiro Arikawa

20. “Nana, you said his name is?” “Yeah. Because his tail’s hooked into the shape of a seven.” I didn’t think we needed to explain the origin of my name to every passing stranger, but Satoru was always so conscientious when it came to things like that.”

— Hiro Arikawa

21. “Whenever there’s anything major happening in our family we need to inform both our dog and cat – this proposal by Chikako had become a firm family rule.”

— Hiro Arikawa

22. “What with my father being so arrogant and selfish, maybe I shouldn’t have tried so hard to be a good son.”

— Hiro Arikawa

23. “The least they could do would be to stuff those toys with white meat. But could I take this complaint to the pet-toymakers? Stop worrying about what the owners think and pay some attention to your real clients. Your real clients are folk like me.”

— Hiro Arikawa

24. “When an animal’s life is over, it rests where it falls, and it often seems to me that humans are such worriers, to think of preparing a place for people to sleep when they are dead. If you have to consider what’s going to happen after you die, life becomes doubly troublesome. Satoru drove the van through.”

— Hiro Arikawa

25. “Among cats, when a female chooses a mate, it’s a very clear-cut thing. Not just among cats, but with all animals, the female’s judgement about love is absolute.”

— Hiro Arikawa

26. “Cats are realists.”

— Hiro Arikawa

27. “What was Nana like when he was little?” “I found him when he was a grown cat, so I don’t know what sort of kitten he was. I wish I could have known him then. I’m sure he was adorable.” You’re right there. My level of cuteness when I was a kitten was such that passersby vied for the privilege of leaving me a little something to eat.”

— Hiro Arikawa

28. “Some people really shouldn’t become parents. There’s no absolute guarantee when it comes to the love between a parent and their child.”

— Hiro Arikawa

29. “It’s a great honor to meet you. Hachi was a wonderful cat, I’m sure. But don’t you think I’m rather nice, too?”

— Hiro Arikawa

30. “In the cat world, good manners are a must.”

— Hiro Arikawa

31. “The two of us were so very, very well matched, so don’t you think it was strange we were kept apart from each other?”

— Hiro Arikawa

32. “Because it was only natural to feel sad.”

— Hiro Arikawa

33. “Life, be it human or feline, doesn’t always work out the way you think it will.”

— Hiro Arikawa

34. “Human beings are basically huge monkeys that walked upright, but they can be pretty full of themselves.”

— Hiro Arikawa

35. “You thought I might be able to help you, didn’t you?” I guess so, Sherlock. Then the man started sniffing and snuffling. Why was he crying? “I’m proud of you, remembering me like that.” Cats don’t cry like humans do. But – somehow – I sort of understood why he was weeping.”

— Hiro Arikawa

36. “I was in the hospital to see him off. But he’s still here, in my heart, so I don’t need a ceremony to remember him.”

— Hiro Arikawa

37. “I thought it would be great if we could travel together like this for the rest of our lives.”

— Hiro Arikawa

38. “When he was at home, he spent more time reading books than watching TV. He’d even been known to shed the occasional tear as he turned the pages. If he ever caught me watching him during one of these moments, he would look embarrassed and say, ‘Stop staring.”

— Hiro Arikawa

39. “The impertinence! You have the nerve to speak to me like that? A gentleman who, in spite of you suddenly touching his tail, refrained from swatting you? And you aimed for my tail more than just a couple of times!”

— Hiro Arikawa

40. “After you passed away, the people who miss you all became connected.”

— Hiro Arikawa

41. “As instructed, I waited like a good boy. Of course I did. I’m a wise cat. I know what to do in any and all situations.”

— Hiro Arikawa

42. “You ask if we cats can see ghosts. Don’t you know that there are things in this world that are better left a mystery?”

— Hiro Arikawa

43. “That’s not true. In fact, it’s such an obvious lie that Enma, the Lord of Hell, who pulls out the tongues of liars, would be laughing too hard to do any tongue-pulling.”

— Hiro Arikawa

44. “Satoru was a dyed-in-the-wool cat lover, like I said. Go ahead and get lovey-dovey with that kitten. See if I care.”

— Hiro Arikawa

45. “Noriko gulped again, her throat pulsing like a frog’s. Now who was it, when they first met me, who freaked out about my throat making a funny sound? Hm? That’s a pretty funny sound you’re making yourself, if you don’t mind me saying.”

— Hiro Arikawa

46. “Because it was a very special thing – to have your own cat in your own home.”

— Hiro Arikawa

47. “Apparently, humans liked to have large stones put on top of them when they are dead.”

— Hiro Arikawa

48. “However, I’m a grown-up cat and I restrained myself, so, everyone, feel free to shower me with praise.”

— Hiro Arikawa

49. “Just try it – try pulling me out by force from this basket and I swear I’ll scratch so many lines on your face you’ll be able to play checkers on it for the next three months.”

— Hiro Arikawa

50. “Countryside snow that piles up to the eves, vs city snow that melts away in a few days, it made me wonder, honestly, how they could both go by the same name.”

— Hiro Arikawa