Kōbō Abe

Kōbō Abe (1924–1993) was a Japanese novelist, playwright, and photographer best known for surreal, Kafkaesque works such as The Woman in the Dunes. His writing explored alienation, identity, and the uncanny; the quote reflects his recurring themes of curiosity and the transformative power of wonder.

Quotes by Kōbō Abe

Quotes: 1

Let curiosity be your compass; wonder opens doors to new effort. — Kōbō Abe

Curiosity as a Compass for New Effort

Finally, the quote hints that wonder is most powerful when paired with deliberate action. Wonder opens the door, but effort carries us through; curiosity chooses direction, but practice makes the journey real. This pairing avoids two common traps: aimless fascination with no follow-through, and forced discipline with no meaning. To apply Abe’s idea, it can help to convert wonder into a concrete next step: one experiment, one conversation, one hour of practice. Over time, these small efforts accumulate into expertise, and the compass of curiosity keeps pointing toward the next door worth opening. [...]

Created on: 12/14/2025