At the same time, I would add that the American people have a lot

The great architect Tadao Ando, whose buildings rise like prayers of concrete and light, once spoke with humility and admiration: “At the same time, I would add that the American people have a lot of courage.” In these few words, simple yet profound, Ando does not merely offer a compliment—he recognizes a spirit, a force woven into the fabric of a nation. To him, this courage was not an abstraction, but a living energy he had witnessed firsthand: the boldness to dream, to create, to rebuild from ruin, and to embrace the unknown. His observation, like the stones of his temples, stands as a testament to the enduring strength of the human will when guided by conviction and hope.

The origin of this statement arises from Ando’s reflections on his encounters with the United States—a land whose people he saw as daring in both ambition and imagination. Born in Japan, Ando’s own journey was marked by discipline, introspection, and an almost spiritual pursuit of perfection through simplicity. Yet when he looked across the ocean, he found another form of strength: an outward-reaching, restless courage that sought to shape the world rather than retreat from it. Where his own philosophy emphasized stillness and harmony, he saw in America a fearless energy that dared to challenge boundaries, to build new forms, and to face the vastness of possibility without trembling. His words thus reveal a reverence for that quality which unites creators across cultures—the courage to act.

To understand Ando’s praise, one must look beyond politics or nationality and see the essence of what he admired: the courage to begin, even when the path is uncertain. The American people, as he saw them, embodied this through their history—a people who crossed oceans, endured hardship, and continually reinvented themselves. From the pioneers who ventured into untamed lands to the innovators who turned dreams into inventions, there runs a single thread: the refusal to surrender to fear. This is the same courage that built cities from deserts, that reached for the moon, that sought justice even when it divided the nation. It is the strength to believe that tomorrow can be better than today—and to act upon that belief with one’s own hands.

One need only recall the story of Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression, when despair gripped the land and the future seemed lost. It was then that he spoke the words that still echo through history: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” With these words, he called his people back to their ancient courage, reminding them that hope is not a gift, but a choice. Through unity and resolve, they rebuilt their nation. In the same way, when Tadao Ando looked upon the American spirit, he saw not perfection, but persistence—a people who stumble yet rise, who fall yet dare again. That, to him, was the truest form of courage.

Yet Ando’s statement is not mere praise—it is also a reflection, a lesson to all who would listen. He understood that courage is not confined to nations or cultures; it is a light that lives in every human heart. It manifests differently in every land: in Japan, through quiet perseverance and the beauty of endurance; in America, through bold movement and fearless innovation. But its essence is the same. It is the willingness to act without certainty, to love without guarantee, to build even when destruction seems inevitable. Ando reminds us that courage is not only heroic but creative—it is the source of every new beginning.

In his own life, Tadao Ando lived by this principle. A self-taught architect, he rose not from privilege but from struggle. Without formal training, he studied the masters by traveling the world and sketching their works. Many told him it was impossible. Yet he persevered, driven by the same courage he later admired in others. His buildings, from the Church of the Light in Osaka to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, embody the unity of silence and strength—proof that true creation comes not from ease, but from fearless devotion to one’s vision. In his tribute to the American people, he also speaks indirectly of himself and of all who dare to defy limitation.

So, my child, take this wisdom into your heart. Understand that courage is not the absence of fear, but the act of moving forward despite it. Let your spirit, like the people Ando admired, be bold in vision and unwavering in effort. When faced with obstacles, do not retreat into despair, but shape your life as an architect shapes stone—with patience, strength, and purpose. Let your failures become foundations, your hopes become blueprints for a greater design.

For in the words of Tadao Ando, there lies a universal truth: that every enduring creation—every bridge, every idea, every act of kindness—is born from courage. Whether in a nation, a community, or a single heart, it is this flame that lifts humanity from darkness into light. The wise do not wait for courage to appear—they build it, one act at a time, until the spirit itself becomes unbreakable. And when you, too, act from that sacred strength, you honor the same courage that has carried civilizations forward since the dawn of time.