Katte kabuto no o wo shimeyo
After you win, tighten your helmet
We've all been there. It's the fourth quarter and you team has a commanding lead. You think it's a done deal, but then the other team comes from behind and steals the game.
Katte kabuto no o wo shimeyo means, “after you win, tighten the ties on your helmet.” This means that after you have won a victory or achieved a success, don't let your guard down. There is a famous story about the great warlord, Takeda Shingen. In one battle, the Takeda army led by Shingen's father is attacking Unnokuchi Castle, but they cannot take it and decide to withdraw. The army in the castle celebrates, thinking they have won. However Shingen, returns with only 300 soldiers and takes the castle by surprise. I can imagine this saying referring to just this type of situation.
This saying also applies to the modern world. There are many examples in sports and business where this would be perfect. IBM, thinking they are invincible, gets toppled by Microsoft. Microsoft then lets its guard down and is almost overrun by Netscape and is now in danger from Google and others. There is always someone waiting for you to let your guard down for the time to strike.
So, if you are ever winning a basketball game by two points seconds before the final buzzer, be sure to remind everyone, “Katte kabuto no o wo shimeyo!”
Usage note: Most Japanese sayings can be turned into complete sentences just by adding “desu” to the end. To add emphasis, add “desu yo”. To ask for agreements (think, “yeah,” “right,” “you know”), add “desu ne”.
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