Botchan, written by Kinnosuke Natsume, is a 1906 Japanese novel about mortality.

This novel is about a young man named Botchan who grows up in Tokyo, Japan. Botchan is an active boy, unlike his older brother, who is very quiet.

Because Botchan's mother dies, he begins to look up to his family's maid, a lady named Kiyo. Six years after his mother dies, Botchan's father also passes away.

Botchan goes on to study physics and eventually teaches sixth grade math for a short time. His teaching stops early due to his temper and arrogance which cause him to fight with his students. These fights escalate and Botchan realizes that the head master of the school, named Red Shirt, and the English teacher are also involved.

Botchan realizes that he ought to take the higher ground and resigns from the school.

This novel is based on Natsume's own experiences as a teacher.