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Contents
Posts
Japanese Hand Clapping Playground Game
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009Here’s a Japanese hand clapping game about making rice cakes. Cool motions!
If anyone would like to send me the Japanese lyrics and/or an English translation, I’d love to add them here. You can add a transliteration or translation in the comments below or email me the Japanese text at lisa@mamalisa.com .
Meanwhile, you can enjoy watching and listening… they repeat it so you can try to learn it by ear.
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
About The Japanese Star Festival – Tanabata – with a Song and YouTube Video
Thursday, July 30th, 2009One wonderful festival that takes place in Japan in July is the Star Festival, also known as Tanabata. Tanabata means “evening of the seventh”… the Star Festival takes place at night on July 7th every year. Tanabata is originally based on a Chinese legend.
Tanabata celebrates the meeting of a husband and wife. They are Orihime (the star Vega) and Hikoboshi (the star Altair)… to meet they must cross the river Amanogawa (the Milky Way). They can only meet once a year on this night… it’s the one time they can cross the river. The story is that a flock of magpies help Orihime cross the river on this day only. If it’s a cloudy night, that means the river was too high and Orihame and Hikoboshi couldn’t meet. So in Japan everyone wishes for a clear night full of stars on July 7th.
Ayako Egawa in Japan wrote to me about one fun tradition on this day: “Children write their wishes on strips of fancy paper and put them on displays made of the branches of bamboo trees.”
Ayako sent me this photo below with the note, “This is the decoration at Star festival (Tanabata) on July 7th.”
Here’s a traditional Tanabata Song that’s sung for the festival. First you’ll find a Japanese transliteration, then the Japanese text, an English translation by me, followed by a YouTube video of a little girl singing it…
Sasa no ha sara-sara
In Japanese Romaji:
Sasa no ha sara-sara
Nokiba ni yureru
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
Kingin sunagoIn Japanese Text:
笹の葉 さらさら
軒端にゆれる
お星様 キラキラ
金銀砂子English Translation:
Bamboo leaves are rustling, rustling,
Swaying close to the roof’s edge,
Oh, how the stars are twinkling, twinkling,
Gold and silver grains of sand.If you’d like to share any photos, songs or memories of this festival, feel free to in the comments below or email me at lisa@mamalisa.com .
Many thanks to Ayako Egawa for letting us know about this festival and for sharing the wonderful photo!
Mama Lisa
Japanese Lullabies called Nenneko Yo with a YouTube Video
Thursday, July 30th, 2009There are some lullabies in Japan that start with variations of the line, “Nenneko yo”. “Nenneko yo” is literally “Sleep, baby child”.
Here are some I found in an old book called “A Japanese Miscellany: Strange Stories, Folklore Gleanings, Studies Here & There” by Lafcadio Hearn (1901). They’re Japanese transliterations with translations.
Nenneko, nenneko,
Nenneko yo !
Oraga akabo no
Neta rusu ni,
Azuki wo yonagete,
Kome toide,
Aka no mamma e
Toto soete,
Aka no ii-ko ni
Kureru-zo !Sleep, sleep, sleep,
Little one!
While my baby sleeps
I will wash some red beans
And clean some rice;
Then adding some
Fish to the red rice,
I will serve it up
To this best
of little babies.*****
Nenneko! nenneko!
Nenneko yo !
Oraga akabo wa
Itsu dekita ?
San-gwatsu, sakura no
Saku toki ni :
Dori de o-kao ga
Sakura-iro.Sleep, sleep,
Sleep, my child!
When was my
Baby made?
In the third month,
In the time of the blooming
Of cherry-flowers.
Therefore the color of the honorable
Face of my child is the color of the cherry-blossom.*****
Nenneko, nenneko, nenneko ya !
Netara o-kaka e tsurete ina !
Okitara gagama* ga totte kama !Sleep, sleep, sleep, my child !
If you sleep I will go home to fetch your mother!
If you stay awake the
Gagama* will catch and bite you !* An Izumo name for some kind of Goblin.
Here’s a YouTube I found of someone singing a lovely Nenneko yo lullaby…
Here’s an English transliteration of the YouTube lullaby:
Yurika go no uta o
Nenneko, nenneko,
Nenneko yo.
Yurika go no uta o,
kanari ya ga uta u yo.
Nenneko, nenneko,
Nenneko yo.Here’s an English translation I made with Ayako Egawa:
The Songs of Cradle
Sleeping, sleeping,
Sleeping, baby!
The songs of the cradle,
The canary sings
Sleeping, sleeping,
Sleeping, baby!Here’s the Japanese text to this lullaby:
ゆりかごのうたを
ねんねこねんねこ
ねんねこよ
ゆりかごのうたを
カナリヤが歌うよ
ねんねこねんねこ
ねんねこよThe lullaby in the video is only part of a longer song. We hope to eventually post the whole lullaby.
We’d be happy to receive the Japanese text to any of the above lullabies that don’t have it. You can email any info to me at lisa@mamalisa.com . Thanks in advance!
Many thanks to Linda Austin from Cherry Blossom Memories for providing the transliteration to the YouTube video! Thanks to Ayako Egawa for the Japanese text and for helping with the English translation!
Mama Lisa
Cherry Blossom Viewing in Japan
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009When the Cherry Blossoms bloom in Japan it’s traditional to go to the park to view the blossoms and have a picnic. Cherry Blossom viewing is called called Hanami. Ayako Egawa generously shared her photos of this years cherry blossom viewing.
Ayako wrote, "We walked under the flow of cherry blossoms in the park. It was beautiful!"
Close up of the cherry blossoms.
Ayako continued, "Lots of people enjoy sitting and eating ‘bento’ (their lunch)."
Ayako wrote, "We hiked along the road hearing the twitter of Japanese Bush Warbler.
I like the feel of spring!"
I asked Ayako what the Japanese Bush Warbler sounds like and she wrote, "Hearing the twitter of the Japanese Bush Warbler is a sign of Spring in Japan. They sing like ‘Whoo Who ket kyo’! It’s a unique twitter." Later Ayako sent me this YouTube video below she found to hear the bird’s tweet.
Ayako wrote, "Small purple flowers in the park. They are pretty."
Ayako wrote, "Cherry blossoms in this school playground are really beautiful! It’s common that there are lots of cherry blossoms in school playgrounds in Japan."
Thanks so much for sharing these great photos with us Ayako!
Check out these posts for more about Cherry Blossom Viewing and Festivals.
You can also hear 2 well known Cherry Blossom Songs on Mama Lisa’s World:
Sakura Sakura – Cherry Blossoms (Song #2)
Enjoy the season and try to see Cherry Blossoms blooming near you if possible. It’s worth the effort.
Mama Lisa
Hina Matsuri – Doll Festival in Japan
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Hina Matsuri or “Doll Festival”, is celebrated in Japan on March 3rd every year.
Ayako Egawa wrote to me from Japan about the holiday:
“Families with daughters celebrate March 3 by displaying Hina-dolls on a stepped shelf to express the wish for their daughters’ good health and growth. I posted a photo of ‘Hina-dolls’ (below). They are pretty.”
“We decorate Hina-dolls with flowers of peach and field mascard (canola) on ‘Hina Matsuri’. These below are flowers of peach.” The peach blossoms are thought to repel evil.
Ayako makes flower arrangements. She wrote, “This is a ‘Hinamatsuri’ arrangement I made. It has in it flowers of peach, field mustard (canola – the small yellow flower), gerbera, roses, persion buttercup (the big yellow flower) and lemon leaf. The point of this arrangement is arrange the flowers of peach vertically going higher. The pink tone of the flowers create an elegant mood.”
Here’s the Hina Matsuri Song that’s sung all over Japan for the holiday. You can hear it being sung below by Sakura and Hatsami. The recording is followed by the transliterated lyrics, an English translation and the Japanese text…
Hina Matsuri Song
Transliterated Japanese
Akari o tsukema sho bon bori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin – bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii Hina MatsuriLoose English Translation
Let’s light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let’s put peach blossoms on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a Happy Dolls’ Festival.Japanese Text for the Hina Matsuri Song
うれしいひなまつり
You can read more about Hina Matsuri in a previous posts I’ve written about it by clicking on the links below.
You can visit the Mama Lisa’s World Hina Matsuri Song Page for sheet music to this song.
Many thanks Ayako Egawa for sharing her photos with us about Hinamatsuri and for commenting on them, to Sakura and Hatsami for singing the Hina Matsuri Song and to Peter Galante of Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com for allowing us to use this wonderful recording! The recording is from their podcast about the Hina Matsuri Festival (it’s mainly in English).
Happy Hina Matsuri!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Japanese Song about Raccoons or Badgers called “Shojoji”?
Saturday, January 12th, 2008Raquel wrote to me:
Hi,
I LOVE your website! Charming, charming and so fun!
I was looking for a Japanese song about how raccoons or badgers make a drum sound on their tummies.It was on an Ann Leif Barlin record many years ago.
It goes like this (I hope):
Sho, sho sho joji
sho joji naee wawa
tzum, tzum tzum kei o na
me nodeta koi koi koiThat’s some of it as I recall.
If you can find it that would be great!
Thanks!RAquel Ary-DE ROZZA
If anyone can help with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
Can Someone Help with the Japanese lyrics to “”Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”"?
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007Kristen wrote:
Hi,
We have our preschool concert coming up soon and we’re hoping to do “Heads, shoulders, knees and toes” with the kids. We are learning body parts in Japanese but need the translation for the whole song.
This is what we have… is this correct? We need the section “Let’s all clap hands together.”
Atama kata hiza ashi (Heads, shoulders, knees, toes)
hiza ashi hiza ashi (Knees, toes, knees, toes)
atama kata hiza ashi (Let’s all clap hands together)
me mimi thana kuchi (Eyes, ears, mouth, nose)
thana kuchi thana kuchi (Mouth, nose, mouth, nose)
me mimi thana kuchi (Let’s all clap hands together.)Thank you for your time.
Kristen
If anyone can help with the full lyrics to this song, or if there are any corrections that should be made to above text, please let us know by commenting below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Come Listen to the Japanese Children’s Song “Donguri Korokoro” – A Rolling Acorn
Thursday, May 17th, 2007Roxanne Dixon sent me this wonderful recording of some Japanese schoolchildren singing the well-known song, Donguri Korokoro. Click the link below to hear the recording. Below that you’ll find the Japanese transliteration for singing along, followed by an English translation.
MP3 Recording of Donguri Korokoro – A Rolling Acorn
Donguri Korokoro
(Transliteration)Donguri korokoro donburiko
O-ike ni hamatte saa taihen
Dojou ga detekite konnichi wa
Botchan issho ni asobimashouDonguri korokoro yorokonde
Shibaraku issho ni asonda ga
Yappari o-yama ga koishii to
Naite wa dojou wo komarasetaA Rolling Acorn
(English)An acorn rolled down and down,
He suddenly fell into a pond.
Then came the loaches*,
Hi boy! Come play with us!The acorn enjoyed playing with them.
But he soon began to cry,
I want to go back to the mountain.
The loaches didn’t know what to do.*Loach is the name for various Eurasian and African freshwater fish of the carp family.
Come visit the Donguri Korokoro Song Page for the Japanese text, the sheet music, the tune played on piano and a link for a French translation. Roxanne also sent recordings of Zosan and Yuki. You can click the links to visit those song pages and hear the newest recordings.
Many thanks to Roxanne Dixon for the recording. Roxanne collected the recording and songs on her trip to Japan as part of the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Exchange Program, a Program of the Japanese government to foster goodwill and understanding between the US and Japan.
Thanks also to Petter Mæhlum for the transliteration and to Ayako Egawa for the English translation.
Enjoy!
Lisa
Looking for a Japanese Children’s Song with the Line “”Teku Teku”"
Friday, April 27th, 2007Liz Matsumoto wrote:
Does anyone know the Japanese childrens song that starts off Teku Teku?
If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Does Anyone Know a Japanese Song called “Kouma” about Teddy Bears ?
Tuesday, April 10th, 2007I recently received this email:
Hi… don’t know if you would be able to help me.. but I’m looking for a Japanese song about Teddy Bears – I was told the title is KOUMA – but can’t seem to find it on the net.
Would you know where I can locate this video?
Thank you
Sincerely
Providencia MorilloIf anyone can help with the lyrics to this song or if you know where to find the video, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Can You Help with a Japanese Song called “Okina kurino kino shita de”?
Saturday, April 7th, 2007Ling Ling wrote:
Hi mama lisa. I am Ling ling from Indonesia. I am looking for the lyrics to a Japanese song, I hope you can help me.
The title is OKINAKURINO KINO SHITA DE. My teacher taught me this song when I was in high school and I have forgotten the lyrics. Here’s what I know…Okina kurino kino shita de, anata to watashi…. (and bla bla bla…)
Please help me?
If anyone can help out with the lyrics to this song, or a translation, please comment below, or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Hina Matsuri 雛祭り – The Doll Festival in Japan – Has its Roots in an Old Chinese Purification Ceremony
Friday, March 2nd, 2007Tomorrow, March 3rd, is the Hina Matsuri 雛祭り or Doll Festival in Japan.
The Japanese celebration seems to have originated in China, where there was a festival called Shang-suu that had also been celebrated on March 3rd, at least since the 3rd century AD. Shang-suu may go back before that time but the date may have shifted. (It looks like Shang-suu eventually merged with the Ching Ming Festival – Remembrance of Ancestors Day – which is still celebrated today in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Now it takes place on April 4th or 5th.)
Shang-suu was a day of purification. Suu stands for snake, so for convenience, I’ll translate it here as the Day of the Snake (as it came to be called later in Japan). In China, Shamans were considered people who could see evil spirits. On Shang-suu, the shamans gave people baths using herbs in rivers to wash away the evil spirits.
We know that by the 11th century in Japan, the nobles had adapted a similar ceremony. This was called Mi-no-hi or jō-shi. We can date it because it’s mentioned in a book of the times called the Tales of Genji. By that time, it wasn’t the actual person who was cleansed in the river, but a doll who represented him or her.
In the Tales of Genji it says, “It was the day of the serpent, the first such day in the Third Month. ‘The day when a man who has worries goes down and washes them away,’ said one of his (Genji’s) men, admirably informed, it would seem, in all the annual observances. Genji thought he could see something of himself in the rather large doll being cast off to sea, bearing away sins and tribulations. ‘Cast away to drift on an alien vastness, I grieve for more than a doll cast out to sea.’”
Today, in parts of Japan, some people still load boats with dolls and send them off to sea. Now, though, the festival is mostly for girls. It’s called Hina Nagashi Matsuri or Floating Dolls Festival. Traditionally, people first rub the dolls to pass any bad luck onto the doll. Then they let the doll float down the river in a little boat and then out to sea to cast off all evilness and bad spirits.
In some towns they load up big boats and many people cast their old dolls in them. In the photo below, the dolls are actually made with fish food!
Between the 11th century and today, the tradition of Hina Nagashi Matsuri went from being mainly for the nobility to spreading to the whole population. Part of the reason for this was that merchants wanted to sell their paper dolls at this time of year. So they encouraged more of the population to buy them. By the 18th century, the dolls became more intricate and expensive. People no longer wanted to float them out to sea. So they started bringing them to temples to get rid of the evil.
Eventually, people started buying alters for their dolls called hina dan (doll alter) on which to display them in their own homes. These became like shrines. They made offerings of shirosake (sweet sake made from fermented rice) and hishi mochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes with three to five layers). The alters are decorated with peach blossoms which is thought to repel evilness.
The hina matsuri dolls are now called hina ningyo. They’re often passed down from mother to daughter from generation to generation. The hope behind celebrating the Hina Matsuri is that the daughter will live a long, healthy and happy life.
Here’s the Hina Matsuri Song that’s sung all over Japan on this day. You can hear it being sung by Sakura and Hatsami…
Hina Matsuri Song
Transliterated Japanese
Akari o tsukema sho bon bori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin – bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii Hina MatsuriLoose English Translation
Let’s light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let’s put peach blossoms on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a Happy Dolls’ Festival.Japanese Text for the Hina Matsuri Song
うれしいひなまつり
Happy Hina Matsuri!
You can read more about Hina Matsuri in a previous post I wrote about it. It tells more about the hina ningyo dolls.
You can visit the Mama Lisa’s World Hina Matsuri Song Page for sheet music for this song.
Many thanks to Sakura and Hatsami for singing the Hina Matsuri Song and to Peter Galante of Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com for allowing us to use this wonderful recording! The recording is from their podcast about the Hina Matsuri Festival (it’s mainly in English).
For anyone interested in reading more about Shang-ssu and Hina Matsuri, I’d recommend an article by Alsace Yen called Shang-ssu Festival and Its Myths in China and Japan
Is Anyone Familiar with the Japanese Children’s Song called “Aka Tombo” or “Red Dragonfly”?
Wednesday, December 6th, 2006Priscilla wrote…
Hi, Lisa-
Love your website, especially the Japanese Children’s songs. Wondering if you could include the lyrics, melody, and sheet music for “Aka Tombo” Red Dragon Fly. Thank you,
Priscilla
If anyone can help with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Looking for a Japanese Song about Friends Talking on a Telephone
Sunday, November 19th, 2006Lisa wrote to me…
I was born in Tokyo on Johnson’s Air Force Base and have always had a fascination for anything Japanese: songs, stories, customs, and so on.
There is a song I learned to sing as a very little girl, but the only part I remember is: Mushie Mushie on na ney.
I’m not even sure if the spelling is correct, but translated roughly it is: Friends talking on the telephone.
I would appreciate it if you could tell me anything about this song.
Thank you
Sincerely,
Lisa
If anyone is familiar with this song and can help out, please comment below.
UPDATE: Here are the lyrics to The Telephone Song, followed by a loose English translation. It’s sung/chanted to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down.
The Telephone Song
(Japanese Transliteration)Mushi, mushi ah no ne
Ah no ne
Ah no ne,
Mushi Mushi a no ne
Ah so des ka!It’s like what you’d hear on one end of a telephone conversation. So, roughly in English, that’s…
Hello, un-huh
Un-huh
Un-huh
Hello, un-huh
You don’t say!Many thanks to Carolyn Barras for sending this song and for the English translation and to Devon Thagard for his comments about the meaning of the words in English.
There’s more about this song in the comments below.
The Japanese Boys’ Festival called “Tango no Sekku”, plus a Song for the Holiday called “Koinobori”
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006Tango no Sekku is celebrated on May 5th. In Japan, this day is called Boys’ Festival. It’s been celebrated for over a millennium. Originally it was celebrated in the houses of warriors. It celebrated boys’ courage and determination. Many of the symbols of this day are about having the character of a warrior. Eventually this day became important to all households in Japan with boys.
After WWII, Boys’ Day became toned down. This holiday officially became known as Children’s Day or Kodomo no hi. It’s supposed to be a day to celebrate the health and happiness of all children. But many people still see it as Boys’ Festival.
Large carp windsocks, called koinobori, are displayed outside houses of families with boys. There’s one windsock for each boy in the house. The largest windsock is for the oldest son of the house.
The carp is a symbol of Tango no Sekku, because carp are considered strong and determined. They’re able to swim upstream against the flow of the water. This is a day for families to celebrate their sons’ strength and character.
Warrior dolls and helmets, armor and swords are also displayed in houses with boys.
The symbolic flower of Tango no Sekku is a type of iris called shobu. The shobu has long leaves that resemble swords. Boys traditionally take shobu leaf baths on this day. The shobu is so important on this day that sometimes the festival is called Shobu no Sekku or Iris Festival.
One traditional food eaten on this day is kashiwa mochi. It’s a rice cake steamed with sweet beans and wrapped in an oak leaf. Another traditional food is chimaki, which is rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Here’s a traditional song for Tango no Sekku called Koinoburi or Carp Windsocks…
Koinobori
(Japanese Transliteration)Yane yori takai koinobori.
Okii magoi wa otoosan.
Chisai higoi wa kodomotachi.
Omoshiro soni oyideru.Carp Windsocks
(English)Carp windsocks are above the roof.
The biggest carp is the father,
The smaller carp are children,
They’re enjoying swimming in the sky.Listen to an MP3 of Koinobori and see the sheet music.
I welcome any midis or mp3’s of Koinobori, the Japanese text and also any comments about the traditions of this day.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Songs from Japan!
“Sakura, Sakura” another Japanese Cherry Blossom Song
Saturday, March 25th, 2006In my previous entry, I talked about the importance of Hanami, Cherry Blossom Viewing, in the Springtime, in Japan.
The cherry blossoms, called sakura in Japanese, bloom at a time when there are lots of new beginnings. Of course it’s the start of new life in the land. But in Japan, it’s also the start of the new school year, it’s when college graduates start new jobs and it’s also the start of the new fiscal year for Japanese businesses.
In honor of the Hanami, in my previous entry I posted a folk song called Hana (Sakura) or Cherry Blossoms. Here’s another traditional Japanese song that’s called Sakura Sakura…
MP3 of Sakura Sakura Played on the Piano
Sakura Sakura
(Japanese Transliteration)Sakura sakura
Noyama mo sato mo
Miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Asahi ni niou
Sakura sakura
Hana zakariSakura sakura
Yayoi no sora wa
Miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Nioi zo izuru
Izaya izaya
Mini yu kanCherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms
(English Translation)Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Blanketing the countryside,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom.Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Across the Spring sky,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come,
Let’s look, at last!桜 桜
(Japanese Text)
If anyone can provide a better copy of the Japanese text for this song, please email me. I also welcome recordings and midis.
Thanks!
Lisa
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for creating the midi and for locating the Japanese text and to Susan Pomerantz for the piano recording of Sakura Sakura. Many thanks to HAMADA Miwa and team at the University of Toyama for allowing me to use the Sakura Sakura recording and midi from their wonderful site of Japanese Songs.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Songs from Japan!
Cherry Blossom Parties in Japan and a Japanese Folk Song called “Hana” (”Sakura”)
Saturday, March 25th, 2006When the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan, at the end of March and into April, it’s the sign that Spring is really here!
Cherry Blossoms are pronounced as sakura in Japanese. In Japanese text, sakura is 桜or 櫻.
Japanese people celebrate with hanami, viewing the cherry blossoms. They have picnics under the sakura trees, with co-workers, family and friends. People eat, drink sake and sing songs. This tradition dates back at least to the 9th century AD.
The cherry blossoms are in bloom for only a week or so. News reports forecast when the blossoms will be in full bloom in different areas in Japan. This is called the sakura zensen which means Cherry Blossom Front. This way, people can plan their hanami parties.
Japanese people have many words related to the cherry blossoms. Some are related to food. There’s sakura yu, which is a tea made with cherry blossoms. There’s sakura mochi which is a confection rolled in a cherry leaf.
Yozakura means night cherry blossoms. It refers to viewing the sakura after sundown. The trees look beautiful against the darker, evening or nighttime sky.
There’s also sakura fubuki which means cherry blossom (snow) storm. This refers to the last beauty the blossoms bring: when they’re falling, gently floating through the air in a whirlwind of blooms that resembles a snowstorm.
There are also songs about the sakura. Here’s a Japanese folk song called Hana (Sakura), in English, with the Japanese text, and an mp3 recording of the song played on piano.
MP3 of Hana (Sakura) – Cherry Blossoms
Cherry Blossoms
(English)How happy, spring has come over the Sumida*,
Rowing up, rowing down in the warm sunbeams,
Drops from the boatmen’s oars look like cherry blooms,
How can I describe for you the view o’er the streams?Lo, see the cherry trees that stand in the morning mist,
I hear them speak to me in a tender tone,
In the eve I love to see the waving willows,
They stretch their hands to me strolling alone.Oh, see the hazy moon rising o’er the banks,
Rows of cherry trees standing o’er the stream,
How I love the cherry blossoms in the moonlight!
How can I describe for you the night like in a dream?*The Sumida River, which runs along the banks of Tokyo
桜 – Hana
(Japanese Text)
Many people in Japan are very aware of nature and the seasons around them. They recognize the transient nature of the beauty of the sakura. The hanami is a special time to take in its beauty and perhaps reflect on the transient nature of all of life.
-Lisa
Many thanks the Japan Information and Culture Center, a part of the Embassy of Japan, for contributing this song and to Susan Pomerantz for playing the tune on the piano.
Please email me or comment below if you know the Japanese transliteration of Hana or if you’d like to send an alternate recording or midi.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Songs from Japan.
UPDATE: I just posted another traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom Song called Sakura, Sakura.
A Well-known Japanese Song called “Moonlight on the Ruined Castle” or “Kojo no Tsuki”
Thursday, March 9th, 2006John Caughman sent me an mp3 of him singing the first verse of Moonlight on the Ruined Castle. First you’ll hear it in Japanese and then in English. Here’s the mp3 with a Japanese transliteration (so you can read or sing along), the English translation and the Japanese text…
MP3 of Moonlight on the Ruined Castle – Kojo no Tsuki
Kojo no Tsuki
Haru koro no hana no en
Meguru sakazuki kage sashite
Chiyo no matsu ga e wake ideshi
Mukashi no hikari Ima izu koMoonlight on the Ruined Castle
Cherry blossoms gracefully bloom o’er the fields that lie,
High up is the castle wall, where have warriors gone?
Where is the moonlight that brightly shone up high,
Shone upon the warriors who drained the glasses dry?Japanese Text of Kojo no Tsuki
Many thanks to John Caughman for singing this song for us!
-Lisa
Here you’ll find the complete lyrics to Moonlight on the Ruined Castle in Japanese text and with an English translation. I’ll post the full Japanese transliteration of Kojo no Tsuki in the comments below.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Japanese Songs.
You can also visit John Caughman’s site called Daygig Music to hear more of his songs!
Hina Matsuri, The Doll Festival in Japan is on March 3rd
Thursday, March 2nd, 2006In Japan, on March 3rd, Hina Matsuri, people pray for their daughters’ future happiness, health and growth.
Hina means doll and matsuri means festival, so Hina Matsuri is literally Doll Festival. It’s also Girls’ Day. Yet another name for the day is Momo no Sekku meaning Peach Blossom Festival, because this is around the time the peach blossoms bloom. Peach blossoms also are a symbol for a happy marriage.
The hina used for this festival are called hina ningyo. These are a set of dolls that are handed down from generation to generation which are only taken out for this festival. The hina ningyo are displayed on a special stand that has tiers which are covered in red cloth. The two most important hina are the Emperor and Empress. They sit on the top tier. On the second tier are 3 ladies in waiting. On the third tier sit 5 male musicians. One plays a drum, one plays a flute and the third is a singer. The fourth tier has 2 ministers, followed by 3 servants on the fifth tier. The sets have up to 15 dolls, but not all families have the whole set. Many will just have a couple of dolls, often a man and a lady on one tier. Others will use paper dolls.
The tradition of displaying dolls for Hina Matsuri dates back to the Edo or Tokugawa Period, which was from about 1600 to 1867. It comes from an old custom in China to float paper dolls down the river to take away evil spirits. This is still practiced in some places in Japan and is called Hina Nagashi Matsuri or Floating Dolls Festival. The girls will place two paper dolls in a boat made of wood or straw with rice cakes to take away bad luck, illness and misfortune. In some places they will float paper dolls down the river without a little boat.
Girls dress up specially on this day in their best kimonos. Some girls will dress up like the dolls and have little parties. They will serve hishi mochi which are diamond-shaped rice cakes with three to five layers. They also serve a mild sweet white saki called shirozake.
There’s an old traditional song that’s sung for the Festival. Here it is in transliterated Japanese, and with a loose English translation…
Hina Matsuri Song
Transliterated JapaneseAkari o tsukema sho bon bori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin – bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii Hina MatsuriLoose English Translation
Let’s light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let’s put peach blossoms on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a happy Dolls’ Festival.
Japanese Text for the Hina Matsuri Song
Please see the comments below this post for the other three verses to the Hina Matsuri Song, in Japanese text only.
Here’s another version of the Hina Matsuri Song.
Right after the festival, the dolls are supposed to be put away. If not, it’s thought that the daughter will be slow to marry.
Happy Hina Matsuri!
Lisa
You can read more about the Origin of Hina Matsuri and Hina Nagashi Matsuri in a later blog post.
You can visit the Mama Lisa’s World Hina Matsuri Song Page for sheet music for this song.
Many thanks to Sakura and Hatsami for singing the Hina Matsuri Song and to Peter Galante of Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com for allowing us to use this wonderful recording! The recording is from their podcast about the Hina Matsuri Festival (it’s mainly in English).
Many thanks to Devon of Head, Shoulders, Knees and all that and Ayako Egawa for bringing this festival to my attention, and to Devon for sending me the Japanese text.
Check out Origami Instructions to make Hina Dolls
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Japanese Songs with their English translations.
Shichi-go-san, The 7 – 5 – 3 Festival in Japan and a Japanese Song called Tooryanse
Monday, November 14th, 2005Shichi-go-san, 七五三, takes place on November 15 and it celebrates girls who are 7, boys who are 5, and boys and girls who are 3 years old. These numbers were chosen because odd numbers are considered lucky in Japan. It’s celebrated on the 15th because 7 + 5 + 3 = 15 and November 15th is considered to be the luckiest day of the year. Also…
3 is when kids stopped having their heads shaved (a custom in old Japan) in a celebration called Kamioki. The third birthday was also important because there was such a high infant mortality rate – when a child lived to 3, it meant they were much more likely to survive.
5 is when boys start wearing a hakama, a special skirt that samurais wear, in a celebration called Hakamagi.
7 is when girls start wearing an obi, a special sash for tying their kimonos, in a celebration called Obi-toki.
On Shichi-go-san the children dress up in special clothes, usually kimonos, hakamas, dresses or suits. The kids are taken to the Shinto shrine, where their parents pray for the children’s future health and longevity.
The children are also given long chitose-ame (thousand year) candy, colored red and white, in long bags decorated with turtles and cranes. These are all symbols of longevity in Japan.
At night families gather together for a special feast in honor of the children.
Shichi-go-san is truly a day in which parents show their love for their children!
Here’s a Japanese song called Tooryanse that’s related to Shichi-go-san. It talks about going to the shrine in honor of the child’s 7th birthday. I’ve provided an English translation with the Japanese transliteration, the Japanese text and a midi of Tooryanse.
Pass Through, Pass Through
(English Translation)Pass through, pass through
Where does this narrow path lead?
It is the path to Tenjin Shrine
Please let us pass through
People with no business are usually not allowed through
This child is now seven years old
We’ve come to make our offering
Going is safe, but not returning
If you are prepared, go through, go through.Tooryanse
(Japanese Transliteration)Tooryanse tooryanse
Koko ha doko no hosomichi ja
Tenjin-sama no hosomichi ja
Chiito tooshite kudashanse
Goyou no nai mono toosha senu
Konokono nanatsu no oiwai ni
O fuda wo osame ni mairimasu
Ikiha yoi yoi kaeriha kowai
Kowai nagara mo tooryanse tooryanseJapanese Text of Tooryanse
Many thanks to Nathan Yeldell for providing the Japanese text and to Monique Palomares for the midi.
Please email me if you can provide a recording for Tooryanse.
Come visit The Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Japanese Children’s Songs with their English translations.
And if you’re a boy and you’re 3 or 5, or if you’re a girl and you’re 3 or 7, Happy Shichi-go-san!
-Lisa
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