ほたるこい (Hotaru Koi)
A children's song from the Akita prefecture (northern part of Honshu, the mainland of Japan). Part of the song is in a dialect.
ほたるこい (Hotaru Koi)
Fireflies Come!
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Japanese)
(English)
ほ ほ ほたる こい
あっちの みずは にがいぞ
こっちの みずは あまいぞ
ほ ほ ほたる こい
ほ ほ やまみち こい
ほたるの おとさん かねもちだ
どうりで おしりが ぴかぴかだ
ほ ほ ほたる こい
やまみち こい
ひるまは くさばの つゆの かげ
よるは ぽんぽん たかじょうちん
天じく あがり したれば
つんばくろに さらわれべ
ほ( ほ ほたる こい
あっちの みずは にがいぞ
ほ ほ ほたる こい
こっちの みずは あまいぞ
ほ ほ ほたる こい
ほ ほ やまみち こい
あんどの ひかりを ちょとみて こい
ほ ほ ほたる こい
ほ ほ やまみち こい
ほ ほ ほ ほ ほ ほ ほ
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Over there the water bitter*
Over here the water is sweet**
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Ho, ho, come by the mountain road!
The fathers of the fireflies are rich
It's natural, their glittering backs,
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Ho, ho, come by the mountain road.
At daytime, behind leaves with dew,
At night, high up like a lantern,
If it goes up to heaven
It will be kidnapped by swallows.
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Over there the water is bitter,
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Over here the water is sweet.
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Ho, ho, come by the mountain road,
Take a glance at the light of the lantern,
Ho, ho, fireflies come!
Ho, ho, come by the mountain road,
Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho!
 - Japanese Children's Songs - Japan - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World
"Pin It")
Notes
*Impure
**Pure
秋田地方わらべうた
Author: Unknown
Music Arrangement by Roh Ogura [小倉 朗] - (1916 - 1990)
Comments
Pronunciation:
Hotaru koi
Ho ho hotaru koi
atchi-no mizu-wa nigai-zo
kotchi-no mizu-wa amai-zo
ho ho hotaru koi
ho ho yama-michi koi
Hotaru-no otosan kanemochi-da
dori-de oshiri-ga pikapika-da
ho ho hotaru koi
yama-michi koi
Hiruma-wa kusaba-no tsuyu-no kage
yoru-wa pompom taka-jyochin
tenjiku agari shitare-ba
tsunbakuro-ni saraware-be
Ho ho hotaru koi
atchi-no mizu-wa nigai-zo
ho ho hotaru koi
kotchi-no mizu-wa amai-zo
Ho ho hotaru koi
ho ho yama-michi koi
ando-no hikari-wo chotto-mite koi
Ho ho hotaru koi
ho ho yama-michi koi
ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Sadao Mazuka for sharing this song and for help with the translation and pronunciation.
Arigato gozaimasu! 
