Kimi ga yo is the Japanese national anthem. Its words are based on Waka, a poem written in the Heian period. It was sung as a melody and written in the Meiji era. The current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier. The people liked the current one better because it sounded nicer and it had a meaning that the people liked. To most people "Kimi ga yo" is translated to "may your reign last forever." To some people Japan has a lot of nice and cool things, but do you realize that Japan also has the shortest anthem in current use? The orginal lyrics are not a lot different from the hiragana but it is much different from the English and romaji.
Romaji - Kimi ga yo waChiyo niYachiyo niSazare ishi noIwao to nariteKoke no musu made
English - May your reignContinue for a thousand,eight thousand generations,Until the pebblesGrow into bouldersLush with moss.
Hiragana きみがよはちよにやちよにさざれいしのいわおとなりてこけのむすまで
Official lyrics 君が代は千代に八千代に細石の巌となりて苔の生すまで
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3 comments:
Nice work, Katie. Very informative. Don't forget to sign off with your name, so we know who is posting.
I suppose I should practice what I preach! The comment above was composed by Beastie!
May your reign be a thousend and eight thousend ages even foreever, and ever, as we come and grow into a solid rock till on it's surface growing moss.
posted by Yasutoshi Ikeshiro
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