Furusato
Usagi oishi kano yama
Kobuna tsurishi kano kawa
Yume wa ima mo megurite
Wasure gatashi furusatoIkani imasu chichi haha
Tsutsuganashiya tomogaki
Ame ni kaze ni tsuketemo
Omoi izuru furusatoKokorozashi wo hatashite
Itsu no hinika kaeran
Yama wa aoki furusato
Mizu wa kiyoki furusatoLyrics:TAKANO,Tatsuyuki
Composer:OKANO,Teiichi
in1914
Homeland
That mountain chasing the rabbit
That river that caught a small crucian
Dream is still around my heart
I can’t forget my homeland
Dad, mom, what are you doing?
Are my friends safe?
Whether it rains or the wind blows,
It reminds me of my homeland
If I fulfill my will,
I want to go homeland someday.
Mountain is full of green, homeland
Water is clean, homeland
“Furusato” could be considered one of the most well-known and beloved songs in Japan. It’s a song of young people who set their aspirations, leave their rural hometowns, and dream of achieving success in the city, envisioning a triumphant return.
Its melody and lyrics have the power to stir even the hearts of modern youth or those unfamiliar with the Japanese language.
During the transition from the Edo to the Meiji era, ambitious youth aspired to make their mark in politics, administration, and the heart of the economy—Tokyo.
The lyricist, TAKANO Tatsuyuki, married at the age of 22 while being a poor student. Moreover, he married the daughter of a well-known temple modeled after the protagonist of “Hakai (Breaking Commandments),” the renowned novel by SHIMAZAKI Touson during the Meiji period. It’s said that the mother of the daughter set a condition, stating, “If you’re going to succeed to the extent of entering this temple’s gate in a rickshaw in the future,” as a requirement. Eventually, when TAKANO was 49, his research on ‘Japanese Song History’ was acknowledged, granting him a Doctorate in Literature, and he proudly fulfilled the promised success.
Since the lyrics are written in classical Japanese, many expressions not used in contemporary language are present. For instance, “oishi” means “chased” rather than “delicious,” causing misunderstanding among many children when learning it in elementary school, leading to amusing anecdotes.
it has been selected as one of “100 Best Japanese Songs”.
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