Japanese National Anthem : Kimigayo 君が代 [Lyrics & Music]

Japanese National Anthem (Kimigayo)

The Japanese national anthem, “君が代 kimigayo,” may have been familiar to you from watching the World Cup football championship or the Olympic opening ceremonies, but did you know that it has won first place in two different categories? The world’s shortest national anthem, 君が代, has the oldest lyrics among all national anthems!

Kimigayo, which has its roots in the exquisite poetry of ancient Japan, is a reflection of the profound art and culture of that country. However, it is also closely linked to the Japanese emperor system, which has been an integral part of Japanese society for more than a millennium. With such a lengthy history and a plethora of events that have transpired throughout the years, the wars also cast a shadow over the Japanese national anthem, which has led to debate over its merits up to this point.

The history, evolution, lyrics, occasions when the national anthem is performed, and the debate surrounding the various interpretations of Kimigayo are all covered in detail in this article about the Japanese national anthem.

About Kimigayo

Kimigayo” is the national anthem of Japan. The lyrics are from a waka poem written by an unnamed author in the Heian period (794–1185), and the current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed by John William Fenton eleven years earlier. While the title “Kimigayo” is usually translated as “His Imperial Majesty’s Reign,” no official translation of the title or lyrics has been established in law.

From 1888 to 1945, “Kimigayo” served as the national anthem of the Empire of Japan. When the Empire was dissolved following its surrender at the end of World War II, the state of Japan succeeded it in 1945. This successor state was a parliamentary democracy, a constitutional monarchy, and the polity therefore changed from a system based on imperial sovereignty to one based on popular sovereignty. However, the Allied occupation forces (mainly U.S. military) allowed Hirohito and Emperor Shōwa to retain the throne, and “Kimigayo” remained the de facto national anthem for the preservation of Japanese monarchy. The passage of the Act on National Flag and Anthem in 1999 recognised it as the official national and imperial anthem.

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Japanese National Anthem Kimigayo Lyrics

As previously established, the lyrics to the Japanese national anthem are the shortest in the world, coming in at just 32 characters. They are also the oldest.

The original lyrics originate from the 10th-century Japanese song 和歌 Waka found in the old anthology 古今和歌曆 Kokin Wakashū. This poem’s original author is unknown, but decades later it became Japan’s national anthem—the country’s most famous song.

*君が代 Kimigayo is often translated as “your reign/His Imperial Majesty’s reign” when it’s talked about in the context of the Emperor, yet legally no official translation of the lyrics has been established. In general, “君 kimi” means “you,” and “代 yo” means “generation or lifetime.” In the original Waka poem, “you” meant the person who receives the celebration, as it was originally a dedicated poem to celebrate the longevity of those who receive it. Therefore, it is translated as “May your life (last for a long time)” in the original meaning.

**さざれ石の 巌となりて 苔のむすまで sazare ishi no iwao to narite koke no musu made (“Until the tiny pebbles grow into mighty rocks and moss grow on them”) expresses the endless years of eternity by conveying in a visual image.

さざれ石sazare ishi originally means small pebbles. 巌 iwao refers to a boulder conglomerate of calcareous breccia, which has been transformed into one large rock mass by filling the gaps between pebble fragments with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and iron hydroxide over long years. In some cases, this rock is also called sazare ishi.

Full Lyrics in Japan

君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巖となりて
苔のむすまで

君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巖となりて
苔のむすまで

君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巖となりて
苔のむすまで

君が代
君が代
君が代

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