Japanese Text
Initiative
Electronic Text Center | University of Virginia Library
PO Box 400148 | Charlottesville VA 22904-4148
434.924.3230 | fax: 434.924.1431
このホームページのテキストとグラフィックの著作権は全て京都国立博物館に属します。
Copyright 1997, Kyoto National Museum. Kyoto, Japan.
Here is an amazing page. It even includes the music of the Japanese National
Anthem (Kimigayo), the subject of much heated debate among most Japanese
political factions. The poem itself is anonymous, and from the Kokin wakashu.
The National Anthem of Japan
has world's shortest, oldest lyrics. The lyrics consist of 32 syllables made
in a thousand years ago. This short anonymous lyrics were originally a
traditional Japanese poem (tanka) covered in Kokin
Wakashu early in the 10th century. It celebrates longevity of seniors,
and some also interpret it as longevity of Emperor's reign.
The small pebble in lyrics ("sazare-ishi" in Japanese)
refers to a special limestone called calcareous breccia. When the
rain dissolves the limestone, it becomes sticky emulsion. This milk of lime
penetrates down below and agglutinates the small pebble into a
massive rock. The servant of Prince Koretaka, Fujiwara-no-asaomi
Ishiizaemon, found the sazare-ishi at the base of Mt. Ibuki, and he
presented the tanka for the auspicious discovery. His tanka was selected in
Kokin Wakashu as an anonymous one, and he was later named Ishiizaemon for
the credit of the tanka.
The music with element of Gagaku
was composed by Hayashi Hiromori, arranged by a German musician Franz Eckert
in 1880. Since the legendary crown prince and regent Shotoku
Taishi (574-622) founded music families in 604, the Hayashi family has
bequeathed the tradition of Gagaku. Not only the lyrics but also the music
have their roots for more than a thousand years of history.
Thank you for visiting my home page. You are the th
guest.
Links
Kokin
Wakashu - an anthology of 1,111 Japanese poems compiled and edited early
in the 10th century. Gagaku - brief
information about Gagaku.
th
guest.