World Arbiter 2013

Japanese Traditional Music: Shamisen and Songs

Track List: Japanese Traditional Music

Shamisen and songs. Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai 1941.

First release and restoration of rare 1940 recordings.

  1. Jiuta: Yashima 3:32
  2. Ogie-bushi: Fukagawa hakkei 3:10
  3. Utazawa-bushi: Aki no yo 3:22
  4. Utazawa-bushi: Washi ga kuni sa 3:38
  5. Kouta: Samidare, Kyara no kaori 3:15
  6. Kouta: Yae hitoe, Aki no nanakusa 3:13
  7. Hauta: Harusame 3:11
  8. Hauta: Kyo no shiki 2:49
  9. Hauta: Ozatsuki sansagari, Dodoitsu 3:41
  10. Hauta: Yakkosan, Fukagawa 3:34
  11. Washinomiya jinja jûniza kagura: Urayasu yomo no kuni katame no dan 3:21
  12. Haruna jinja kagura: Himi no kiyome, Kamuogi, Mikusa no harai 3:06
  13. Shishi-odori: Oshidori odori, Kanoko odori 3:01
  14. Sairei shishi-mai: Nuno-mai, Hei no mai, Suzu no mai, Naka-otoshi 3:30
  15. Oyama-bayashi: Roppô, Nihondake, Ken-bayashi, Jinku 3:25
  16. Sairei bayashi (Edo bayashi): Kamakura, Okazaki byôshi, Nageai 3:25
  17. Komoriu-uta from Nanbu, Aizu, Sendai 3:12
  18. Komori-uta from Kantô, Nagoya, Osaka 3:25
  19. Komori-uta from Chûgoku, Shikoku, Kita-kyûshû 3:05
  20. Komori-uta from Amami, Ryukyu, Yayeyama 3:02
  21. Otsukisama ikutsu, Usagi usagi, Kagome, Hotaru koi, Ondoradora 3:21
  22. Zuizui zukkorobashi, Tenjin-sama no hosomichi, Hiraita hiraita, Sannô no osaru-san, Yûyake koyake, Kaeru ga naku kara kaero 3:15
  23. Hatoma-bushi, Mami ga pana 3:22
  24. Washi nu turi-bushi (Song of an eagle); Asatoya-bushi (Song of Asatoya) 3:14

1. Yashimauta: Tomiyama Seikin, shamisen: Tomizaki Shunshô

The story of this piece is based on the famous Yashima Island battle scene recounted in the Tale of Heike. The text here is taken from the same piece in the preceding theater play. The ghost of a warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune reminisces about the fierce battle at Yashima, complaining of torments and carnage. The last part is recorded here, when the ghost of Yoshitsune disappears in the dawn.

Kyô no shura no kataki wa taso,
Who is my enemy in today’s battle?

Nani, Noto no kami Noritsune toyara.
Oh, the Lord of Noto no kami Noritsune

ara monomonoshi ya, tenami wa shirinu.
Looks formidable, but I know his skills.

Omoi izuru Dan no ura no,
Now I remember, at Dan no ura coast,

sono funa ikusa ima wa haya,
The sea battle fought long ago.

Enbu ni kaeru ikishini no,
It pushes me back to the life-and-death struggle,

umiyama ichidô ni shindô shite.
Ocean and mountains were together shaking,


Fune yori wa toki no koe,
Warriors’ battle cries sounded from the boats,

kuga ni wa nami no tate.
Shields like waves lined the shore.

Tsuki ni shiramu wa tsurugi no hikari,
Swords flash under the silver moonlight,

ushio ni utsuru wa kabuto no hoshi no kage.
Heaving waves reflected brightly on the helmets’ tacks like stars.

Mizu ya sora,
Water blends with the sky,

sora yukumo mata kumo no nami no,
Waves of clouds drift in the sky,

uchiai sashichigauru funa ikusa no kakehiki.
Crossing of swords, stabbing each other, all the arts of sea battle.

Ukishizumu to seshi hodo ni,
We rise and fall in the ocean,

haru no yo no namiyori akete,
Until a spring dawn has comes from waves.

Kataki to mieshi wa mureiru kamome,
The shapes supposed to be our enemies turned out to be seagulls,

toki no koe to kikoeshi wa urakaze narikeri.
The sounds of battle cries were a sea wind.

Takamatsu no urakaze narikeri.
It was a sea wind in the pines of Takamatsu.

Takamatsu no asa-arashi to zo narinikeru.
The morning wind above Takamatsu.


2. Fukagawa hakkei, uta: Ogie Suzuko, shamisen: Ogie Shôko, Ogie Fusako


Nagame ookaru sono naka ni,
Out of many famous landscapes,

byôbu ni utsusu Fukagawa ya.
Those of Fukagawa are reflected in byôbu folded screen.

Somoya dobashi no watarizome.
In the first crossing of the clay bridge,

Aisomeshi yo ga en ja mono.
We encountered each other one night in a turn of fate.

Kokoro to kokoro ga gaten narya,
As long as we trust each other,

Yubikiri kamikiri ire bokuro 
We pledge hooking little fingers and I tattoo your name.

yabona kishômon kamigami san e osewa wo kakeru hazu mo nashi.
We might not bother gods to write a boring vow.

Yaa shinki, aa shinki.
Oh, how melancholic is the situation!


3. Aki no yo  uta: Utazawa Toraemon, shamisen: Utazawa Torakiyoko

Song of a woman’s feeling as she awaits her lover‘s visit.

Aki no yo wa nagai mono to wa,
An autumn night is felt very long

Manmaruna tsuki minu hito no kokoro kamo.
By a person who does not enjoy a full moon.

Fukete matedomo konu hito no,
Though waiting for a lover till late at night,

Otozuru mono wa kane bakari.
It is only a temple’s bell sound that visits.

Kazouru yubi mo netsu okitsu.
Fingers counting time lie down and get up (like myself).

Washa terasarete iru wai na.
The moon is bathing me.

4. Washi ga kuni sa,  uta: Utazawa Shibakin, shamisen: Utazawa Shibasei

A song praising a local province, picking famous persons who originated from this area, local landscape or crafts. In this excerpt, an area in Sendai (Miyagi pref.) is featured.

Washi ga sa kuni tote misetai mono,
What I want to show you as my country’s specialties,

Mukashi tanikaze, ima datemoyou.
Is a sumô wrestler Tanikaze in former days, and now a showy patterns of clothes.

Yukashi natsukashi Miyagino Shinobu.
What is curious and familiar is a story of Miyagino and Shinobu sisters.


Ukaremai zo e matsushima hotori, shongae.
Do not be carried away around Matsushima seaside.


5.　Samidare, Kyara no kaori, uta: Kaneko Chieko, shamisen: Tamura Taiko, Sahashi Shôko


Samidare no sora ni hitokoe hototogisu.
Under the May rain, a cuckoo sings.

Harete kogidasu Mokubo-ji no,
When the rain stops, a boat rows out by the Mokubo-ji temple.

Sekiya hanarete Ayaseguchi.
Leaving Sekiya through Ayaseguchi.

Ushida no mori wo yoko ni mite,
It passed by the Ushida forest.

Koyuru ma mo naku Horikirino,
Soon it reached Horikiri,

Sakuya goshaku no ayamegusa.
Where tall irises gorgeously bloom.

Kyara no kaori

Kyara no kaori to kono kimi sama wa
Like a scent of eaglewood,

Ikuyo tometemo washa tome akanu.
I never get tired of him, even if I let him stay for a number of nights.

Netemo sametemo wasurarenu.
I cannot forget him night and day.

6.　Yae hitoe, Aki no nanakusa uta: Kasuga Toyoki, shamisen; Kasuga Toyo, Kasuga Toyoharu

Yae hitoe

Yae hitoe, yama mo oboroni usugeshô,
Spring mountains are hazy with single or double-flowered cherry blossoms.

Musume zakari wa yoi sakurabana.
A virgin bloom is compared to full cherry flowers.

Arashi ni chirade nushisan ni,
Surviving through a storm, she met a lover,

Oote namanaka ato kuyamu,
Got intimate, regrets later.

Hazukashi de wa naikaina.
It makes her blush.

Aki no nanakusa

Aki no nanakusa mushi no ne ni
Among the seven autumn flowers, insects chirp.

Nakanu hotaru no mi wo kogasu.
A firefly who does not chirp is consumed by the flame of love.

Kimi wo matsumushi naku ne ni hosoru
Waiting for you, I am exhausted.

Koi to iu ji wa taisetsu na.
Truly, love is a difficult thing.


7. Harusame uta: Mamechiyo, shamisen: Toyokichi, Kotomo

Harusame ni shippori nururu uguisu no
As a bush warbler caught in a spring rain flies,

Hakaze ni niou umegaka ya
Fragrance of plum flowers flows.

Watasha uguisu nushi wa ume
I am a warbler and he is the plum.

yagate kimama ni naru naraba
If we will not care about each other,

Saa oushukumai ja naikaina
We will break up.

Saasa nandemo yoiwai na
No one knows.

8. Kyo no shiki, uta: Gion Shinchi renchû

A song featuring four seasons in Kyoto. However, spring and summer scenes are taken here.

Haru wa hana iza mini gonse Higashiyama
Please come to Higashiyama to see spring flowers, where

iroka arasou yozakura ya
Cherry blossoms at night compete with each other for their beauty and fragrance.

Ukare ukarete sui mo busuimo
All the people, regardless of being refined or unrefined, make merry.

Mono katai nihon sashitemo yawarakou
A dignified samurai wearing two swords must behave softly here like

Gion toufu no nikenjaya
Soft gion tofu which two tea houses serve.

Misogi zo natsu wa uchitsurete
At the end of summer as we purify ourselves,

Kawara ni tsudou yuusuzumi
Let’s go down to the riverside together to enjoy an evening’s cool breeze.

Yoi yoi yoi yoi yoiyasa (nonsense refrain)

9. Ozatsuki sansagari, Dodoitsu, uta: Fujimoto Fumikichi, shamisen: Koshizu, Hideha

Ozatsuki sansagari

The first half of this song is rather calm, praising the virtue of the evergreen pine tree, while the second half projects a lively, merry atmosphere.

Naka ni midori no itojirashisa no himekomatsu
Between a couple of pine trees, born a lovely baby pine.

Nikai sangai goyou no matsu
Two branches, three branches, five branches of splendid pine tree

Ikuyo kasanen chiyomigusa.
Will live a long time.



Okurimashoka okuraremashoka
Shall I see you off or will you see me off

Semete ano cho no kadomade mo.
By the edge of town?

Saasa uicho uicho yoto yotoyoto (nonsense refrain)


Saita sakura ni naze koma tsunagu.
Why do you hitch a horse to a tree of cherry blooms?

Koma ga isameba hana ga chiru 
If the horse prances, flowers will fall.

Haa koryakorya (nonsense refrain)

Hototogisu omae hitori nakasecha okanu
My dear cuckoo, I won’t let you cry alone.

Atashi mo tooku de naiteiru.
I also cry in the distance.

Haa koryakorya (nonsense refrain)

10. Yakkosan, Fukagawa

uta: Fujimoto Fumikichi, shamisen: Koshizu, Hideha


Haa koryakorya  (nonsense refrain)

Yakkosan dochira yuki
‘Hey Yakkosan (a servant), where you going?’

Haa koryakorya (nonsense refrain)

Danna omukae ni
‘I am going to pick my lord up’.

Sattemo samui noni tomozoroe
A gorgeous procession is made up in this cold weather.

Yuki no furu yo mo kaze no yo mo sate
Even in a snow or a windy evening,

Otomo wa tsurai ne.
They have to accompany their lord, which might be a tough job.

Itsumo yakkosan wa takabashori
They always tuck up the hem of kimono.

Aryase korase soremo soukai na  (nonsense refrain)

Haa koryakorya, Haa madamada. (nonsense refrain)

Fukagawa  [  ] = nonsense syllables

[Choina] choki de [sassa] ikuno wa fukagawa gayoi
One would take a choki boat to go to Fukagawa (a pleasure quarter).

[Sate] agaru sanbashi no [arewai sanosa] 
Coming up on the pier,

isoisoto kyaku no kokoro wa uwanosora
Visitors are all dreamingly exited.

tonde ikitai [arewai sanosa] nushi no soba [choina]
‘I want to fly to you as soon as possible!’

Folk performing arts


music: parishioners of Washinomiya jinja shrine

The Washinomiya jinja shrine is located in the north part of Saitama prefecture. Kagura preserved in this shrine, called ‘Haji ichiryû saibara kagura’ or ‘Washinomiya saibara kagura’ for short, is said to be the origin of various sato kagura found throughout the Kantô region. It is also said that kagura is connected to Daidai kagura of Ise country (Mie prefecture). The kagura consisted of 36 titles until the middle of the 18th century when they were reduced to twelve with an addition. The titles are fundamentally dance performance based on Japanese mythology. Each title is made of three sections; deha (entrance), nakaodori or maigakari (main dance), and hikkomi (exit). Deha and hikkomi are shared among all titles, while nakaodori is unique to each title. The songs “Kagura-uta” and “Saibara” are sung for the entrance. The music employs shinobue (seven-holed transverse flute), ôdaiko (large drum), taiko (drum), daibyôshi (drum), and kane (small cymbals).

This disc contains the 3rd title “Urayasu yomo no kuni katame no dan (a section for ‘securing the peace of the country’)” which is based on the concept of five elements (wood, fire, soil, metal, and water) creating the world. “Chû no mai” (main dance) in the middle tempo and the hikkomi (exit) in fast tempo are heard.

Though this kagura is currently performed by parishioners of the shrine who are mostly farmers, office workers, or shop keepers in the area, it was relegated to professional hereditary artists called kagura dayû who belonged to the shrine. Washinomiya jinja jûniza kagura was registered as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Heritage in 1976.


music: parishioners of Haruna jinja shrine

The Haruna jinja is an old shrine located in the southwest side of Mt. Haruna in Gunma prefecture which can be dated back to the beginning of the 10th century. The kagura of this shrine, also called as ‘Haruna jinja jindai mai’ or ‘Daidai okagura’, was designated as an important intangible folk cultural heritage of Gunma prefecture in 2004. It is said that the tradition was revived in 1728. Currently, the kagura consists of 36 titles; 21 of which are otoko-mai (male dances) and 15 miko-mai (maiden dances). The dances are accompanied by shinobue (transverse flute of seven holes), taiko (drum), and kane (small cymbals). The music is performed by the shrine’s parishioners. Three titles “Himi no kiyome”, “Kamuogi”, and Mikusa no harai” are heard in this disc; the first two are miko-mai, the latter an otoko-mai.

13. Shishi-odori: Oshidori odori, Kanoko odori

One can find the shishi-odori (lion dance) folk dance widely spread around from Kantô to Tôhoku zones. It is performed by several dancers in headgear shaped like a lion or deer. In the type of sanbiki shishimai or ‘three lions dance’, male, female, and child lions dance together while drumming a small drum, sometimes called ‘kakko’ that is attached on the belly of the dancers. The excerpt heard here was recorded in Ariga village (currently Kurihara city) in Miyagi prefecture, which has kept the following legend:

One day, Kantarô, a hunter, went into mountains and found eight deer dancing, merrily crossing their horns. He joined in the dance and learned it and later transmitted it to the villagers. As the Lord Date Masamune was also fond of it, it was propagated into surrounding vicinities.

When this music was recorded, shishi-odori was performed in the festival of Shirayama-hime jinja and Mika hachiman jinja shrines on August 14th. The accompanying music only includes taiko drum and singing, unlike the common type of shishi-odori which employs flute, drum and cymbals. Two songs, ‘Oshidori odori’ in a slow tempo and ‘Kanoko odori’ in a faster tempo using acrobatic drumming, are heard.

Oshidori odori

 Oshidori wa koyoi bakari wa kono ike ni
A mandarin duck will stay in this pond tonight.

 Asu wa tatsu tori nagori oshidori nagori oshidori
It is a great pity, a great pity that it will fly away tomorrow.

Kanoko odori

Fumiyare tataare, fumiyare tataare,
Let’s step, let’s step.

Hitofumi funde ome ni kakemasho
Now I’ll show you steps.

Sashikasa hoo ni shinme no roku ni kome kakete (illegible)

Oshitsu osaretsu koma no hizaori koma no hizaori (illegible)

14.  sairei shishi-mai: Nuno-mai, Hei no mai, Suzu no mai, Naka-otoshi

This sairei shishi-mai (festive lion dance) is performed every three years in the autumn festival (October) of Tachibana jinja shrine in Honnô town, Mobara city, Chiba prefecture. It is currently called ‘kakko-mai’ by the local people and performed by shrine parishioners. This dance was registered as an important cultural heritage of Mobara city in 1973.  It can be categorized as a sanbiki-shishimai (three lions dance) widely found in Kantô and Tôhoku regions. Here in Honnô town, each lion is compared to Princess Ototachibana (a primary god in the shrine), Prince Yamatotakeru (Ototachibana’s husband), and Oshiyama no sukune (Ototachibana’s father) who appear in the Japanese myth.  In this recording, five instruments, shinobue flute of 6 holes, taiko drum, kane cymbals, ôtsuzumi and kotsuzumi of are used, while in today’s performance only the shinobue accompanies a dancer who beats a drum attached to the belly while dancing.

An excerpt appears in the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese’s Silence.


Oyama-bayashi is an accompanying music for a procession of floats in the festival of the Kakunodate shinmeisha shrine, and the Jôjuin yakushidô temple in Kakunodate town, Akita prefecture. Eighteen floats gorgeously ornamented make a procession around the town and reach the shrine and the temple to pay respect. The music includes shinobue flute, ôdaiko (big drum), kodaiko (small drum), tsuzumi (drum), surigane (gong), and shamisen (three stringed lute) that are played on the floats. The repertoire is divided into three categories; music during the procession, music for gods and Buddha, and music for entertainment.  “Roppô”, “Nihondake”, and “Kenbayashi” in this disc are for gods and Buddha, while “Jinku” is for entertainment.


Odori odoraba sanju ga sakari.
Dance performance has a zenith at the age of thirty.

Sanju sugireba sonoko ga odoru.
Once one has passed the age, the children dance.


This music is played for festivals in Edo and its vicinities. It uses ôdaiko (big drum), shimedaiko (laced drum), kane (cymbals), and fue (flute). “Kamakura” is in a rather slow tempo while “Okazaki byôshi” and “Nageai” are in fast tempo.

Komori-uta (cradlesong), warabe-uta (children’s song/play song)

Komoriuta, literally meaning ‘a song to take care of a baby’, is a Japanese cradlesong or lullaby usually sung by an elder child, nursemaid, or mother.  This record collects various cradlesongs from all over Japan. However, some songs lack information on performer and place of recording. Some examples are sung not by local people, but by geisha singers in a relatively big town or city.

Warabe-uta indicates children’s songs, including play songs. Some warabe-uta require gestures for certain plays or games.

17. komoriu-uta from Nanbu, Aizu, Sendai
uta: Ônishi Tamako

Nanbu no komori-uta (Iwate Prefecture)

Senbuku-yama no sawa de shimano saifu wo mitsuketa
I found a purse of a striped pattern in a stream of the Senbuku-yama mountain.

Ottoriagete naka wo mitareba kogane no tama wa kokonotsu kokonotsu
I picked it up and found nine gold drops inside.

Hitotsu no tama wo ba okami ni agete atasha chôja yo to yobareta
I gave one to the officer and people called me ‘rich person.’

Aizui no komori-uta (Fukushima prefecture)

Nennero nennero nennero ya
Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Mukai no yanma no shirokoinu
A white puppy in the mountain of the opposite side barks.

Ippiki hoereba mina hoeru.
Once one starts to bark, all the others follow.  

Sendai no komori-uta (Miyagi prefecture)

Nennero nennero nennero ya
Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Hora nero nennero, hora nero ya ya.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, you sweet.

Nennero nennero, dondoko ya.
Sleep, sleep. Where is he going?

Nennero, musuko wa doko e itta?
Sleep, where is my son?

18. komoriu-uta from Kantô, Nagoya, Osaka, uta: Oka Michiko (accompanied by Edo bayashi)

Kantô no komoriu-uta (Kantô reion)

Bouya wa yoiko da nenne shina.
You are a good boy, please sleep.

Nenne no omori wa doko itta?
Where is your nursemaid?

Anoyama koete, sato koete.
She has gone beyond the mountain and town.

Sato no miyage ni nani morouta?
What was she given as a souvenir from her home?

Nagoya no komoriu-uta (Aichi prefecture)  [  ] = nonsense refrain

Mori sa komori sa, hirune ga daiji, [no hoe].
To take care of a baby, a napping is important.

Bange osomade kado ni tatsu.
I stood at the gate until late last night.

[Harikoya suitaka junsai]

nazeka konoko wa naze ko ni naku ka, [no hoe].
Why is this baby so crying?

Chichi ga taranuka, oyanashi ka.
Does it want milk, or did it lose a parent?

[Harikoya suitaka junsai]

>Osaka no komoriu-uta (Osaka prefecture)

Nenne koro ichi Tenma no ichi de
Sleep, baby.  At Tenma (riverside) market,

Daiko soroete fune ni tsumu.
People neatly pile daikon-radishes and load them on boats.

Fune ni tsundara dokomade ikyaru?
To where do they ship them?

Kizu ya Nanba no hashi no shita.
To the bridges of Kizu or Namba.

Hashi no shita ni wa kamome ga iyaru.
There are seagulls under the bridges.

Kamome toritaya, sate, hoshi ya. 
Do you want to get seagulls?

19. Komori-uta from Chûgoku, Shikoku, Kita-kyûshû, uta: Yamamoto Yoshie

Chûgoku no komori-uta　(Chûgoku region)

Nensai nensai nensai yo.
Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Nenne no mori wa doko ita?
Where is your nursemaid?

Ano yama koete, sato e itta.
She has gone beyond the mountain to her town.

Sato no miyage ni nani morota?
What was she given as a souvenir from her home?

Denden-daiko ni sho no fue.

Denden-daiko (shaking drum) and shô (mouth organ).

Nakuko wa iyada yo, hito ni yaro.
I hate a crying baby who might be given to other people.

Shikoku no komori-uta (Shikoku region)

Nenne nenne to tataite nesasu.
‘Sleep, sleep’, I pat a baby.

Nande neraryouka tatakarete, [yoiyoko].
How it can fall asleep when it is patted.

Nenne suru ko ni aka bebe kisete,
A good baby who sleeps well can wear a red nice cloth.

Nenne senu ko ni shima no bebe.
A bad baby who does not sleep shall wear a striped plain cloth.

Kita-kyûshû (Hakata) no komori-uta (Fukuoka prefecture)

Uchi no goryosan na garagara kaki yo.
My mistress is like an astringent persimmon.

Mikakya yokeredo shibu gozaru, [yoi yoi]
It looks nice but tastes bitter.

Uchi no goryosan na gyougi no warusa.
My mistress is so rude.

Ohitsu funmaete tanasagashi, [yoi yoi]
Stepping on a rice tub, she raids the food cabinet.

20. Komori-uta from Amami, Ryukyu, Yayeyama

The southwest islands of Japan between mainland Japan and Taiwan can be divided into the Amami, Ryukyu (Okinawa main island), Miyako and Yayeyama regions, where we find unique musical cultures distinguished from those in mainland Japan. The local singers in this recording are mostly anonymous.

Amami no komori-uta (Amami region, presently in Kagoshima Prefecture)

[Yo] nakyunayo, kwagwe, [hare] nakynayo, kwagwe
Do not cry, baby, do not cry baby.

A ga muraba yo, kwagwe, [hare] nenne shi yo.
As I take care of you, baby, sleep well.

Amai nakyu to ya, ntono kyushindo yo
If you cry awfully, (illegible)

[Hare] nakynayo, kwagwe
Do not cry, baby.

Agazu muruwando, a ga muraba yo, kwagwe, [hare] nakynayo, kwagwe
As I take good care of you, baby, do not cry, baby.

Ryukyu no komori-uta (Okinawa main island region):

Nakuna yo nakuna yo, [eru eru eru eru eru eru].
Do not cry.

Nmi ga, nmi ga furuwasawa, jitagwan sabagwan kumasun do.
If we, sisters, foster you, we let you wear wooden clogs or sandals.

Nuchijiya nu yuminasa ya.
I will make you a bride of a rich family (for girls).

Joyaku kachiyaku shimiyundo.
I will make you a senior officer or clerk (for boys).

Wattaba boyo, nennen yo. [heiyo hei, heiyo hei.]
My boy, sleep.

Yayeyama no komori-uta (Yayeyama region):

Ya, kwamuiryatanu suruyudi yo, [yoi].
Nursemaids gather.

Dagenatanu suruyudi yo, [hari, nukugana].
Sisters to take care of babies all gather.

Tsuki no kaisha ya toka mikka,
It is the thirteenth evening of a month when the moon beautifully shines.

Miyarabi kaisha ya to nanatsu. [hoi choga]
It is the age of seventeen when a girl is in the full bloom of beauty.

Ari kara agariyoru otsuki,
The moon rising from east,

Banchaya no ue made agari tabore. [hoi choga]
Please come up over my house.

21. Warabe-uta (children’s songs): Otsukisama ikutsu, Usagi usagi, Kagome, Hotaru koi, Ondoradora

choir: Aoitori children’s choir

A medley of several famous children’s songs is heard here. Some songs were sung during playing games.

Otsukisama ikutsu

‘Otsukisama ikutsu? Juusann nanatsu’.
How old is the moon? Thirteen or seven.

‘Mada toshi wakai na’.
It is still young.

‘Kono ko wo unde, darekani dakasho. Oman ni yo. Oman wa doko itta?’ 
I will bear a baby and let somebody cuddle it. Oman is good. Where is she gone?

‘Abura kai ni cha kai ni.
She is gone to buy oil and tea.

Aburaya no mae ni, subette koronde, abura isshô koboshita.’
In front of the oil shop, she slipped, fell and spilt a litter of oil.

‘Sono abura doushita? ‘
Where has the oil gone?

‘Sara-don no inu to Iya-don no inu to, minna namete shimatta.’
Sara’s dog and Iya’s dog all sipped it.

‘Sono inu doushita?’
What happened to the dogs?

‘Taiko ni hatte, tsuzumi ni hatte,’
They were skinned and made into a taiko drum and tsuzumi drum.

Acchi muicha don!’, kocchi muicha dondoko don!’
They are beaten, sounding ‘don’ to that direction, and ‘dondoko don’ to this direction,

Tataki tsubushite shimatta.
Until finally they were torn out.

Usagi usagi

‘Usagi usagi, nani mite haneru?’
What is a rabbit hopping for?

‘Juugoya otsukisama mite haneru.’
It hops rejoicing to see the full moon.


Kagome kagome, kago no naka no tori wa, itsu itsu deyaru?
A bird in a birdcage, when will it be released?

Yoake no ban ni tsuru to kame to subetta.
In a dawn, a crane and tortoise slipped.

Ushiro no shômen dare?
Who is the rear center?

Hotaru koi

Ho, ho, hotaru koi.
A firefly, come here!

Socchi no mizu wa nigai zo.
The water over there is bitter.

Kocchi no mizu wa amaizo,
The water over here tastes sweet.


Ondora dora dora doraneko-san, omae to watashi to asobimasho.
Hey, an alley cat, play with me.

Futari de nakayoku asobimasho.
Let’s play together happily.

Yoshiwara tanbo no mannaka de, komamono-ten demo dashitoku yo.
I will run a trinket shop in the mid of Yoshiwara’s rice fields.

Hii, fuu, mi, yo, itsu, muu, nana, ya, kono, to.

Tô kara kudatta oimoya-san, oimo wa isshô ikura dae?
Hey, a sweet potato seller, how much for a liter?

Sanjû-ni-mon de gozaimasu.
It costs thirty-two mon.

Mouchito makaraka shakaraka ton?
Would you make a little discount?

Omae no kotonara makete yaro.
OK, I will make a special deal for you.

Ozaru dashi, masu wo dashi, manaita houchou dashikakete
Taking out a basket, a measuring cup, cooking plate and knife,

Atama wo kirareru tô no imo, ippou kirareru yatsugashira.
I will cut the sweet sweet potato’s head and taro potato’s tail off.

Mukou no obasan, chotto oide.
Hey, aunty over there, would you come here?

Oimo no nikkorogashi meshiagare.
Please taste a potato boiled in broth.

Saasa, ohitotsu meshiagare.
Please have one.

22. Warabe-uta: Zuizui zukkorobashi, Tenjin-sama no hosomichi, Hiraita hiraita, Sannô no osaru-san, Yûyake koyake, Kaeru ga naku kara kaero

Again a medley of children’s songs, but with background music similar to Edo-bayashi (a kind of shrine’s kagura music) is heard here.

Zuizui zukkorobashi

Zuizui zukkorobashi, gomamiso zui (illegible)

Chatsubo ni owarete toppinshan,
Chased by a jar of tea, it is topsy-turvy (for a rat),

nuketara dondokosho.
When it can escape it, what happens?

Tawara no nezumi ga kome kutte ‘chû, chû chû chû’.
A rat takes a bite out of a straw rice-bag and squeaks ‘chû, chû chû chû’.

Ottosan ga yondemo, okkasan ga yondemo ikikko nashi yo.
No one goes back even if a father or a mother calls.

Ido no mawari de ochawan kaita no dare?
Who broke a rice bowl by the well?

Tenjin-sama no hosomichi

Tôryanse, tôryanse.
You may pass this street.

Koko wa doko no hosomichi ja?
What is this small path?

Tenjin-sama no hosomichi ja.
A path to Tenjin-shrine.

Douka tôshite kudashanse.
Please let us pass.

Goyô no nai mono tôsha senu.
Those who do not have something to do with the shrine cannot pass.

Konoko no nanatsu no oiwai ni, ofuda wo osameni mairi masu.
We are coming for this child’s celebration of the coming of age seven.

Iki wa yoi yoi, kaeri wa kowai.
You may pass but may not in the return.

Kowai nagara mo tôryanse, tôryanse.
It might be risky but you could pass.

Hiraita, hiraita

Hiraita hiraita.
It blooms, it blooms.

Nanno hana ga hiraita?
What flower blooms?

Renge no hana ga hiraita.
A lotus flower blooms.

Hiraita to omottara,
Though we found it blooms,

itsu no ma nika tsubonnda.
It has already closed before one knows.

Sannô no osaru-san

Sannô no osaru-san waakai bebe ga daisuki.
A monkey in the Sannô shrine likes a red cloth.

Teteshan teteshan. (illegible]

Yuube Ebessan ni yobarete ittara,
The monkey was invited by the Ebisu god last evening.

Otai no suimono, kodai no shioyaki.
He was served a bowl of soup and grilled sea bream.

Ippai osusu ga suurasura,
He drank up the first cup of sake wine and

Nihai osusuga suurasura
The second cup of sake.

Sanbai me niwa sakana ga nai tote hara wo tatete,
When the third cup came, all the dishes were finished and he got angry.

Hatena hatena hatehate hatena.
What should it be?

Yûyake koyake

Yûyake koyake, ashita tenki ni naare.
Seeing a sunset glow, we wish a fine weather tomorrow.

Kaeru ga naku kara kaero

Kaeru ga naku kara kaero
As frogs croak, let’s go home.


23. Hatoma-bushi, Mami ga pana
Hatoma-bushi (Song of Hatoma island)

Hatoma Nakamui ni hainubui,
I climb up Hatoma Nakamui forest.

Kuba no shicha ni hainubui,
I walk up to kuba (betel palm) trees.

[haiba yo tiba kaidaki tituyuru ten’yô masati migutu](nonsense refrain)

Kaisha muritaru mui no kuba
The trees beautifully flourish in the forest.

Churasa tsiritaru tsizi no kuba.
They wonderfully range on the peak.

[haiba yo tiba kaidaki tituyuru ten’yô masati migutu]

Me no to yo miwataseba,
When I look out over the front ocean,

Yuku fune kuru fune sate migutu.
In-coming and out-going boats look splendid.

[haiba yo tiba kaidaki tituyuru ten’yô masati migutu]

Mami ga pana (Song of pea flower, Miyako island)

Sutumuti nu mami ga pana yo, [sâsa]
Pea flowers in an early morning,

Akisharu nu mami ga pana yo, [irayushi]
Pea flowers in a dawn,

[irayo suma nu tsuyu ga pana yo]

Mami ga pana idi surui yo, [sâsa]
Pea flowers all bloom,

Tsuyu ga pana idi surui yo, [irayushi]
Pea flowers with dew bloom all together.

[irayo suma nu idi surui yo]


Asatoya-bushi(Song of Asatoya)

Both songs are from the Yayeyama region. The former is usually sung for an auspicious occasion. Though “Asatoya-bushi” is originally derived from a work song, the latter half of it spread over Okinawa’s main island and became popular in mainland Japan as being representative of ‘Okinawan folksong’.

Washi nu turi-bushi

Ufuakunu nizashi [sâ yoisa]
Where a big akou tree takes root.

Nariakunu mutubai ni [sâ yoisa]
Where a fruitful akou tree extends root.

[Washi nu turi yu nigayunabashi]


Asatoya nu Kuyama ni [yo] anchurasa mareba shiyo
Kuyama in Asatoya village is such a beautiful girl.

[uyaki yô nu yuba naure]

Mizashishu ya wa nanba [yo] atarashu nu butu mutara
(She says) ‘I don’t like a dignified officer but want to marry to another officer.’

[uyaki yô nu yuba naure]

[iya] Nakasuji ni haiori yo [hara yoiyoi]
I walk up to Nakasuji.

funkado ni tobya ori yo [harinu chundara kanushama yo]
I jumped into the corner.

[iya] omotagutu kanayuji yo [hara yoiyoi]
I wish my dreams come true.

nigutugutu sunayoji yo [harinu chundara kanushama yo]
I wish my hopes realized.