Kimigayo contains lyrics based on a waka poem written in the Heian period which are sung to a melody composed by Hiromori HAYASHI during the Meiji period, since which time it has been considered to be the national anthem.
君が代は、平安時代に詠まれた和歌を基にした歌詞に明治時代に林廣守が作曲、同時代から国歌として扱われてきた。