Score of "Kimi ga Yo"

Kimi ga Yo (君が代, Kimi ga Yo^?), often translated as "May your reign last forever" is Japan's National Anthem, and is also one of the world's shortest national anthems in current use. ^[1] The lyrics are based on a Waka poem written in the Heian Period, sung to a melody written in the later Meiji Era. The current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogising the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognised either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Lyrics are the words in songs. ... Waka (和歌) or Yamato uta is a genre of Japanese poetry. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Heian Period. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Meiji period (Japanese: Meiji Jidai 明治&#26178...

Although Kimi ga Yo has long been Japan's de facto national anthem, it was only legally recognized as such in 1999 with the passing of the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem. After its adoption, there was controversy over the performance of the anthem at public school ceremonies. Along with the national flag, Kimi ga Yo was considered to be a symbol of the imperialism and the militarism in wartime. ^[1] De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Japans Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem (国旗及び国歌に関する法律, kokki oyobi kokka ni kan suru hōritsu) or Proclamation No. ... Civil and state flag and ensign (Aug 13, 1999. ...

Lyrics

During the Heian Period when this poem was written, kimi meant "my sweetheart" or simply "you", as it often means today. But especially from the Meiji period to the World War II, kimi was interpreted as the term meaning "our lord," and referring to the Emperor of Japan. The idea that pebbles can grow into boulders was popular in Heian Japan. The Meiji period ) denotes the 45-year reign of Emperor Meiji, running from 8 September 1868 (in the Gregorian calendar, 23 October 1868) to 30 July 1912. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For the CPR ocean liner, see Empress of Japan. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Heian Period. ...

Origin

Sazare-ishi (細石), a kind of boulder formed from pebbles, at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

The lyrics first appeared in a poem anthology, Kokin Wakashū, as an anonymous poem. While anonymous poems were not uncommon at that time, and the author may have been in fact unknown, the anonymity might be because the author belonged to one of the lower classes. The poem was also included in a lot of anthologies, and in a later period used as a celebration song by people of all walks of life. Unlike the current anthem, the poem began with "waga kimi wa" instead of "Kimi ga Yo wa". The change of the lyrics occurred during the Kamakura period. ^[2] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1500x1000, 582 KB) Summary This photo shows the Sazare-ishi, the boulder grown from pebbles in Kimi ga Yo, the national anthem of Japan. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1500x1000, 582 KB) Summary This photo shows the Sazare-ishi, the boulder grown from pebbles in Kimi ga Yo, the national anthem of Japan. ... A pair of torii gates at the Shimogamo Shrine The Kamo Shrines, Kamigamo Jinja ) and Shimogamo Jinja ) are a pair of Shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan. ... Kyoto )   is a city in the central part of the island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... The Kokin Waka ShÅ« ), usually abbreviated as KokinshÅ« ), is an early Heian waka Imperial anthology, conceived by Emperor Uda (r. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Kamakura Period. ...

In 1869, around the start of the Meiji Era, John William Fenton, a visiting Irish military band leader, realized that there was no national anthem in Japan, and recommended Iwao Oyama, an officer of the Satsuma Clan, to make the national anthem of Japan. Iwao agreed and selected the lyrics. The lyrics are said to have been chosen for their similarity to the British national anthem, which is understandable since at the time Japan's modernization was heavily influenced by European powers. Iwao then asked Fenton to make the melody for it. This was the first version of Kimi ga Yo, which was discarded in 1876 because of its low popularity. 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Meiji period (Japanese: Meiji Jidai 明治&#26178... Iwao Oyama (1842 - 1916) was a Japanese marshal. ... The Satsuma Clan was a samurai clan which inhabited the Satsuma province of Japans Kyushu island. ... Publication of an early version in The Gentlemans Magazine, 15 October 1745. ...

In 1880, the Imperial Household Agency adopted a new melody composed by Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi. The composer is often listed as Hiromori Hayashi, who was their supervisor and Akimori's father. The German musician Franz von Eckert applied the melody with Western style harmony. This is the second and current version of Kimi ga Yo. By 1893, Kimi ga Yo was included public school ceremonies due to efforts by the Ministry of Education. ^[2] According to the Japan Times, Kimi ga Yo is played in C major.^[1] Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Franz Von Eckert is a German Musician who did the Harmony for Japans National Anthem, Kimi Ga Yo. ... C major (often just C or key of C) is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. Its key signature has no flats/sharps (see below: Diatonic Scales and Keys). ...

Controversy

Since the end of World War II, there has been criticism of the anthem for its association with militarism and the virtual worship of the emperor as a deity, which some see as incompatible with a democratic society. Similar objections have been raised to Japan's current national flag, and demonstrations are sometimes held against both. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Militarism or militarist ideology is the doctrinal view of a society as being best served (or more efficient) when it is governed or guided by concepts embodied in the culture, doctrine, system, or people of the military. ...

In 1999, the Japanese government passed the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem, which designated Kimi ga Yo as the official anthem and the Hinomaru as the national flag. Japans Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem (国旗及び国歌に関する法律, kokki oyobi kokka ni kan suru hōritsu) or Proclamation No. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Japan, (vexillological symbol: ) known as the Nisshohki (日章旗) or Hinomaru (日の丸 sun disc) in Japanese, is a base white flag with a large red disc (representing the sun) in the centre. ...

Schools have seen conflict over both the anthem and the flag, as the Tokyo Board of Education requires that the anthem be sung and that the flag be flown at events at Tokyo metropolitan government schools, and that school teachers respect both (by, for example, standing for the singing of the anthem) or risk losing their jobs.^[3][4] Some have protested that such rules violate the Japanese constitution, while the Board, for its part, has argued that since schools are government agencies, their employees have an obligation to teach their students how to be good Japanese citizens. The Constitution of Japan ) has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1946. ...

Opponents respond that as Japan is a democratic country, a national anthem praising a monarch is not appropriate and that forced participation in a ceremony involving the singing of an anthem is against the free thought clause in the Japanese Constitution. Supporters of the anthem argue that Kimi ga Yo has been the de-facto national anthem of Japan since the Meiji Era and is an important way to foster patriotism and loyalty to the emperor, which is an important national characteristic of Japan. They also suggest that Kimi ga Yo is comparable to the anthems of other democratic countries, for example the United Kingdom's (another democracy) God Save the Queen. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Meiji period (Japanese: Meiji Jidai 明治&#26178... Publication of an early version in The Gentlemans Magazine, 15 October 1745. ...

In 2006 Katsuhisa Fujita, a retired teacher in Tokyo, was threatened with imprisonment, and fined 200,000 yen (about 2,000 dollars), after he was accused of disturbing a graduation ceremony at Itabashi High School by urging the attendees to remain seated during the playing of the anthem.^[5]

Since 2003, 401 teachers have been punished for refusing to take part in anthem related events, though Fujita is the only man to have been convicted in relation to it. His case provoked criticism from the Japanese press and teachers.

As a way to avoid that type of punishment, teachers who are opposed to the compulsory singing of the anthem have tried to expand various English-language parody lyrics across Japan and through the internet. The parodies take the Japanese syllables and replace them with English phonetic equivalents (for example, in one of the more popular versions, 'Kimi ga yo wa' becomes 'Kiss me girl, your old one'), allowing those who sing the new version to remain undetected in a crowd. Japanese conservatives deride what they describe as 'sabotage'. There is also a political significance to some of the alternative English lyrics as they can allude to comfort women.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Comfort women ) or military comfort women ) is a euphemism for the up to 200,000 women who served in the Japanese armys brothels during World War II. Historians and researchers into the subject have stated that the majority were from Korea, China and other occupied territories and were recruited...

On 21 September 2006, the Tokyo District Court ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay compensation to all the teachers who had been subjected to fines and/or punishment under the directive of the Tokyo Board of Education. Junichiro Koizumi commented, "It is a natural idea to treat the national anthem importantly". This was seen as a landmark ruling in Japan upholding the Fundamental Law of Education in Japan. The ruling has been appealed by the Metropolitan Government ^[11] is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Junichiro Koizumi , born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. ...

Recordings

Image File history File links Kimigayo_vocal_1930. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Kimi_ga_Yo_instrumental. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... USN redirects here. ... Image File history File links Kimigayo70. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Kimigayo60. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Kimigayo50. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ...

See also

• Flag of Japan

Civil and state flag and ensign (Aug 13, 1999. ...

References

The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Asahi-OSAKA office Asahi is a common name in Japan, for other uses see Asahi. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kyodo News (共同通信社 Kyōdō Tsūshinsha) is a nonprofit cooperative news agency based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Korea Times is the oldest of three English-language newspapers published daily in South Korea, along with The Korea Herald and JoongAng Ilbo. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sankei Shimbun (産経新聞 Sakei Shinbun) is a Japanese language daily newspaper. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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• Web-Japan.org National Flag and Anthem
• About.com Japanese national anthem - Kimigayo