Kimigayo: National anthem of Japan
Kimigayo (Kanji: 君が代, Katakana: きみがよ, say: kee-mee-GAH-joh, meaning His Imperial Majesty's Reign) is the national anthem of Japan.
The anthem is based on a poem written by an unknown poet from Japan about one thousand years ago. The music was composed more recently, about two hundred years ago; however, it had to be rewritten shortly afterwards, because the original tune was unpopular.
| English: His Imperial Majesty's Reign | |
|---|---|
| 君が代 | |
 | |
National anthem of  Japan | |
| Adopted | 1869 (originally) 1999 (officially) |
| Audio sample | |
Played by the U.S. Navy Band | |
Although popular for a long period and sung in situations where people from other countries would usually sing their country's national anthem, "Kimigayo" was only considered as Japan's official national anthem in 1999. The law that stated this also defined the Flag of Japan in a similar way.
The national anthem of Japan is one of the shortest national anthems in the world, containing only thirty-two syllables. Because it is so short, the anthem is normally played very slowly.
Lyrics
| With Kanji characters | Kana (Hiragana) only | Rōmaji | Phonetic transcription (IPA) | English translation | Poetic English translation by Basil Hall Chamberlain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
君が代は | きみがよは | Kimigayo wa | [ki.mi.ɡa.ꜜjo ɰa] | May your reign | Thousands of years of happy reign be thine; |
References
Other websites
- Listen to Kimi ga yo (.ra format)
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