Furusato (children's song)

Furusato monument in Tottori Prefecture.

Furusato (故郷) is a well-known Japanese children's song, with music by Teiichi Okano and lyrics by Tatsuyuki Takano. The song was composed in 1914.

The Japanese word furusato means "old home" or "hometown". Although Takano's hometown was Nakano, Nagano, his lyrics do not seem to refer to a particular place.^[1] Instead, they describe a person who is working in a distant land, expressing his feelings of nostalgia for the hills and fields of his childhood home.

The Japanese government has designated Furusato as a Japanese children's song to be taught in the Japanese public school system, and the song has also been included in the recent popular song collection known as Nihon no Uta Hyakusen.

The composer and the writer of the song were unknown until the 1970s.^[2] Since 1992, however, the names of both Teiichi Okano and Tatsuyuki Takano have been printed with the song in Japanese music textbooks.^[3]

At the closing ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics at Nagano, the song was played, and in 2014, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Furusato, the song was performed by children's chorus with orchestral accompaniment at the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto in Nagano, under the direction of Seiji Ozawa.^[4]

Lyrics

Standard	Hiragana	Romaji	Translation
兎追いし　彼の山 小鮒釣りし　彼の川 夢は今も　巡りて 忘れ難き　故郷 如何にいます　父母 恙無しや　友がき 雨に風に　つけても 思ひ出づる　故郷 志を　果たして いつの日にか　帰らん 山は靑き　故郷 水は淸き　故郷	うさぎおいし　かのやま こぶなつりし　かのかわ ゆめはいまも　めぐりて わすれがたき　ふるさと いかにいます　ちちはは つつがなしや　ともがき あめにかぜに　つけても おもひいづる　ふるさと こころざしを　はたして いつのひにか　かえらん やまはあおき　ふるさと みずはきよき　ふるさと	usagi oishi ka no yama ko-buna tsurishi ka no kawa yume wa ima mo megurite wasure-gataki furusato ika ni imasu chichi-haha tsutsuganashi ya tomogaki ame ni, kaze ni tsukete mo omoi-izuru furusato kokorozashi o hata shite itsu no hi ni ka kaeran yama wa aoki furusato mizu wa kiyoki furusato	I chased after rabbits on that mountain. I fished for minnow in that river. I still dream of those days even now Oh, how I miss my old country home. Father and mother―are they doing well? Is everything well with my old friends? When the rain falls, when the wind blows, I stop and recall of my old country home. Some day when I have done what I set out to do, I'll return home one of these days Where the mountains are green, my old country home, Where the waters are clear, my old country home.

English version

The song was translated into English by Greg Irwin and this was published in the album called "Japan’s Best Loved Songs of the Season" in 1998.^[5] This version was also performed by Lexi Walker.^[6]

My Country Home by Greg Irwin

Back in the mountains I knew as a child

Fish filled the rivers and rabbits ran wild

Memories, I carry these wherever I may roam

I hear it calling me, my country home

Mother and Fathers, how I miss you now

How are my friends I lost touch with somehow?

When the rain falls or the wind blows I feel so alone

I hear it calling me, my country home

I've got this dream and it keeps me away

When it comes true I'm going back there someday

Chrystal waters, mighty mountains blue as emerald stone

I hear it calling me, my country home

References

1. "100 years of Furusato", Sankei Shinbun, p1, Oct 9, 2014
2. "100 years of Furusato", Sankei Shinbun, p1, Oct 9, 2014
3. "100 years of Furusato", Sankei Shinbun, p1, Oct 9, 2014
4. "100 years of Furusato", Sankei Shinbun, p1, Oct 9, 2014
5. http://www.amazon.co.jp/Japan%E2%80%99s-Best-Loved-Songs-Season%E2%80%95%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%A7%E6%AD%8C%E3%81%86%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E3%81%86%E3%81%9F/dp/4789009254
6. http://www.takana.net/news/archives/662