井上陽水 ~傘がない~ *** Inoue Yosui "Kasa ga Nai"

This song is one of my favorites despite it being quite old...and its safe to say its a classic in japan, having been covered by many artists. Among people who have covered the song are singers UA (In the movie "Nagai sanpo"...trailer video below) and Mika Todd (of coconuts musume/hello project). I hope you enjoy this melancholy yet classic piece of music!

都会では自殺する若者が殖えている
tokai de ha jisatsu suru wakamono ga huete iru
In the city the youths that are committing suicide are increasing

今朝方新聞の片隅に書いていた
kesakita shinbun no katasumi ni kaite ita
It was written at the news stand this morning

だけどもう問題は今日の雨...傘がない
dakedo mou mondai ha kyou no ame... kasa ga nai
but yet, the problem is today's rain...I have no umbrella

行かなくちゃ
ikanakucha
I have to go

君に会いに行かなくちゃ
kimi ni ai ni ikanakucha
I have to go to meet you

君の町に行かなくちゃ...雨に濡れ
kimi no machi ni ikanakucha... ame ni nure
I have to go to your town...soaking in the rain

冷たい雨が今日は心に凍みる
tsumetai ame ga kyou ha kokoro ni shimiru
Today the cold rain is freezing over my heart

君のこといがいは考えられなくなる
kimi no koto igai ha kangaerarenaku naru
I will become unable to think about anything except you

それはいいことだろう
sore ha ii koto darou
Is that a good thing?

テレビではわが国の将来の問題を
TEREBI de ha wagakuni no shourai no mondai wo
On the TV the future problems of our country

誰かが深刻な顔をして喋ってる
dareka ga shinkoku na kao wo shite shabetteru
someone is speaking about with a serious face

だけどもう問題は今日の雨...傘がない
dakedo mou mondai ha kyou no ame... kasa ga nai
but yet, the problem is today's rain...I have no umbrella

行かなくちゃ
ikanakucha
I have to go

君に会いに行かなくちゃ
kimi ni ai ni ikanakucha
I have to go to meet you

君の家に行かなくちゃ...雨に濡れ
kimi no uchi ni ikanakucha...ame ni nure
I have to go to your house...soaking in the rain

冷たい雨が僕の目の中にふる
tsumetai ame ga boku no me no naka ni huru
the cold rain falls within my eyes

君のこといがいは何も見えなくなる
kimi no koto igai ha nani mo mienaku naru
I will become unable to see anything except you

それはいいことだろう
sore ha ii koto darou
Is that a good thing?

行かなくちゃ
ikanakucha
I have to go

君に会いに行かなくちゃ
kimi ni ai ni ikanakucha
I have to go to meet you

君の町に行かなくちゃ...雨に濡れ
kimi no machi ni ikanakucha... ame ni nure
I have to go to your town...soaking in the rain

行かなくちゃ
ikanakucha
I have to go

君に会いに行かなくちゃ
kimi ni ai ni ikanakucha
I have to go to meet you

君の家に行かなくちゃ...雨の中を
kimi no uchi ni ikanakucha...ame no naka wo
I have to go to your house...into the rain

行かなくちゃ
ikanakucha
I have to go

君に会いに行かなくちゃ...雨に濡れて行かなくちゃ
kimi ni ai ni ikanakucha... ame ni nurete ikanakucha
I have to go to meet you... I have to go getting drenched in the rain

傘がない
kasa ga nai
I dont have an umbrella






Special japanese phrase #7:
ええ？僕の顔に何かあるの？
ee? boku no kao ni nanika aru no?
huh? Is there something on my face?

島みやえい子 ~ディオラマ~ ** Shimamiya Eiko "Diorama"

This song is the B-side on Eiko Shimamiya's single "Unmei no Wa". This song called "Diorama" is used as the ending theme to this summer's japanese Horror film "Higurashi no naku koro ni", while the single's title track was used in promotions for the movie. I really like Shimamiya's music, it has a very dark tone to it...fitting as her music is being used for a horror movie. Though the song has a darker and heavier feel to it I think its very beautiful. Please enjoy!!


高速のエレベーターで街並を見下ろしながら
kousoku no EREBEETAA de machinami wo mioroshinagara
Inside a highspeed elevator as I gaze down upon the strips of shops and homes

昇っていきます屋上まで
nobotte ikimasu okujou made
I continue to rise up to the rooftop

高層のビルの上には強い風吹き抜けてても
kousou no BIRU no ue ni ha tsuyoi kaze hukinuketetemo
even if a strong wind blows through me above the topfloor of the building

金網越しにあるその情景は
kanaami koshi ni aru sono joukei ha
there will be a wire net all across, the scene

ラディオラマひとつもリアリティのない玩具の町
RA DEIORAMA hitotsu mo RIARITEI no nai omocha no machi
La Diorama a town of toys that doesn't have even one reality

ラディオラマ心が流れださないように閉じ込めた町
RA DEIORAMA kokoro ga nagaretasanai you ni tojikometa machi
La Diorama an imprisoned town that is like a heart that is frozen**

ラディオラマあなたへのリアリティ時間が消してゆく
RA DEIORAMA anata he no RIARITEI jikan ga keshite yuku
La Diorama Reality keeps erasing the time towards you

ラディオラマ心が二度と求めないように過去を
RA DEIORAMA kokoro ga nido to modomenai you ni kato wo
La Diorama Like a heart that will not search for the past for a second time

ラディオラマ呼吸のリアリティ今はどこにもない
RA DEIORAMA kokyuu no RIARITEI ima ha doko ni mo nai
La Diorama now the reality of my breath is nowhere

でもきっと心は息を吹き返してくこの町ごと
demo kitto kokoro ha iki wo hukikaeshiteku kono machi goto
but surely my heart will keep coming back to life in each of these towns

** "kokoro ga nagaretasanai" literally means "heart will not flow" which doesnt make much sense, so I translated it as "frozen" as in not moving...not as in temperature.

絢香 ~I Believe *** Ayaka "I Believe"

This song is Ayaka's first official single "I believe", off of her first album. The first time I heard Ayaka and this song I became an instant fan of her unique sound and talent! I hope you all like this song as much as I do!

この胸の中に隠れてる 不安の渦
kono mune no naka ni kakureteru huan no uzu
Inside my heart there's a whirlpool of worry that is hidden

目の前にある 自分の進むべき
me no mae ni aru jibun no susumu beki
the need to improve myself is right infront of my eyes

道はどれか
michi ha dore ka
but which way?

人にながされてた日々
hito ni nagasareteta hibi
the days when I followed other people

そんな自分にさよなら
sonna jibun ni sayonara
to that kind of myself goodbye

I believe myself
I believe myself
I believe myself

信じることで
shinjiru koto de
by believing

すべてが始まる気がするの
subete ga hajimaru ki ga suru no
I feel like everything will begin

I believe myself あたたかい光は
I believe myself atatakai hikari ha
A warm light is "I believe myself"

間違っちゃいない 歩いてゆこう
machigacchainai aruite yukou
without fail I will keep on walking

I believe
I believe
I believe

偽りの中で嘘の笑み浮かべて 生きる人を
itsuwari no naka de uso no emi ukabete ikiru hito wo
the people who live on showing lying smiles from within the untruth

幼き自分と重ねてみてため息つく
osanaki jibun to kasanetemite tameiki tsuku
trying to again be how I was when I was young I take a deep breath

どんな色にも染まらない黒になろうと誓った
donna iro ni mo somaranai kuro ni narou to chigatta
I vowed I would become black that no color can stain

I believe myself
I believe myself
I believe myself

信じることで
shinjiru koto de
by believing

すべてが始まる気がするの
subete ga hajimaru ki ga suru no
I feel like everything will begin

I believe myself あたたかい光は
I believe myself atatakai hikari ha
A warm light is "I believe myself"

間違っちゃいない 歩いてゆこう
machigacchainai aruite yukou
without fail I will keep on walking

I believe
I believe
I believe

今目に映る この広い空も
ima me ni utsuru kono hiroi sora mo
now my eyes reflect this vast sky

素直に生きる この気持ちも
sunao ni ikiru kono kimochi mo
and this feeling of living in honesty

I believe myself
I believe myself
I believe myself

信じることで
shinjiru koto de
by believing

すべてが始まる気がするの
subete ga hajimaru ki ga suru no
I feel like everything will begin

I believe myself あたたかい光は
I believe myself atatakai hikari ha
A warm light is "I believe myself"

間違っちゃいない 歩いてゆこう
machigacchainai aruite yukou
without fail I will keep on walking

I believe
I believe
I believe

宇多田ヒカル ~テイク５ *** Utada Hikaru "Teiku 5"

Here is one of my favorite songs from Utada Hikaru's latest album "heart station"!Despite being a relatively short song, this was kind of annoying to color code as almost each word in the song had a translatable meaning (ie less particles as fillers etc). I hope you enjoy!


冷たい草の上に倒れ込み火照る体を隠したい
tsumetai kusa no ue ni taorekomi hoteru karada wo kakushitai
I want to hide my buring body In a collapse on top of the cold grass

真冬の星座たちが私の恋人ずっとまっていたの
mahuyu no seizatachi ga watashi no koibito zutto matteita no
the constellations of the midwinter are my lovers that I've waited so long for

今日の気分は最高です
kyou no kibun ha saikou desu
Today's mood is the highest

絶望も希望もない空のように透き通っていたい
zetsubou mo kibou mo nai sora no you ni sukitotteitai
I want to become transparent like the sky that has no sorrow nor hope


会わないほうが喧嘩することも幻滅し会うこともない
awanai hou ga kenka suru koto mo genmetsu shiau koto mo nai
It's better to not meet, there won't be fighting nor will we become dissillusioned

ナイフのような風が私のスピード上げていくの
NAIHU no you na kaze ga watashi no SUPIIDO agete iku no
The wind like a knife keeps giving me my speed

テイク５
teiku 5
take 5

どんな自分が幸せです
donna jibun ga shiawase desu
which me is happiness

成功も失敗もない空のように透き通っていたい
seikou mo shippai mo nai sora no you ni sukitotteitai
I want to become transparent like the sky that has no successes nor failures

コートを脱いで中へ入ろう
KOOTO wo nuide naka he hairou
let's take off our coats and enter the inside

始まりも終わりもない今日と言う日を素直に生きたい
hajimari mo owari mo nai kyou to iu hi wo sunao ni ikitai
I want to simply live out the day called today that has no beggining nor ending





Special japanese phrase #4:
針に座ることは楽しくないだよ
hari ni suwaru koto ha tanoshikunai dayo
sitting on a needle is not fun

Salyu (as Lily Chou-Chou) ~共鳴 : 空虚な石 *** "Kyomei : kuukyo na ishi"

This song was featured in the movie "Riri Shu Shu no Subete" aka "All About Lily Chou Chou". In my opinion a very worth while watch. Interesting thing to note was the singer of this song, Salyu, had released this single as well as one other and a complete album (which featured music she sang from the movie) under the name "Lily chou Chou"...the fictional singer for which the movie was named after. Of all the songts she sand for the movie this one was my favorite, so I enjoyed translating this and hope you enjoy listening to it!


長い道は曲がって ここへ来てる
nagai michi ha magatte koko he kiteru
the long turning road comes this way

その先にも続く
sono saki ni mo tsuzuku
continuing also in the distance

時だけが静かに刻んだ
toki dake ga shizuka ni kizanda
only time quietly carved it

大人に成り変げて 止めて仕舞った
otona ni narikakete yamete shimatta
becoming an adult has come to an end

心の内側で
kokoro no uchigawa de
within my heart

何枚もの鏡を見つけた
nanmai mono kagami wo mitsuketa
I found many mirrors

あなたに会う喜びあなたに会う切なさより苦しいのわ
anata ni au yorokobi anata ni au setsunasa yori kurushii no wa
the happiness in meeting you is more painful than the pain in meeting you

まだ私の心の中に空虚な石が潜むから
mada watashi no kokoro no naka ni kuukyo na ishi ga hisomu kara
because i still hide an empty stone inside my heart

生きてゆくためだけに生まれて来た
ikite iku tame dake ni umaretekita
we were born only in order to keep living

他に意味があるの
hoka ni imi ga aru no
is there another meaning?

それが何か愛と言う言葉か
sore ga nanika ai to iu kotoba ka
is that something a word called love?

道の橋で敗れたポスターに書かれてる言葉に目をやる
michi no hashi de yabureta posutaa ni kakareteru kotoba ni me wo yaru
im looking at the words written on a worn out poster on the side of the road

愛はここに神はあなたの中にそこで途切れてる
ai ha koko ni kami ha anata no naka ni soko de togireteru
love is in here, god is inside of you, then it gets cut off

宇宙の先魂の果てで
uchuu no saki tamashii no hate de
beyond outer space is the end of my soul

この肉体の中から響きが生まれてあなたに辿り着いて
kono karada no naka kara hibiki ga umarete anata ni tadoritsuite
echos are born from inside this body and struggle to find you

共鳴する言葉の意味を超える広がる
kyoumei suru kotoba no imi wo koete hirogaru
the meaning of these resounding words reach out to cross over to you

あなたに会う喜びあなたに会う切なさより苦しいのわ
anata ni au yorokobi anata ni au setsunasa yori kurushii no wa
the happiness in meeting you is more painful than the pain in meeting you

まだ私の心の中に空虚な石が潜むから
mada watashi no kokoro no naka ni kuukyo na ishi ga hisomu kara
because i still hide an empty stone inside my heart


speacial japanese phrase #3:
韓国の辛いラーメンが大好きだよ！
kankoku no karai raamen ga daisuki dayo!
I LOVE spicy korean ramen!

伴都美子 ~ 夢路 *** Van Tomiko "Yumeji"

This song is called "yumeji" or "Road/Pathway of Dreams" by Van Tomiko. Tomiko has a very unique voice and beautiful lyrical style. As a former lead singer of the band Do as Infinity (DOA for short) she was seen and heard long before her debut as a soloist. She has released several singles and albums since her debut and I have liked almost all of them. Hope you enjoy!


たわいない時間と押し寄せる不安に負けそうな時は
tawainai jikan to oshiyoseru huan ni makesou na toki ha
when I seem to give up to the foolish time and the pressing worry

優しく微笑む君を想うだけで
yasashiku hohoemu kimi wo omou dake de
just by thinking of you smiling gently

強くなれるから
tsuyoku nareru kara
I can become strong

遠く離れていても
tooku hanareteitemo
even if we are far seperated

いつもいつも一人じゃない僕らは
itsumo itsumo hitori jya nai bokura ha
we are never never alone

思い出して忘れかけた夢路を
omoidashite wasurekaketa yumeji wo
roads of dreams that I've began to forget and then remembered

今君と歩き出す
ima kimi to arukidasu
I will now walk about with you

見上げた空涙色に滲んでも
miageta sora namida iro ni nijindemo
even if the sky that I gazed upon blurs into the color of tears

きっと笑って
kitto waratte
surely we will smile

また歩き出せるから
mata arukidaseru kara
because we'll be able to walk again

信じること
shinjiru koto
It's a thing I believe in

並べた思い出
narabeta omoide
memories that lined up

ひとつひとつ光る
hitotsu hitotsu hikaru
one by one shine

かたちもないもの
katachi mo nai mono
they are things that have no shape

重ねた季節は
kasaneta kisetsu ha
seasons that have passed

色褪せはしない
iroase ha shinai
will not fade away


掛け替えないもの
kakegaenai mono
they are things which cant be replaced


軟らかな風が今
yawaraka na kaze ga ima
now the gentle breeze

そっとそっとこの背中を押してるよ
sotto sotto kono senaka wo oshiteru yo
softly softly pushes onto my back

どんな時もどんな道も
donna toki mo donna michi mo
whatever time it is, what ever way I go

上を向いて生きてく強さと
ue wo muite ikiteku tsuyosa to
the strength to keep living looking upwards and

君がくれた温もりが
kimi ga kureta nukumori ga
the warmth that you gave me

この胸いっぱいに溢れて
kono mune ippai ni ahurete
it completely fills up in my heart

小さな希望がほら
chiisana kibou ga hora
look, this little hope

膨らんでゆく
hukurandeyuku
continues to grow

special japanese phrase #2:
鼻クソふつふつ　かっけだな
hanakuso hutsuhutsu kakke da na
I'm blowing booger bubbles ain't it cool