A Song For You All

Tomorrow is yet another festival day in Japan, though unfortunately, not a national holiday. Tomorrow is 雛祭 (hinamatsuri), or Girls' Day. As such, Ikehara-sensei gave us the lyrics to a song that is sung. I suppose tomorrow would have been a better day to post this, but this way you can practice it and be ready for tomorrow. You can download the tune here.

あかりを　つけましょ　ぼんぼりに
おはなを　あげましょ　もものはな
五人ばやしの　ふえ　たいこ
きょうは　たのしい　ひなまつり

おだいりさまと　おひなさま
ふたり　ならんで　すましがお
およめに　いらした　ねいさまに
よくにた　かんじょの　しろいかお

きんの　びょうぶに　うつるひを
かすかに　ゆする　はるのかぜ
すこし　しろざけ　めされたか
あかい　おかおの　うだいじん

きものを　きかえて　おびしめて
きょうは　わたしも　はれすがた
はるの　やよいの　このよきひ
なにより　うれしい　ひなまつり


akario tsukemasho bonborini ohanawo agemasho momonohana
goninbayashino fue taiko kyouha tanoshii hinamatsuri

odairisamato ohinasama futari narande sumashigao
oyomeni irashita neisamani yokunita kanjyono shiroikao

kinno byoubuni utsuruhio kasukani yusuru harunokaze
sukoshi shirozake mesaretaka akai okaono udaijin

kimonoo kikaete obishimete kyouha watashimo haresugata
haruno yayoino konoyokihi naniyori ureshii hinamatsuri


Let's light the lanterns, let's set peach flowers,
Five court musicians are playing flute and drums,
Today is a joyful Girls' Day.


Yeah... well, I cannot translate the rest very well, especially since I do not have the kanji for the song. It's about the setting up of the paper doll display that they do every year. There's one in Linden Hall at the moment. I'll work on this!

Ikehara also gave us some hina arare, which were tiny balls made of Japanese crackers. They looked like cerial, but were savoury. Children's snacks.