Japan
君が代
Kimigayo
Kimigayo
905
1999
Unknown (Kokin Wakashū anthology)
Hiromori Hayashi
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Key Facts
- 1. The lyrics are over 1,000 years old, taken from the Kokin Wakashu poetry anthology compiled around 905 AD
- 2. At just 11 measures of music, it takes roughly 50 seconds to perform, making it the world's shortest anthem
- 3. It was only formally designated as Japan's anthem in 1999, despite being used since the Meiji era
Lyrics
君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巌となりて
苔のむすまで
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialThe shortest national anthem in the world, just 32 characters of Japanese drawn from a 10th-century Heian-era poem. Nobody knows who wrote the original verse. The melody was composed in 1880 by a court musician using ancient gagaku scales, giving it a sound unlike any other anthem on Earth.