Japan National Anthem
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 Wakashū poetry anthology compiled around 905; there the poem begins 'Waga kimi wa' ('my lord') rather than 'Kimi ga yo wa' ('your reign')
- 2. At just 11 measures of music, it takes roughly 50 seconds to perform, making it one of the world's shortest anthems
- 3. It was only formally designated as Japan's anthem in 1999, despite being used since the Meiji era
Japan National Anthem Lyrics
君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
いわおとなりて
こけのむすまで
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialOne of the shortest national anthems in the world, Kimigayo sets a single waka of just 32 syllables, a poem preserved in the Kokin Wakashū, an imperial anthology compiled in the early 10th century. Nobody knows who wrote the original verse. The melody, adopted in 1880 and credited to the court musician Hayashi Hiromori, is written in a mode of gagaku, Japan's ancient court music, and was given Western-style harmony by the German musician Franz Eckert.
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Sources & References
- National Flag and Anthem . The Government of Japan
- 国旗及び国歌に関する法律（平成11年法律第127号）第2条・別記第2 . 内閣府 (1999)
Source & Review
- Source status
- Legal source verified
- Translation
- Nationalia working translation
- Rights status
- Government text
- Last reviewed
- Editorial review
- Pending
- Editorial owner
- Nationalia
- Report a correction
- rights@nationalia.org