Ame

“Chihayafuru” in the poetic bit is an example of pillow words in classical Japanese. These phrases originally had a literal meaning, but eventually came to be a sort of ritualistic adornment for the rest of the poem. “Rit.” is an abbreviation of “ritardando”, musical notation for slowing down the tempo.

English

Rain

As I trace my finger on the clouded glass, a little bit…
From the ravine come gray clouds, softly…

Not turning my eyes away, I’ll stay here
The forgotten color of rain will come into view

To the west, close to the time signal, echo
A raindrop’s dot, an accidentally played chord
That song surely, unheard of in the town, rit.
Flickering, heard for just a moment, sound

Not closing up my ears, I’ll stay here
With the sigh I let out in a puff
Now, I think I can understand
I think that I can understand much better than before

Chihayafuru, the dance of the age-old capital just sings of trivialities
Those who traverse the dream-scented misty sky, drifting on the wind
Chihayafuru, the dance of the age-old capital just sings of trivialities
Speeding the rapids, the flowing days, again and again, the nighttime rain

Not turning my eyes away, I’ll stay here
My once-unfocused view, now coming to

Before I know it, the tea I am holding is a little bit…

Japanese

雨

曇ったガラス　指でなぞると　ちょっと
山あいから　灰色の雲　そっと

目をそらさずに　ここにいよう
忘れていた　雨の色も　見えてくるよ

西側の方　時報によりそう　echo
雨粒のdot　偶然鳴らした　chord
あの歌はきっと　街にもまれ　rit
まばたき　ひとつの間に聞こえた　oto

耳ふさがずに　ここにいよう
ふっともらした　ため息さえ
今ならきっと　わかると思う
前よりずっと　わかると思うよ

千早振る都の舞いはよしなし事を詠うばかり
夢香る霞の空を行き交う人風のまにまに
千早振る都の舞いはよしなし事を詠うばかり
瀬をはやみ流るる日々もかえすがえす降る雨のやう

目をそらさずに　ここにいよう
ぼやっとしていた　視点が今　あってゆくよ

気がつけばもう　握ってたお茶は　ちょっと

Karaoke

ame

kumotta garasu yubi de nazoru to chotto
yamaai kara haiiro no kumo sotto

me wo sorasazu ni koko ni iyou
wasureteita ame no iro mo mietekuru yo

nishigawa no hou jihou ni yorisou ekoo
amatsubu no dotto guuzen narashita koodo
ano uta wa kitto machi ni mo mare ritto
mabataki hitotsu no ma ni kikoeta oto

mimi fusagazu ni koko ni iyou
futto morashita tamaiki sae
ima nara kitto wakaru to omou
mae yori zutto wakaru to omou yo

chihayafuru miyako no mai wa yoshinashigoto wo utau bakari
yume kaoru kasumi no sora wo yukikau hito kaze no mani mani
chihayafuru miyako no mai wa yoshinashigoto wo utau bakari
se wo hayami nagaruru hibi mo kaesugaesu furu ame no yau

me wo sorasazu ni koko ni iyou
boyatto shiteita shiten ga ima atte yuku yo

ki ga tsukeba mou nigitteta ocha wa chotto