Machiwabi Machisabi

This song superimposes the concepts of “wabi” (the aesthetic of imperfection), “sabi” (the aesthetic of impermanence), “wabishii” (miserable), “sabishii” (lonely), “machiwabiru” (waiting impatienty), “machi” (town), “sabireru” (decline), and so on.

English

Desolate Town, Collapsed Town

Bit by bit, shops around the station
Bit by bit, so run-down
Bit by bit, declining
Bit by bit, a town with a scent

More and more, closing up shop
More and more, selling it all off
More and more, being torn down
More and more, a dust-cloud town
Without a trace
Without a trace

That shop, this shop
Without a trace
That sleepy, fat cat
Where has it gone?

That street, this street
Without a trace
That pesky, no-good dog
Where has it gone?

That person, this person
Without a trace
The nasty crow, too
Where has it gone?

Harshly, unfamiliar sky
Harshly, interrupting
Harshly, out-of-place buildings
Harshly, a town with no law

Completely, the shops around the station
Completely, so run-down
Completely, so lonely
Completely, a town with no scent

Without a trace
Without a trace
Without a trace
Without a trace

Japanese

まちわび まちさび

だんだん 駅前はもう
だんだん わびしくても
だんだん さびれてもでも
だんだん においのあるまち

どんどん 店じまいにつき
どんどん 売りつくしセール
どんどん とりこわされて
どんどん 砂ぼこりのまち
あとかたもなく
あとかたもなく

あの店この店
あとかたもなく
ねむたいデブ猫
どこいったの

あの道この道
あとかたもなく
しつこい野良犬
どこいったの

あの人この人
あとかたもなく
いやしいカラスも
どこいったの

さんざん なじまない空に
さんざん わりこんできて
さんざん ちぐはぐなビル
さんざん ほうりのないまち

ぜんぜん 駅前はもう
ぜんぜん わびしいほど
ぜんぜん さびしいほどに
ぜんぜん においのないまち

あとかたもなく
あとかたもなく
あとかたもなく
あとかたもなく

Karaoke

machiwabi machisabi

dandan ekimae wa mou
dandan wabishikute mo
dandan sabirete mo demo
dandan nioi no aru machi

dondon misejimai ni tsuki
dondon uritsukushi seeru
dondon torikowasarete
dondon sunabokori no machi
atokata mo naku
atokata mo naku

ano mise kono mise
atokata mo naku
nemutai debu neko
doko itta no

ano michi kono michi
atokata mo naku
shitsukoi yarou inu
doko itta no

ano hito kono hito
atokata mo naku
iyashii karasu mo
doko itta no

sanzan najimanai sora ni
sanzan warikonde kite
sanzan chiguhagu na biru
sanzan houri no nai machi

zenzen ekimae wa mou
zenzen wabishii hodo
zenzen sabishii hodo ni
zenzen nioi no nai machi

atokata mo naku
atokata mo naku
atokata mo naku
atokata mo naku