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Morino kotori
Little birds in the woods

matsufuku kazeno otomo taete

nodokani kasumu haruno yama

yamajiwa nagashi fumotowa tôshi

negurani kaeru morino kotori

isoganu’utawa mada’areni

 

yûhino kagewa mineni kakure

shizukani kururu tanino sora

wagayawa izuko kokyôwa izuko

urayamashikiwa morino kotori

wakarenu tomoto uchitsurete

The wind that blew through the pines is silent.

Peacefully, the mountains stand in spring’s mist.

The way from the mountain is still long, the valley is far,

the little birds return to their nest.

They sing on their way without any haste.

 

Sunset’s shadow is hiding behind the mountain tops.

Calmly, dawn is setting on the valley.

Where is my home? Where is my beloved home?

I envy the little birds in the woods,

they fly to their nest with their flock.

The poet Takeki Ôwada wrote the lyrics of this song for a song book for elementary school that was published in 1929 and approved by the government.