In celebration of the recent release of Bump of Chicken's newest album, Oribital Period (chock full of good tunes like Namida no Furusato, Planetarium, Supernova, and Hana no Na.), I humbly present my very own translation of the Tokyo Sanka lyrics. If you haven't heard it yet, check out this video (orginally posted by Abbey) with some very Tokyo-core images to set the mood. (Still waiting with bated breath for the new video...)
Bump of Chicken = Best Japanese band. EVER.
Bump of Chicken = Best Japanese band. EVER.
*****
Tokyo Hymn (Tokyo Sanka)
It's a town with sky and earth
How is it different from the town where you grew up, I wonder?
Why can you tell the difference, I wonder?
I guess you've been taught since you came here
Things like all the lies, the cold, not being able to see the stars,
A storm of troubles
It's the revenge of things not going well, I guess
You started and quit so many here
What was it that you came here to do?
For whose sake was it?
Roads and railroad tracks are connected but... that's so but...
Jump out as you please, struggle along as you please
This town is all that you know
The drawer of your abandoned dream
Back then they were always nearby
The people you hate and like
Nowadays, do you care?
I guess you realized since you came here
No matter where a person goes
They are same as always
Separated from somebody and separated from yourself
You're alive!
Chosen as you please, hated as you please,
This town is all you have
The place where you, who can't go home, are
There are lots of lies everywhere, don't you think?
After all, when you can see the stars, you lose interest, right?
Among all the people passing one another by,
I think there are more than a few who came here
For similar reasons
What was it that you came here for?
Who was it that decided?
The earth and the sky are connected
The future and the past,too
You jumped out as you pleased, struggle along as you pleased
This town is all you know
The continuation of the dream you got back
Chosen as you please, hated as you please
This town is all you have
The place where you, who can’t go home, are
This town is all you have
The way back home to the place you grew up…
