Lullaby of Takeda [Takeda No Komoriuta], Japanese Folk Song - The Red Birds [Akai Tori]

"Lullaby of Takeda", one of Beautiful Japanese Folk Songs, but in reality the lyrics of the song is including significant meanings, which is based on a sad folklore of a small girl, born at a very poor family in an isolated small village which is called "Takeda", located at current Fushimi-Ward, Kyoto Prefecture of Kansai Region.

One day she was forcibly put out to service for a rich family of a landlord to earn their keep, whose house was located at the next village over a mountain even though she was an infant,.

During the period of her bitter days, her dairy hard works carrying a small baby in her back always have reminded her of her family and a sweet home with looking at the silhouette of the mountains in the direction of her homeland.

That is to say, such circumstances seem to have made her sing this song sadly in her mind, and which orally has been transmitted from people to people and changed to be a very beautiful lullaby across Kansai Region.

Song performed by Akai Tori [The Red birds], Japanese folk-song group.

Contents of Lyrics in English

Unwilling baby-sitting,
Thinking of days after mid-summer Bon[*] holiday,
Then a flurry of cold snow continues,
And a baby's repeating cry.

Even coming Bon holiday, what is so joyful.
No clothes and no sash to attire.

The baby is so irritable to cry,
That baby's crying annoys me

Baby-sitting for a whole day,
That makes me getting so skinny

Wishing to get back home in a hurry across the border,
That's my parents' home which can be seen far away.
That's my parents' home which can be seen far away.

Bon[*];
Bon or Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the deceased spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars.
It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori, Mid-summer Dance Festival.
The Festival of Obon lasts for three days; however its starting date varies within different regions of Japan.

[The_Gallowglass]

I love folk music. Doesn't matter where its from. It all has the same essence, with different flavor.

[elpis]

"This world is cruel, child. It's filled with monsters which are all too often terrible. But the cruelest monster you'll find, is the monster you love."

[greeti]

Mori mo iyagaru, Bon kara saki-nya
Yuki mo chiratsuku-shi, Ko mo naku-shi
Bon ga kita-tote, Nani ureshi-karo
Katabira wa nashi, Obi wa nashi
Kono ko you naku, Mori wo ba ijiru
Mori mo ichi-nichi, Yaseru-yara
Hayo-mo yuki-taya, Kono zaisho koete
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi
:) ❤️

[briannayahiro]

I have such fond memories of my great grandmother singing me this to be as a child as well as other japanese lullaby makes me miss her she passed when I was 7 but listening to songs she use to sing me takes me back

[righthandleads]

The translation as you requested guys!!!

English translation
I would hate baby-sitting beyond Bon Festival,
The snow begins to fall, and the baby cries.
How can I be happy even when Bon Festival is here?
I don't have nice clothes or a sash to wear.
This child continues to cry and is mean to me.
Every day I grow thinner.
I would quickly quit here and go back
To my parents' home over there,
To my parents' home over there.

[jacksonturner]

Titus Andromedon brought me here, this really is beautiful

[dirt]

*But...you said you'd take me with you!*
*I cannot stay here

[pakakrain]

守りもいやがる　盆から先にゃ
雪もちらつくし　子も泣くし

盆がきたとて　何嬉かろ
かたびらは無し　帯はなし

この子よう泣く　守りをばいじる
守は一日　やせるやら

早よ行きたや　この在所越えて
向うに見えるは　親の家
向うに見えるは　親の家

Mori mo iyagaru, Bon kara saki-nya
Yuki mo chiratsuku-shi, Ko mo naku-shi

Bon ga kita-tote, Nani ureshi-karo
Katabira wa nashi, Obi wa nashi

Kono ko you naku, Mori wo ba ijiru
Mori mo ichi-nichi, Yaseru-yara

Hayo-mo yuki-taya, Kono zaisho koete
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi

[almerano]

I feel eternity when I listen to this song, I can hardly write without shaking my fingers from the beauty of the sensitive performance of singers

[King_of_carrot_flowers]

This has bought me to tears. I'm Irish, and this reminds me of the folk songs I grew up with

[Zeldafanify]

Anyone wondering about the pictures and song:

- Song is featured in the movie "Seven Nights In Japan"
- Pictures are from a Television series (later made into a movie) called 'Oshin', which has a similar story to the song, but the song is not featured in the movie.

[Manglerette]

This song is absolutely beautiful. It gives me chills.

[DeDaanste]

I have a strange hobby. I love to learn songs in a language I don't speak or understand and rightnow I'm singing this song several times a day. (I don't have a good voice or face) Love to do it as good as I can. If anyone has a good translation for me please let me know!

[GiZmo]

It sounds sad but so beautiful and almost somehow a bit nostalgic.

[jorgeorozco]

I feel this song and it saddens me to the point of crying. I was a sophomore in highschool and our band was going to play this song. I met a beautiful Japanese exchange student named Fua. She was extremely beautiful and kind to me. I was excited to play this piece during the concert because I wanted to show her this beautiful song. Sadly though, Coronavirus and the quarantine happened. She sadly had to go back to Japan because of her company that sent her here to the US did not want any problems with the government or other governments. I was never able to say goodbye in person and to tell her that I loved her. That broke my heart. I miss her to this day. I can't explain how much it hurt to hear that she had to leave.
I love you Fua.

[miltoPM]

Geisha Murasaki brought me here #peenotnoir

[ChemistryAtomistic]

My mother is japanese and Japan always been in my life. Thank you for everything, Nihon, with love from Brazil.

[beamily]

I just found this song. I have no Japanese heritage or really any experience with Japanese culture. I don't even know what she is singing about. But it made me cry anyway. I just wanted to express how amazing music is in that it can transcend language and culture. We all have some connection to music and I think that is really meaningful.

Now to listen to it about a hundred times lol.

[zerimaraicirtap]

i got the translation here :



I would hate baby-sitting beyond Bon Festival,
The snow begins to fall, and the baby cries.

How can I be happy even when Bon Festival is here?
I don't have nice clothes or a sash to wear.

This child continues to cry and is mean to me.
Every day I grow thinner.

I would quickly quit here and go back
To my parents' home over there,
To my parents' home over there.

[sugarcakezz]

this has turned into an allegory for taking on responsibility for something you didn’t ask for. however the strength it takes to do so builds character-the only true valuable thing in this universe next to gold.