– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[Music]

Nagono.

Imagine experiencing Japan's calm side

for the very first time. 5 days across

three unique towns. From Matsumoto's

historic castle and lively streets to

Nagano's towering ceda shrines and

finally the warm onsen vibes of

Yamanuchi.

[Music]

Let me show you how to travel Nagago.

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[Applause]

Our journey begins in the charming city

of Matsumoto.

By the time we arrived, the city was

already cloaked in drizzle.

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First stop, Siori Cafe. Warm lights,

cozy atmosphere, and probably the most

aesthetic cafe I've stepped into on this

trip.

Heat.

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Heat.

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Afterwards, we stumbled on Fukashi

Ginger Shrine, hidden in plain sight,

just off the main boat.

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Just a few steps away, we reached

Matsumoto Castle.

Our

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last morning in Matsumoto started early.

We checked out, left our bags at

reception, and caught a quiet train

heading south, off to visit one of

Japan's most wellpreserved post towns.

Narajuku,

a single street stretching through the

hills, lined with dark wooden houses and

shop signs swaying gently in the wind.

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Heat. Heat.

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Heat.

Heat.

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With a few hours left before our train

to Nagono, we decided to go and explore

what we missed yesterday.

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Once more we wandered through Nakamachi

and Nate Street, this time under clear

skies.

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[Applause]

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Heat.

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Heat.

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[Applause]

By late afternoon, we boarded the train

to Nagana.

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Morning in Nagono started early.

We caught the 9:10 a.m. bus to Togakushi

Shrine, a journey into the forested

heart of Japanese spirituality.

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After winding mountain roads and misty

peaks, we arrived at Tokushi Inner

Shrine.

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Heat. Heat.

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[Applause]

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Heat.

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[Applause]

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[Applause]

Heat.

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[Applause]

On our way back down, we made a detour

into the Toakushi Forest Botanical

Garden tucked just beside the shrine.

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Instead of waiting for the return bus,

we walked down to the Chusha area and we

were glad we did.

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[Applause]

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By afternoon we were back in the city.

We wandered through Zenoji Nakamay

Street, a stretch of traditional shops

leading to the city's spiritual heart.

[Music]

At the end of the street, you will find

Zenoji Temple, one of Japan's most

important Buddhist sites.

Heat

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up here.

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[Applause]

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The next morning, we left the buzz of

Nagono behind and boarded a quiet train

heading deeper into the mountains

just about an hour away. And we arrived

in Yamanuchi, a small Onson village

where time moves slower and the air

carries the scent of sulfur and pine.

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Here

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you will find Wakabaya, a cozy cafe in

Rioan style.

Come on.

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Heat.

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[Applause]

Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat.

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As night settled in, we ended the night

with a dinner at a local restaurant that

feels like someone invited you into

their home.

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a lot more.

On our final day in the Nagano region,

we set out for one last adventure. We

took the first bus heading toward

Jigokuani Monkey Forest. It's a short

ride followed by a peaceful 40minute

walk through the forest.

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In May, the trail is dry and lush, lined

with fresh greenery, the air cool and

clear.

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If you're looking to experience a

different rhythm in Japan, a softer

pace, Nago is waiting.

[Music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Nagano /nəˈɡɑːnoʊ/ A2	noun - a city and prefecture in central Japan
Matsumoto /ˌmæt.suˈmoʊ.t̬oʊ/ A2	noun - a historic city in Nagano Prefecture, famous for its castle
shrine /ʃraɪn/ B1	noun - a place of worship, especially in Shinto or Buddhist contexts
onsen /ˈɒn.sen/ B2	noun - a Japanese hot spring bath
castle /ˈkæsəl/ A2	noun - a large fortified building or set of buildings
forest /ˈfɔːrɪst/ A1	noun - a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth
train /treɪn/ A1	noun - a series of connected railway carriages moving on tracks
bus /bʌs/ A1	noun - a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road
cafe /kæˈfeɪ/ A1	noun - a small restaurant selling coffee and light refreshments
village /ˈvɪlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - a small settlement, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
historic /hɪˈstɒrɪk/ B1	adjective - important in history; famous or significant for the past
traditional /trəˈdɪʃənəl/ B2	adjective - relating to customs or beliefs passed down through generations
spiritual /ˈspɪrɪtjʊəl/ C1	adjective - relating to the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things
peaceful /ˈpiːsfl/ B1	adjective - free from disturbance; calm and tranquil
warm /wɔːrm/ A1	adjective - moderately hot; having a comfortable temperature
cozy /ˈkoʊzi/ B1	adjective - giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation
lush /lʌʃ/ C1	adjective - richly abundant in vegetation; luxuriant and vibrant
explore /ɪkˈsplɔːr/ B1	verb - to travel through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it
wander /ˈwɒndər/ B1	verb - to move about without a fixed direction, aim or purpose

Key Grammar Structures

• Imagine experiencing Japan's calm side

  ➔ Gerund, Present Continuous

  ➔ The use of "experiencing" as a gerund to start a sentence and the description of an ongoing event with the Present Continuous.

• From Matsumoto's historic castle and lively streets to Nagano's towering ceda shrines and finally the warm onsen vibes of Yamanuchi.

  ➔ Prepositional phrases, Parallel Structure

  ➔ Uses prepositional phrases (from...to) and parallel structure (castle and streets, shrines and vibes) for balanced sentence construction.

• Let me show you how to travel Nagano.

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ Uses "to travel" to express the purpose of the action (to show).

• By the time we arrived, the city was already cloaked in drizzle.

  ➔ Past Perfect, Passive Voice

  ➔ Uses "By the time" to set a temporal clause with past perfect "arrived" and "was cloaked" using passive voice.

• First stop, Siori Cafe.

  ➔ Subject-verb inversion, Adverbial phrases at the beginning

  ➔ The sentence begins with an adverbial phrase, "First stop", followed by the subject to emphasize the phrase.

• Afterwards, we stumbled on Fukashi Ginger Shrine, hidden in plain sight, just off the main boat.

  ➔ Compound sentence, Past simple, Participle phrase

  ➔ The sentence combines the past simple "stumbled" with a participle phrase "hidden in plain sight" to add more details about the subject.

• a single street stretching through the hills, lined with dark wooden houses and shop signs swaying gently in the wind.

  ➔ Participial phrase

  ➔ Uses two participial phrases: "stretching through the hills" and "lined with..." to describe the street.

• If you're looking to experience a different rhythm in Japan, a softer pace, Nago is waiting.

  ➔ Conditional Sentence Type 1, Parallel structure

  ➔ The sentence begins with a conditional clause, using present simple, and continues with parallel structure: "a different rhythm... a softer pace".