LAST LOVE LETTER – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Yojiro Noda

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heart of Japanese expression with Yojiro Noda's “LAST LOVE LETTER.” This song offers a beautiful opportunity to learn Japanese through its poetic and emotionally direct lyrics about love and longing for a future connection. Its unique blend of pop and hip-hop elements, combined with Noda's heartfelt delivery, makes it a special piece for language learners to explore vulnerability and hope in modern Japanese music.

[English]

There's a song I'll sing to you, though we've never met

I'll write it down here, skipping ahead to the future

I'll sing it to you now, in case we meet someday

I'll sing it to you, even though I don't know your face

Don't say it's "crazy"

You'll get flustered and make mistakes, won't you?

Will we ever meet? In my heart

Will we ever be able to hold each other tightly?

If we're meant to meet, is it too early now?

I don't think I can wait any longer

I wonder where we'll meet for the first time

I don't know, but thank you for choosing me

For choosing someone like me

Let's walk together, side by side

The bitter and the sweet, the hate and the love

We'll repeat it all, until we're sick of it

We'll leave each other, but that's not the end

We'll go to a world where that's not true

Even I, who's helpless, will surely see it

I'll see the face I couldn't look at, I'll surely know it

There are things we'll never understand, but that's okay

I'll make a promise to you now

I'll hit a reverse home run

No matter how far behind we are

I'll hit a comeback shot

Don't give up, wait for me

I'll sing to you now, in case we meet someday

I'll sing to you, even though I don't know your face

Don't say it's "crazy"

You'll get flustered and make mistakes, won't you?

Will we ever meet? In my heart

Will we ever be able to hold each other tightly?

If we're meant to meet, is it too early now?

I don't think I can wait any longer

When I do something, I do it all the way, sometimes too much

I get caught up and struggle, but

Sometimes I leave you behind, I'm sorry

But I'll always come back to you in the end

My home is with you

Your home is with me

If we ever meet

You'll be my final destination

The best moment of my life, updated again

I'll keep doing it, no matter how many times

The last moment of my life, I'll close my eyes

And laugh, listening to this song

I'll sing to you now, in case we meet someday

I'll sing to you, even though I don't know your face

Don't say it's "crazy"

You'll get flustered and make mistakes, won't you?

I'll sing to you now, in case we meet someday

I'll sing to you, even though I don't know your face

I came here to meet your voice, saying "that's crazy"

I came here to meet you

Will we ever meet? In my heart

Will we ever be able to hold each other tightly?

If we're meant to meet, is it too early now?

I don't think I can wait any longer

...

[Japanese]

まだ知ることのない 君に唄う歌があるよ

今から先回りして ここに書き連ねるよ

いつか出逢う君に今歌うから

顔も知らない君に歌うただ

「馬鹿みたい」って言うなよ

テンパって間違えてしまうだろ

いつか逢えるかな 胸の中

スッポリ抱きしめられるかな

いつか逢えるなら 今じゃだめ？

もう待っていられそうにないんだ

君とはじめてどこで会うのかも

知らないけど どうもありがとう

こんな俺を選んでくれて

一緒にさぁ並んで歩いていこうよ

酸いも甘いも 嫌いも愛も

嫌になるほど繰り返し

離れるだとかなんだとか

とは永遠に違う世界にいこうや

どうしようもない俺もさ きっと見るだろう

目も当てられない姿を きっと知るだろう

分かり合えやしないこともさ きっとあるだろう

それでも今ここに誓うよ

逆転ホームラン 打つから

何万点ビハインドあれど

どんでん返し弾 打つから

諦めずにいておくれ

いつか出逢う君に今歌うから

顔も知らない君に歌うただ

「馬鹿みたい」って言うなよ

テンパって間違えてしまうだろ

いつか逢えるかな 胸の中

スッポリ抱きしめられるかな

いつか逢えるなら 今じゃだめ？

もう待っていられそうにないんだ

俺はやる時はやる たまに度が過ぎてしまう

のめり込んで沼にハマってのたうちまわってる

たまに君を置き去りにしてしまったり

してしまう時もあるだろが絶対最後に

帰る場所は君だ

君の家は僕だ

いつか出逢えたなら

君が終の住処

人生最高 再更新

何度だってし続け

人生最後 目を閉じ

この歌を聴いて笑おう

いつか出逢う君に今歌うから

顔も知らない君に歌うただ

「馬鹿みたい」って言うなよ

テンパって間違えてしまうだろ

いつか出逢う君に今歌うから

顔も知らない君に歌うただ

「馬鹿みたい」って言うその

声に逢うためやってきたんだよ

いつか逢えるかな 胸の中

スッポリ抱きしめられるかな

いつか逢えるなら 今じゃだめ？

もう待っていられそうにないんだ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
唄う /うたう/ B1	verb - to sing
先回り /さきまわり/ B2	noun - going ahead
書き連ねる /かきつらねる/ B2	verb - to write down
テンパ /tenpa/ B1	verb - to get flustered
スッポリ /suppori/ B1	adverb - smoothly
抱きしめられる /dakishimerareru/ B2	verb - to be hugged
逆転 /gyakuten/ B2	noun - turning point
ホームラン /hōmuran/ B1	noun - home run
ビハインド /bihaindo/ B2	noun - behind
どんでん返し /dondengaeshi/ B2	noun - turning point
弾 /dan/ B1	noun - bullet
のめり込む /nomerikomu/ B2	verb - to be deeply involved
沼 /numa/ B1	noun - swamp
ハマる /hamaru/ B1	verb - to be stuck
のたうちまわる /notauchimawaru/ B2	verb - to roll around
置き去り /okigari/ B2	verb - to leave behind
終の住処 /tsuino sumika/ B2	noun - final resting place
人生最高 /jinseishō/ B1	noun - best in life
再更新 /saisaikō/ B2	noun - re-update

Key Grammar Structures

• まだ知ることのない 君に唄う歌があるよ

  ➔ The use of the に particle indicates the indirect object or target of an action (who/what the action is directed towards).

  ➔ "君"に唄う means "to sing for you" where "に" shows the target of the singing.

• 今じゃだめ？

  ➔ 女の子には、現在の状態や状況を尋ねる表現です。 casual question form using じゃ replaced by では, indicating a colloquial tone.

  ➔ The phrase "今じゃだめ？" means "Is it no longer OK now?" using casual speech.

• 逆転ホームラン 打つから

  ➔ The verb "打つ" (utsu) in the plain form indicates a deliberate action, and から (kara) indicates reason or cause, meaning "because I will hit a home run to turn things around."

  ➔ This line expresses the speaker's determination to turn the situation around by hitting a home run.

• 絶対最後に帰る場所は君だ

  ➔ The use of the superlative "絶対" (zettai) emphasizes certainty, and "場所は君だ" indicates "the place is you" or "you are the place to return to," with は marking the topic.

  ➔ This line declares that, ultimately, the person addressed is the essential place or person to return to.