茜さす – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Aimer

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the melancholic yet beautiful world of Aimer's "茜さす." This haunting ballad, known as the ending theme for "Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5," offers a unique opportunity to experience Japanese emotional expression. Its evocative lyrics and Aimer's distinct husky vocals will not only enrich your appreciation for J-Pop but also provide a wonderful window into the nuances of Japanese language and poetic imagery, particularly through its recurring theme of "akane" (glowing red sunset) and its underlying messages of acceptance and moving forward.

[English]

Rushing through the corner where the dead leaves dance, the dry wind blows

Along the extended shadows and ginkgo trees, I wanted to watch the changing seasons

The unanswering calling voice is quickly drowned out and silenced

Passing through the busy main street, away somewhere distant, to a place no one sees

Even though I noticed, I pretended I didn't know anything

Alone, I couldn't do anything

Saying goodbye to the illusion we met in the fading evening sky

To the weakness spilled from my palms, a single weed flower, in that way

Fulfilling wishes, knowing pain

The call of migrating birds also disappears into the red-stained clouds

Even on the way home, now far apart, I am alone in a place where no one is

Even if I touch the colors of the scenery I realized

Alone, I couldn't even voice out

Kissing the illusion I loved, in this twilight sky

The stars from last night haven't yet shone, waiting through the hazy evening, where is the moon?

Being torn apart, I learn the pain

In the repeating days, what I was searching for was

A wish to keep walking

Saying goodbye to the illusion we met in the longing sky

The flow of months and days in my palm, a petal falling, in that way

Accumulating pain, I learn the meaning of meeting

Through repeated encounters, I learn wishes

...

[Japanese]

枯れ葉舞う町角を 駆け抜けてく乾いた風

伸びた影とイチョウ並木 季節を見てたかった

返事のない呼ぶ声は あっという間 かき消されてしまう

目抜き通り 人波抜けて どこか遠く 誰もいない場所へ

気付いていたのに 何も知らないふり

一人きりでは 何もできなかった

出会えた幻にさよならを 茜さす この空に

零れた弱さに手のひらを 一輪の徒花 そんなふうに

願い叶え 痛みを知る

渡り鳥の鳴く声も 赤く染まる雲に消えてしまう

帰り道も遠く離れて 今は一人 誰もいない場所で

気付いた景色の色にふれたとしても

一人きりでは 声も出せなかった

愛した幻に口づけを 黄昏れた この空に

まだ夕べの星灯らない 待ち宵も朧げ 月は何処に

引き裂かれて 痛みを知る

くり返す日々の中で探してたのは

歩き続けるための願い

出会えた幻にさよならを 憧れは この空に

流れた月日を手のひらに 一片の花弁 そんなふうに

痛み重ね 出会いを知る

出会い重ね 願いを知る

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
枯れ葉 /ka-re-ha/ B1	noun - dry leaves
風 /kaze/ A2	noun - wind
影 /kage/ B1	noun - shadow
季節 /kisetsu/ B1	noun - season
声 /koe/ A2	noun - voice
場所 /basho/ A2	noun - place
痛み /itami/ B2	noun - pain
願い /negai/ B1	noun - wish
出会い /deai/ B2	noun - encounter
幻 /maboroshi/ C1	noun - illusion
星 /hoshi/ A2	noun - star
月 /tsuki/ A2	noun - moon
空 /sora/ A2	noun - sky
花弁 /hanaben/ B2	noun - petal
赤く /akaku/ B1	adverb - redly

Key Grammar Structures

• 返事のない呼ぶ声は

  ➔ The possessive の indicates belonging or relationship, used here to connect "返事" (reply) and "呼ぶ声" (calling voice).

  ➔ The の particle connects nouns to show possession or relationship between them.

• 季節を見てたかった

  ➔ The verb 見てたかった is the past tense of 見てたい, expressing a desire to see, with the たかった ending indicating a past wish.

  ➔ The たかった ending attaches to the past form of a verb to express a wish or desire that was desired in the past.

• 痛みを知る

  ➔ The を particle marks "痛み" (pain) as the direct object of the verb 知る (to know).

  ➔ The を particle indicates the direct object of a transitive verb, showing what the action is performed on.

• 引き裂かれて 痛みを知る

  ➔ The passive form 引き裂かれて is used, derived from 引き裂く (to tear apart), combined with 知る to express experiencing pain as a result.

  ➔ The passive form indicates that an action was experienced or undergone by the subject, here expressing that the pain was experienced as a result of being torn.

• 流れた月日を手のひらに

  ➔ The verb 流れた is the past tense of 流れる (to flow), used as a modifier to describe 月日 (time passing).

  ➔ The た form of 流れる (流れた) is used to describe the flow of time in the past, often as a modifier for nouns.

• 月は何処に

  ➔ 何処に is a question phrase combining 何処 (where) with に to ask about the location of the moon.

  ➔ The phrase combines 何処 (where) with に (indicates location) to ask about the current position of the moon.