Sakura – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Ikimono-gakari

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant beauty of Ikimono-gakari's "Sakura," a song that captures the essence of Japanese culture and the bittersweet emotions of farewells. Through vivid imagery of cherry blossoms and heartfelt lyrics, this song offers a window into the Japanese language and its rich symbolism, making it a perfect introduction to the beauty of J-pop and the themes of nostalgia and hope .

[English]

Sakura, they flutter and fall

I embraced the fullness of my wavering feelings

That dream we shared in spring

I can still see it, Sakura is falling...

What I saw from the train was a memory of those days

The spring bridge we walked across together

When graduation came, you left the town

I search for that day on the color-changing riverbank

Choosing our separate paths, we ended spring

The future that blooms makes me impatient

This year too, the Sakura are reflected in the window of the Odakyu Line

I can hear your voice in my heart

Sakura, they flutter and fall

I embraced the fullness of my wavering feelings

That dream we shared in spring

I can still see it, Sakura is falling...

In the letter I wrote, "I'm doing well"

That little lie will be seen through, right?

This revolving town also welcomes spring

This year too, those flowers open their buds

I'm growing up, having lived through days without you

I wonder if I'll forget everything like this

"I really loved you," I reach out to the Sakura

These feelings are now enveloped by spring

Sakura, they flutter and fall

I embraced the fullness of my wavering feelings

Those strong words you gave me

Still remain in my heart, Sakura is dancing away

Sakura, they flutter and fall

I embraced the fullness of my wavering feelings

Those days we dreamed of in the distant spring

Are vanishing into the sky

Sakura, they flutter and fall

I start walking towards beyond spring

I strongly embrace this dream we promised in spring

In my heart, Sakura is falling...

[Japanese]

SAKURA hirahira maiorite ochite

Yureru omoi no take wo dakishimeta

Kimi to haru ni negai shi ano yume wa

Ima mo miete iru yo SAKURA maichiru...

Densha kara mieta no wa itsuka no omokage

Futari de kayotta haru no oohashi

Sotsugyou no toki ga kite kimi wa machi wo deta

Irodzuku kawabe ni ano hi wo sagasu no

Sorezore no michi wo erabi futari wa haru wo oeta

Sakihokoru mirai wa atashi wo aserasete

Odakyusen no mado ni kotoshi mo SAKURA ga utsuru

Kimi no koe ga kono mune ni kikoete kuru yo

SAKURA hirahira maiorite ochite

Yureru omoi no take wo dakishimeta

Kimi to haru ni negai shi ano yume wa

Ima mo miete iru yo SAKURA maichiru...

Kakikaketa tegami ni wa "genki de iru yo" to

Chiisana uso wa misukasareru ne

Meguriyuku kono machi mo haru wo ukeirete

Kotoshi mo ano hana ga tsubomi wo hiraku

Kimi ga inai hibi wo koete atashi mo otona ni natte iku

Kouyatte subete wasurete yuku no kana

"Hontou ni suki datta n' da" SAKURA ni te wo nobasu

Kono omoi ga ima haru ni tsutsumarete yuku yo

SAKURA hirahira maiorite ochite

Yureru omoi no take wo dakiyoseta

Kimi ga kureshi tsuyoki ano kotoba wa

Ima mo mune ni nokoru SAKURA maiyuku

SAKURA hirahira maiorite ochite

Yureru omoi no take wo dakishimeta

Tooki haru ni yume mi shi ano hibi wa

Sora ni kiete yuku yo

SAKURA hirahira maiorite ochite

Haru no sono mukou e to arukidasu

Kimi to haru ni chikai shi kono yume wo tsuyoku

Mune ni daite SAKURA maichiru...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sakura /sa.ku.ɾa/ A2	noun - cherry blossom
yureru /ju.ɾe.ɾu/ B1	verb - to sway, to tremble
omoi /o.mo.i/ B1	noun - feeling, thought, emotion
negai /ne.ga.i/ B1	noun - wish, hope, desire
miete /mi.e.te/ A2	verb - to see, to appear
utsuru /u.tsu.ɾu/ B1	verb - to reflect, to be projected
koe /ko.e/ A2	noun - voice
kikoete /ki.ko.e.te/ B1	verb - to be heard
tegami /te.ga.mi/ A2	noun - letter
usagasa /u.sa.ga.sa/ B2	verb - to fade away, to be lost
hiraku /hi.ɾa.ku/ B1	verb - to bloom, to open
natte /na.tte/ B1	verb - to become
suki /su.ki/ A2	adjective/noun - like, love
nobasu /no.ba.su/ B1	verb - to stretch out, to reach for
tsutsumarete /tsu.tsu.ma.ɾe.te/ B2	verb - to be wrapped, to be enveloped
kotoba /ko.to.ba/ A2	noun - word, language

Key Grammar Structures

• SAKURA hirahira **maiorite ochite**

  ➔ Te-form + V

  ➔ This uses the *te-form* to connect verbs, indicating sequential actions. "Maiorite ochite" means "falling down and landing." The て-form connects the two verbs, showing that the falling happens before the landing.

• **Yureru omoi no take wo** dakishimeta

  ➔ Noun + no + Noun

  ➔ *No* connects two nouns, showing possession or a relationship between them. "Yureru omoi no take" means "the bud/core of the wavering feelings," with "yureru omoi" modifying "take."

• Kimi to haru **ni negai shi** ano yume wa

  ➔ Past form of Verb + shi

  ➔ The past tense form + shi is a more literary way of saying "that which I/we did", "that which was done." "Negai shi" means "the wish that we made." It's used to add emphasis.

• Ima mo miete iru yo SAKURA **maichiru...**

  ➔ Verbs with -te iru form

  ➔ -Te iru (or in this case -te iru form of the intransitive verb) indicates an ongoing state or action. "Maichiru" is a verb that describes the falling of the sakura blossoms. It is the short form of “maichitte iru”, which translates to “are falling”.

• Sotsugyou no toki ga kite **kimi wa machi wo deta**

  ➔ Subject + wa + Object + wo + Verb + past form

  ➔ The subject of a sentence followed by the topic marker 'wa'. The object marked by 'wo'. The past form of the verb indicates the action happened in the past. "Kimi wa machi wo deta" translates to "You left the town."

• Kimi ga inai **hibi wo** koete atashi mo otona ni natte iku

  ➔ Object + wo

  ➔ *Wo* is a particle that marks the direct object of a verb. In this sentence, "hibi" (days) is the object of the verb "koete" (to overcome, or to go beyond).

• Kouyatte subete **wasurete yuku no kana**

  ➔ Verb + te + yuku + no + kana

  ➔ This construction expresses a sense of gradual change or progression. *Yuku* means "to go", and with the te-form it shows the action is in process. "No kana" is a question, adding a sense of uncertainty or introspection to the question. "Wasurete yuku no kana" translates roughly to "I wonder if I'm going to forget."

• **Hontou ni** suki datta n' da SAKURA ni te wo nobasu

  ➔ Adverbial phrase

  ➔ Adverbial phrases modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. “Hontou ni” translates to 'really' or 'truly', modifying the following adjective 'suki' (like/love).