You know, sometimes you go somewhere with your friends and you really want to sing. Our students have the same feelings. This Sunday, while traveling from the JLPT exams from Tokyo on the bus, we really wanted to sing, so the bus was filled with songs. All the students on the bus were from Nepal, so the songs were in Nepali and Indian. But suddenly we had a desire to sing something in Japanese, since we have been learning this language for almost 1.5 years. But apart from a very short children's song that Sensei had taught us in class, we couldn't remember anything.
This month, the first-year students are going on a school trip to Kawaguchiko. We will be traveling there and back by bus, so I think it's worth sharing some songs that we can sing together on the way.
Christmas and New Year are coming up, so that's the theme this time! Here are 5 songs that I would recommend you to start with:
「ジングル・ベル」- This is the well-known "Jingle Bells" song but in Japanese. The melody is the same, but the lyrics are adapted for Japanese audiences and are sung during Christmas celebrations.
Original Song: "Jingle Bells" by James Lord Pierpont (1857)
Japanese Adaptation: Various artists
Lyrics (Japanese): Traditional adaptation
Year of Japanese Version: Mid-20th century
「ジングル・ベル」歌詞
走れソリよ 風のように
雪の中を 軽くはやく
笑い声を 雪にまけば
明るい光の花になるよ
ジングルベル ジングルベル
鈴がなる
鈴のリズムに 光の輪が舞う
ジングルベル ジングルベル
鈴がなる
森に林に響きながら
走れソリよ 丘の上は
雪も白く 風も白く
歌う声は 飛んでゆくよ
輝きはじめた 星の空へ
ジングルベル ジングルベル
鈴がなる
鈴のリズムに 光の輪が舞う
ジングルベル ジングルベル
鈴がなる
森に林に響きながら
「あわてんぼうのサンタクロース」- This is a cheerful Christmas song about Santa Claus hurrying to deliver gifts. It’s widely sung at school events and holiday parties in Japan.
「お正月」- This is a traditional New Year song taught in elementary school, so almost everyone in Japan knows it. It reflects the joyful anticipation of the New Year.
「恋人がサンタクロース」- A romantic Christmas song that imagines a lover as Santa Claus. It's especially popular with the older generation and is a holiday staple.
「365日の紙飛行機」- This uplifting song by AKB48 is very popular among young people in Japan, particularly in the cold season. It symbolizes hope and perseverance.
Maybe someone needs to read this, but listening to Japanese songs, especially learning the words and singing them, is also studying Japanese.
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