Ame no Hi, Kodomotachi wa... (On Rainy Days, Children...) Ame no hi, On rainy days, Kodomotachi wa natsukashisou ni The children nostalgically Ekitai ni tsutsumikomareta sekai o...miru. Look out upon the liquid-wrapped world.   Madobe ni motareta manma, Leaning on the windowsill Un to mo sun to mo iwanaide; Without saying a word, Chikai kako no kioku o yobimodosou to They seem to recall the recent past Umarete hajimete no gakushuu o kokoromiru. As they test the first lessons they'd learned.   Are wa itsu no hi? When was that day? Bokura ga mada mizu no naka ni sundeita koro wa When we were still living in the water. Yukkuri, yukkuri, yukkuri... Slowly, slowly, slowly... Soko kara hikizuri dasarete, We were dragged from its depths Atarashii sekai to bokura wa taimen. And introduced to a new world.   Ame ga agaru; When the rain stops, To, kodomotachi wa mou gakushuu o wasurete The children forget their lessons and Taiyou ni omote o mukeru Succumb to the temptation of puddles Mizutamari no yuuwaku ni shitagau. That turn their faces to the sun.   Choudo ano hi That one day Mizu no sekai kara atarashii sekai e Was like the time we flew Tobidashita toki niteiru. From a watery world to a new one. Return to Table of Contents Okizari no Chiisa na... (Leaving Behind Tiny...) Taisetsu na omoi wa hako no naka Precious feelings inside a box Onegai, minaide...iie, mite Please, don't look...no, look. Kowakute, kowakute--futa o suru Scared through and through, so I put the lid on Miru no mo kowakute--futa o suru It's scary to look, too, so I put the lid on: Kizutsuita kokoro ga "Time to toss aside Mou sutete shimae...to. Your wounded heart..."   Kakusenai-- You can't hide it Hako no naka wa atsui iki Inside the box is a hot breath Chiisa na kodomo no atsui iki A tiny child's hot breath Hisometa chiisa na atsui iki A hidden tiny hot breath Nobashitai yawaraka na ryou ude I want to stretch out both soft arms, Chijikomaresete Make it shrink away. Watashi o aishite... Love me...   Daijoubu; dete oide. It's all right--come on out. Sotto tsuyoku dakishimete ageru And just so, I'll hold you tightly. Sono mama de ii. Just like that is fine. Soba ni ita, itsumo miteita. I was by your side, always watching you. Daijoubu; naite ii. It's all right--go ahead and cry Atatakai mune ni Into this warm breast Sotto...tsuyoku... Just so...tightly... Return to Table of Contents Fukai Umi: Blue (Deep Ocean: Blue) Fukaku shizuka na umi no soko... The deep and quiet ocean depths... Yuruginaku Firmly: Yasashii kinu no koromo. A gentle silken robe. Subete no mono ga iyasareru Everything can be healed; Joubin no 'te' no atatakasa The warmth of a clean, dry bottle's hand. Sorera subete o sutete made Those, until we throw everything away Hi no kirameku Swam up closer Kaimen chikaku made To the surface, Oyoginobotte kita. Glittering in the sun.   Ginrin no ichimai ichimai ga Silver scales, one by one, Glass zaiku no you ni Like glassworks, Kirakira to Are sending up Oto o tateteiru. A sparkling sound.   "Nan man nen... "How many tens of thousands of years... matta no darou ka?" did they wait?" Suminareta yasashisa kara I go off away from the kindness Hanarete yuku; kanashisa yori mo I'd gotten used to living in; from sadness, too; 'Hoshi' o dakeru yorokobi de With the joy of holding the stars, Mune ga shimetsukerarete yuku. My chest begins to tighten.   Saigo no wakare o suru tame ni For the final parting, Ichido fukaku moguri I dive once, deeply, Nagori no "umi" o kuchi ni fukunda Taking the farewell sea into my mouth.   Konshin no chikara o furishibori With all my strength, Kaimen o kakenobotte yuku I race up to the surface.   Sunahama... Beaches... Midori no heiya... Green fields... Yama Mountains;   Soshite And then, Masshita ni hirogaru Spreading out beneath it, 'Umi'... The sea.   Kono 'hi' o This day Kono 'toki' o yume mite ita This time: I dreamt of it.   "Sayounara, umi no hito yo! "Farewell, Mother Ocean! Anata wa You Katsute namida sae mo yorokobi to Once taught me that Oshiete kureta... Even tears are joy...   "Sono umi no aosa o "I'll take the blue of the sea Hokori to shite And wave it Habataite yuku!" As my pride!" Return to Table of Contents