Jpop Recommend #493 Watarasebashi by Chisato Moritaka

渡良瀬橋 Watarasebashi
森高 千里 Chisato Moritaka


Released in January 1993, this is her 17th single.  Being one of the top jpop idols of the 90's, she was unique by writing the lyrics.  This song's lyrics was also written by her.  The Watarase Bridge actually exists in Ashikaga-city, Tochigi prefecture.  According to Wiki, she picked the name for the lyrics after she searched for a river or a bridge that has a beautiful name.

Ashikaga city appreciated the song and placed a memorial monument at a place where you can see the sunset and the bridge.  There is also a phone booth on the corner of a barber shop in Ashikaga city.  When the phone company decided to remove the booth due to the decrease of users, the city asked to preserve it.  Isn't it funny and also impressive to see how one song can make such a huge impact after so many years?









Any comment about this blog is highly appreciated.  Requests to pick up any singer or song are always welcome!


<Lyrics>
Japanese
Japanese pronunciation
English translation

渡良瀬       橋    で   見る  夕日   を
watarase-bashi de miru yuuhi wo 
The sunset we once saw on the Watarase Bridge
あなた は とても   好き だった わ
anata wa totemo suki datta wa 
That was your favorite
きれい な とこ で  育った    ね
kirei   na toko de sodatta ne
"You've grown up in a beautiful place"
ここ に 住みたい と 言った
koko ni sumitai to itta
"I'd like to live here", you said


電車     に  ゆられ  この   町      まで
densya ni yurare kono machi made 
Traveling on a train, to this town 
あなた は 会い に 来て くれた  わ
anata wa  ai   ni kite kureta wa 
you've came to see me
私          は  今   も  あの  頃    を
watashi wa ima mo ano koro wo 
Still being unable to forget those days,
忘れられず      生きてます
wasurerarezu ikitemasu
I live these days


今    でも   八雲       神社   へ  お参り する と
ima demo yakumo-jinjya ni omairi suru to 
When I go to the Yakumo Shrine even now
あなた の  こと  祈る わ
anata no koto inoru wa 
I still pray for you
願い事       一つ      叶う   なら
negaigoto hitotsu kanau nara 
If I can make one wish to come true
あの  頃   に 戻りたい
ano koro ni modoritai
I wish to go back those days


床屋     の  角    に  ポツン と ある
tokoya no kado ni potsun to aru 
Standing alone on the corner of a barber shop
公衆       電話    おぼえて ます か
kousyu-denwa oboete  masu ka?
Do you remember that public phone booth?
きのう  思わず      かけたくて
kinou omowazu kaketakute
Yesterday, I couldn't help but wanted to call you
なんども    受話器  とった の
nandomo jyuwaki totta no 
I picked up the receiver several times


この   間    渡良瀬       川    の   河原    に 降りて
kono aida watarase-gawa no kawara ni orite 
On the other day I went down to the banks of Watarase River
ずっと  流れ   見てた  わ
zutto nagare miteta wa 
and kept watching the stream for a long time
北風        が とても     冷たくて
kitakaze ga totemo tsumetakute 
Cold north wind was blowing
風邪  を  ひいちゃい ました
kaze wo hiichai      mashita
and I caught a cold


誰     の せい でも ない あなた が この   街      で
dare no sei demo nai anata ga kono machi de 
It was nobody's fault   I just knew
暮らせない  こと わかってた の
kurasenai koto wakatteta  no 
it is impossible for you to live in this town
なんど  も 悩んだ      わ  だけど    私         ここ を
nando mo nayanda wa dakedo watashi koko wo 
I've struggled with different thoughts but  
離れて     暮らす  こと  出来ない
hanarete kurasu koto dekinai
I concluded that I can't leave this town


あなた  が 好き  だと 言った この   街       並み  が
anata ga suki dato  itta     kono machi-nami ga 
The town view you said you like
今日  も   暮れて  ゆきます
kyou mo kurete yukimasu 
it is almost sundown today
広い  空    と 遠く   の    山々          二人  で  歩いた   街
hiroi sora to tooku no yamayama futari de aruita machi 
A town with vast sky and mountains in the distance, where we walked together
夕日   が きれいな   街
yuuhi ga kireina machi 
A town where the sunset is so beautiful






Any comment about this blog is highly appreciated.  Requests to pick up any singer or song are always welcome!

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