mimoro no
kamunabi yama ni
iope sasi
sidi ni opitaru
tuga no ki no
iya tugitugi ni
tamakadura
tayuru koto naku
aritutu mo
yamazu kayopamu
asuka no
puruki miyako pa
yama takami
kawa toposirosi
paru no pi pa
yama si migaposi
aki no yo pa
kapa si sayakesi
asagumo ni
tadu pa midare
yupugiri ni
kawadu wa sawagu
miru goto ni
ne nomi si nakayu
inisie omopeba
On the sacred
Mountain of the Gods
With many branches
Flourishing grow
Hemlock trees,
All and ever joined with
Hydrangea
Never-ending
Always there
Ever would I be
In Asuka,
The ancient capital, where
Mountains mighty and
Rivers grand do lie, and
On spring days
It is the mountains I would see;
On autumn nights
The river, so refreshing!
Amongst the morning clouds
The cranes do swoop and soar;
The evening mists
Are noisy with the frogs;
The simple sights
Call forth my tears
While I think on times gone by…
tori ga naku
aduma no kuni ni
takayama pa
sa pa aredomo
putagami no
taputoki yama no
namitati no
migaposi yama to
kamuyo yori
pito no ipitugi
kunimi suru
tukuba no yama wo
puyukomori
toki ziki toki to
mizute ikaba
masite koposimi
yukigesuru
yamamiti sura wo
nadumi zo wa ga keru
In the bird-calling
Eastern lands
Mighty mountains
Many lie, yet
Twin deities –
The sacred mountains
Lie side-by-side;
Never tiring of the sight
Since the age of Gods
Have folk told the tale;
Gazing at the land:
Mount Tsukuba
Lay sealed in winter;
Not the time to do it, but
Without gazing at the land I did go, and
Loved it all the more;
Snow melting on
The mountain paths, even them
Have I climbed straining!