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Kimi Ga Yo has long been traditionally treated as Japan's National Anthem, but was only legally recognized as such in the 1999 " Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem". The lyrics are based on a Waka poem written in the Heian Period. In the Meiji Era, Hiromori Hayashi wrote a melody to go along with the words.
| Kimi ga yo wa Chiyo ni, |
May thy life ( my Lord's reign), |
君が代は |
Originally spread as an ancient Japanese Poem from the Heian Period (first published in " Kokin-wakashu"), the lyrics are in the Tanka form of poetry. The author is unknown. One explanation for this is that the author was of the lower classes and such his name was forgotten. The poem was included in many collections of great poetry, and in a later period used as a celebration song by people of all walks of life.
In 1869, an officer of the Satsuma Clan , Iwao Oyama decided that a national anthem or ceremonial song should be created, and after much urging allowed English Infantryman John William Fenton to use the melody of his favorite composition for the music. Because at the time most of Japan's modernization had been accomplished by following England's example, it is also said that the lyrics were chosen for their similarity to the English National Anthem.
Although the melody was originally written by Fenton, in 1880 the Imperial Household Agency, aiming for a sound more inclined to the Japanese ear, used a melody written collaboratively by Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi although the writer is often listed as their boss (and Akimori's Father) Hiromori Hayashi. German musician Franz Von Eckert provided western style harmony.
Since then, Kimi Ga Yo has been customarily treated as Japan's National Anthem.
Incidentally, Kimi Ga Yo won first prize at the "World National Anthem Contest" held in GermanyThe Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland is one of the world's leading industrialized countries, located in the middle of the European Union. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea, to the east in 19031903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasn't had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. Events January 1 Edward VII of the United Kingdom is proclaimed Emperor of India.
The beginning phrase-"Kimi Ga Yo"-was originally written "Wa Ga Kimi"(我が君, also approximately translated to "My Lord"). As time passed, the form using "Kimi Ga Yo" spread. At this point in time "Kimi" meant "Monarch" or "Emperor". However, in a time without mass communication, to the common people the Emperor seemed to be an untouchable, unimaginable god, floating above the clouds and a thing of long ago legend or fairy tales. So, it is also possible that the lyrics praying for the long life of "My Lord" were separated from any sort of loyalty and used instead as a prayer for the continuation of peace. For this reason, when the peacefully Heian Period changed to the bloody Edo Period, the song once again became used as a simple celebration song among common people. To go along with this, the meaning of "Kimi" also underwent a transformation. For example, when the song was sung in celebration of a wedding, "Kimi" came to mean the groom and the song was used to wish for the groom's long life and his family's health.
Incidentally, the version of the song that was published in the Elementary Student's Song Book (First Edition) maintained by the Japanese Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (; monbukagakusho), also known as MEXT or Monbusho , is one of ministries of the Japanese government. Its top is a minister, who is a member of the Cabinet and is chosen by the Prime Minister, (released in 1881Events January 16- 24 ? Siege of Geok Tepe ? Russian troops under general Skobeleff defeat Turkomans January 25 Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company February 5 Phoenix, Arizona is incorporated. February 13 First issu) was longer than the current version and surprisingly, there was also a second version. It was derived from an English Hymn.