Wednesday, August 23, 2006





Beautiful japanese pop song, used in the live action manga, hana yori dano.

Planetarium
by Ai Otsuka

Yuuzukiyo kaodasu kieteku kodomo no koe
Tooku tooku kono sora no dokoka ni kimi wa irundarou
Natsu no owari ni futari de nuke dashita kono kouen de mitsuketa

Ano seiza nandaka oboeteru?
Aenakutemo kioku wo tadotte onaji shiawase wo mitainda

Ano kaori to tomoni hanabi ga patto hiraku
Ikitaiyo kimi no tokoro e imasugu kakedashite ikitai yo

Makkura de nanimo mienai kowakutemo daijoubu
Kazoe kirenai hoshizora ga imamo zutto kokoni arundayo
Nakanaiyo mukashi kimi to mita kireina sora datta kara

Ano michi made hibiku kutsu no oto ga mimi ni nokoru
Ookina jibun no kage wo mitsumete omounodeshou
Chittomo kawaranai hazu nanoni setsunai kimochi fukurande ku
Donnani omottatte kimi wa mou inai

Ikitai yo kimi no sobani chiisakutemo chiisakutemo
Ichiban ni kimi ga sukidayo tsuyoku irareru
Negai wo nagareboshi ni sotto tonaete mitakeredo
Nakanai yo todoku darou kirei na sorani

Aenakutemo kioku wo tadotte onaji shiawase wo misetainda
Ano kaori to tomoni hanabi ga patto hiraku

Ikitaiyo kimino tokoro e chiisana te wo nigiri shimete
Nakitaiyo sorewa sorewa kirei na sora datta
Negai wo nagare boshi ni sotto tonaete mitakeredo
Nakitai yo todokanai omoi wo kono sora ni

(english translation)
The moonlight evening shows it's face, and the voices of the children disappear Somewhere far far off in the sky, you're probably out there
We snuck away into the end of the summer, and we found this park
Do remember what that constellation was?

Even if we can't be together, I want to follow my memories, and see the same happiness as you do
The fireworks burst in a flush, together with that scent

I want to go to where you are, I want to run off right now
You can't see anything in the pitch darkness, it's alright to be scared
The starry sky with countless amounts of stars is always going to be right here, even now
I won't cry, because a long time ago, I saw a beautiful sky with you

The sound of shoes echoing out on that road is still left in my ears
Staring at my large shadow, I wonder if you still think about me

Even though they shouldn't have changed at all, sad feelings swell in me
No matter what I feel, you're not here anymore

I want to go to your side, even if just for a little while
I love you most of all, it's stayed a strong feeling
I tried silently wishing on a shooting star
But I won't cry, the wish will go through, into the beautiful sky

Even if we can't be together, I want to follow my memories, and see the same happiness as you do
The fireworks burst in a flush, together with that scent

I want to go to where you are, clenching my small hands
I want to cry, it was such a beautiful sky
I tried silently wishing on a shooting star
But I won't cry, the wish will go through, into the beautiful sky...

Tuesday, August 15, 2006


my last summer in japan

it is my last summer here in japan, after staying here for more than two years. i should be enjoying it by now, but alas! i had to suffer two months longer than my batchmates, because i had trouble finishing my academic requirements. :-(

just the same, i was able to find time some time to see hanabi or the fireworks festival, very popular throughout japan during summer. there are two of the many traditional events during summer in japan: bon and hanabi. bon is observed by japanese by comemmorating their departed ones. during this time, they believe that the souls of their loved ones who had gone ahead, come back to visit them. that's why, it also around this time that ghost stories abound. some said, ghost stories are meant to cool off people because of the hot weather.

in tokyo, millions go to see the hanabi. young girls, and some boys, wear their summer kimono. two years ago, girls clad in this costume was always a treat for me and my Filipino friends. after two years, they still are pleasant to look at, but the novelty has lose its appeal to us.

this year, we watched hanabi in arakawa river. nearest station is kumagaya. but arakawa river is one of the longest rivers in japan, and stretches as far as tokyo (arakawa ward, where me and husband stayed for about six months), to saitama, nearby honjo, where my dormitory is now located.

unlike the first time me and my friends watched hanabi in tokyo, we were not able to camp. we were in the midst of roughly a million gaijins and locals, who had to contend watching the fireworks behind mansions. when we reached the bridge, closest to the river, it was already past 9pm, and the last shower of fireworks was way over.

this time, we camped around 5pm. me and my friends stayed until 102nd presentation. i dont know how many presentation of fireworks was shown, but we had already seen the biggest presentation by then, so me and my friends went ahead.

it was a beautiful experience. we dont why japanese hold fireworks during summer, but in china and in our country, it is held during new year's eve, as a way of welcoming the year ahead. one theory we made that night was, probably, it is japanese' way of celebrating the souls of their departed loved ones, who happen to be visiting them too around those time.