Sakura Sakura


[Image:Sakura.song.png|315px|right|Score of "Sakura"]
"Sakura Sakura", also known as "Sakura", is a traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season of cherry blossoms. It is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan.
Contrary to popular belief, the song did not originate in ancient times; it was a popular, urban melody of the Edo period.

Melody

The "Sakura Sakura" melody has been popular since the Meiji period, and the lyrics in their present form were attached then. The tune uses a pentatonic scale known as the in scale and is played in quadruple meter and has three parts which stretch over 14 bars.
Expressed as diatonic notes in the major scale, the In scale is 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 ; or the notes E F A B c e ; or in solfège Mi Fa La Si Do Mi. The melodic scale can either be represented in older Western musical theory by the Phrygian minor or the Phrygian major mode, with the 3rd and 7th notes in the scale omitted.
Because the melody spans a modest range, it is ideally suited to instruments that have a limited pitch range, such as the Native American flute.
The melody arranged by Ongaku Torishirabe-gakari was included in Collection of Japanese Koto Music issued in 1888, for beginning koto students in the Tokyo Academy of Music.
Often, It is the first piece that koto beginners learn because they can play any phrase by picking closer strings without skipping to distant strings. There are several adjustment methods suitable for the in scale in Koto. Among them, hira-joshi is used for "Sakura".

Lyrics

The original lyrics are listed as the second verse in the table below. In 1941, the Ministry of Education published a new verse in Uta no hon which was listed first, with the original verse listed second. However, there are various theories about the original lyrics. According to one theory, it is said that "Sakura Sakura" is a parody of "Saita sakura". "Saita sakura" is thought to have been made as a Japanese koto song in during the Edo period.
Symbolism of Sakura is deeply rooted in the culture of Japan. This is because it symbolizes the transience of life and impermanence. For Buddhists, the five petals of Prunus yedoensis represent the five skandas that traditionally make up a human being; they arise, are beautiful for a brief time, and fall too soon. They are a primary example of the concept of "mono no aware", the beauty of passing things. 'Falling flowers' is a metaphor to represent the warriors who died in battles and souls of the dead.