Japan
君が代
君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巌となりて
苔のむすまで
Romanised (Rōmaji)
Kimigayo
Kimigayo wa
Chiyo ni yachiyo ni
Sazare-ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made
English Translation
The Reign of the Emperor
May your reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the tiny pebbles
Grow into massive rocks
Lush with moss.
The lyrics are based on a Heian-period (10th century) waka poem, making it one of the oldest national anthem lyrics in the world.
It is also one of the shortest national anthems globally.
