Kimigayo

君が代
English: His Imperial Majesty's Reign
Kimigayo
National anthem of	Japan
Adopted	1869 (originally); 1999 (officially)
Music sample
	Played by the U.S. Navy Band

"Kimigayo" (Kanji: 君が代, Katakana: きみがよ, say: kee-mee-gah-joh, meaning "His Imperial Majesty's Reign") is the national anthem of Japan.^[1] The anthem is based on a poem written by an unknown poet from Japan about one thousand years ago. The music was composed more recently, about two hundred years ago; however, it had to be rewritten shortly afterwards, because the original tune was unpopular.

Although popular for a long period and sung in situations where people from other countries would usually sing their country's national anthem, "Kimigayo" was only considered as Japan's official national anthem in 1999. The law that stated this also defined the Flag of Japan in a similar way.

Sazare-Ishi (conglomerate rock) -- pebbles which grow into boulders as in the lyrics of Kimi ga Yo^[2]

The national anthem of Japan is one of the shortest national anthems in the world, containing only thirty-two syllables. Because it is so short, the anthem is normally played very slowly.

Lyrics

With Kanji characters^[3]	Kana (Hiragana) only^[3]	Rōmaji^[2]^[4]	Phonetic transcription (IPA)	English translation^[5]	Poetic English translation by Basil Hall Chamberlain^[6]
君が代は千代に八千代に細石の巌となりて苔の生す迄	きみがよはちよにやちよにさざれいしのいわおとなりてこけのむすまで	Kimigayo wa Chiyo ni yachiyo ni Sazare-ishi no Iwao to narite Koke no musu made	[ki.mi.ɡa.ꜜjo ɰa] [t͡ɕi.ꜜjo ɲi ja.ꜜt͡ɕi.jo ɲi] [sa.za.ɾe.ꜜi.ɕi no] [i.ɰa.o to na.ɾi.te] [ko.keꜜ no mɯ.ꜜsɯ ma.de]	May your reign Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations, Until the tiny pebbles Grow into massive boulders Lush with moss	Thousands of years of happy reign be thine; Rule on, my lord, Until what are pebbles now By ages united to mighty rocks shall grow Whose venerable sides the moss doth line.

Kimigayo Media

Franz Eckert's notes, presented to the Meiji-Tennō in 1880 (cover design by Curt Netto)
Kimigayo sheet music, 1888
The Act on National Flag and Anthem (Japan) as it appears in the Official Gazette on August 15, 1999
A photo taken on November 6, 2007, as "Kimigayo" was being played before a volleyball tournament in Ōsaka