The Little Coconut

Today is the marine day in Japan! This holiday which came into effect in 1996, the date of enactment was July 20 and the date was fixed, but it was changed to the 3rd Monday of July by the Happy Monday system. Moreover, it seems that it was an anniversary called “Sea anniversary” before being holidayed as “Marine day”.

The day was known as Marine Memorial Day until 1996. Communications Minister Shozo Murata designated the day in 1941 to commemorate the Meiji Emperor and his 1876 voyage in the Meiji Maru, an iron steamship constructed in Scotland in 1874. The voyage included a trip around the Tōhoku region, embarking on a lighthouse boat in Aomori, and a brief stop in Hakodate before returning to Yokohama on July 20 of that year.

(from Wikipedeia)

By the way, it seems that only Japan is holidaying as “Marine Day”, I think that there is a unique feeling of the country surrounded by the sea on every side.

…The introduction has become longer, today is about the “Sea Song” named after the “Marine Day”.

“The Little Coconut” English words by Greg Irwin

There was a coconut

He fell down from his mother tree

Then a wave took that young coconut away

Far, so far from home, he landed on that seashore

And never ever could return home anymore

His mother palm tree

Now just a memory to him

Did she still sway in the sun or in tropic winds?

All alone there on the beach with sand as his pillow

Was he just a coconut or would he grow?

That little coconut

He grew into a fine palm tree

But he dreamed ever more of a distant shore

When the sun would set and waves would wash the sand

He dreamed of going back one day to his island

—–

It is a song composed by Toraji Onaka in 1936 to Toson Shimazaki’s poem written in 1901. It was also chosen as “100 songs in Japan”, I learned at elementary school. Even though I do not understand the meaning of songs that I learned at elementary school, I still remember well. I recall this song as summer approached.

I thought that the sound of the lyrics was beautiful, I did not think much about the meaning while I’m singing this song. (For the first time in decades!?) When I see what I characterize, there is something new to see.

It is said that Kunio Yanagida, who stayed at Irako Cape in the summer of 1898, was a poem born at the beginning of telling Toson about a story the fruit of the palm flowing to the beach. Cape Irako is located in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean at the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Mikawa Bay.

Toson’s imagination is amazing to make such a wonderful poem by listening to the story that palm fruits have flowed on. And that Japanese beauty (It is classic style, some of the words are not used now). Many things can understand meanings for the first time by reading in kanji like this (sweat), I fall in love as to what a beautiful expression.

Please imagine the scenery with the atmosphere of the poet as a whole.

A song was attached in 1936, it seems that Taro Shoji was the first to sing, but its sound is here.

Here is a modern singer version.