Japanese Song Issue: Series Five

This post features the Japanese song issue: series five stamps from 1980. The “Japanese Song Issue” is a series of postage stamps that Japan created between 1979 and 1981. The stamps feature children’s songs (or folk songs) and each have a few notes from the start of the song. The design of each stamp is colorful and fun, to appeal to children. Make sure to visit my main page about the series to learn more. Also check out this excellent post by Richard Scott Morel, Curator, Philatelic Collections of the British Library about this series.

This post is about the fifth pair of stamps in the Japanese Song Issue, released on April 28, 1980.

Umi (The Sea)

The first song in this pair is UMI (The sea) and made its first appearance in a 1941 songbook for elementary students. The song lyrics are by Ryuha Hayashi (1893-1974) and the music is by Takeshi Inoue (1894-1974).

The stamp depicts a very sweet image of two young children looking at the ocean. The older sister grasps her hat so it does not blow away, while her younger brother clings to her side. A small boat floats by in the background. The stamp is the design of R. Taniuchi. 

Here is an interesting, “jazzy” version. Forward to about 2:20 to hear it.

Oborozukiyo (Misty Moonlit Night)

The next stamp depicts the song Oborozukiyo (Misty Moonlit Night). The lyrics for the song are by Tatsuyuki Takano and the melody by Teiichi Okano. It was first published in a 1914 book of songs for elementary school students. It is now used in sixth grades across Japan.

The stamp is a little more sentimental or melancholic than most of those in the Japanese stamp series. It depicts a bright yellow full moon with several halos, like on a foggy or hazy night. In the foreground are several yellow flowers on green stems that seem to be reaching up towards the moon. The plant is the nanohana, a spring flowering vegetable that appears in the first line of the Japanese lyrics. It is similar to rapini or broccoli. The design is by the artist F. Hori.

Lyrics and English translation:

Here is a stunning choral version of the song: