This article features the Japanese song issue: series nine stamps from 1981. 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 display 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 ninth and final pair of stamps in the Japanese Song Issue, released on March 10, 1981.
Haru ga Kita (Spring Has Come)
Scott Number JP 1399
The first stamp of the pair is by T. Murakami and shows a child at play among symbols of springtime. He almost appears to fly among butterflies and birds, while along the bottom of the stamp there are budding flowers. The stamp honors the song Haru ga kita (Spring has come) by the duo Takano and Okano. This song has become very popular outside of Japan and was sung by popular children’s musicians like Rafi and the Wiggles (below).
Japanese transliteration
Haru ga kita, haru ga kita, doko ni kita
Yama ni kita, sato ni kita, no ni mo kita
Hana ga saku, hanu ga saku, doko ni saku
Yama ni saku, sato ni saku, no ni mo saku
Tori ga naku, tori ga naku, doko de naku
Yama de naku, sato de naku, no de mo naku
English
Spring has come, spring has come, Here in the mountains, in the village, in the fields.
Flowers bloom, flowers bloom, Here in the mountains, in the village, in the fields.
Birds are singing, birds are singing, Here in the mountains, in the village, in the fields.
Hana (The Flower)
Scott Number JP 1400
The Final stamp in both this pairing and the set of 18 is by the designer S. Hayashi. The stamp depicts a solitary woman with her eyes shut taking in the smells of new cherry blossoms on a tree. It is a visualization of the song Hana (Flowers) by Hagoromo Takeshima and Rentarō Taki. I also have this stamp on a first day cover, which I share because of the really wonderful cancellation. It features a young girl with a long pony tail at an upright piano. Another, younger girl, may be singing and holds a beautiful fan.
Japanese transliteration
Haruno urarno sumidagawa
nobori kudarino funabitoga
kaino shizukomo hanatochiru
nagamewo nanini tatōbeki
Mizuya akebono tsuvuabite
wareni monoyū sakuragiwo
mizuya, yūgure tewonobete
ware sashimaneku aoyagiwo
nishiki orinasu chōteini
kurureba noboru oborozuki
geni ikkokumo senkinno
nagamewo nani tatōbeki
English
Sumida River flows in lovely spring weather.
The men in boats go up and down the river, using oars to make the water spray like cherry blossom petals falling. This heavenly view is beyond any comparison.
Look, having taken a shower of morning dew,
the cherry trees are standing as if talking to me
Look, swinging their branches to me, the green willow trees are standing at dusk as if they were inviting me.
Beautiful flowers are woven along the river banks. After the sun sets, a hazy moon rises over the river. Every moment in this scene is worth a thousand pieces of gold. This heavenly view is beyond compare.
Here is a fun version by an acapella vocal group:
