# Sakura Sakura
*さくらさくら*

"Sakura Sakura" is a Japanese song about cherry blossom covering the hills and villages in spring; it began as an Edo-period practice piece for the koto and uses the five-note Japanese in scale.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Sung in | Japanese |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Edo period; published 1888 |
| Best for ages | 3–10 |
| Mood | seasonal, traditional, calming |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/sakura-sakura/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (ja)

さくら さくら
野山も里も
見わたす限り
かすみか雲か
朝日ににおう
さくら さくら
花ざかり

### Romaji (ja-Latn)

Sakura, sakura,
noyama mo sato mo
miwatasu kagiri.
Kasumi ka kumo ka,
asahi ni niou.
Sakura, sakura,
hanazakari.

### English translation (en)

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
across fields and hills and villages,
as far as the eye can see.
Is it mist? Is it cloud?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
in full bloom.

## How to sing it

1. Sing it slowly and evenly — this is a walking song, not a marching one.
2. Let the two opening "sakura" calls hang, with a small pause after each.
3. On "miwatasu kagiri" ("as far as the eye can see"), sweep one arm slowly across the horizon.
4. Finish "hanazakari" softly, letting the last note fade rather than stopping it.

## Common questions

**What does Sakura Sakura mean?**

"Sakura" is the Japanese word for cherry blossom. The song describes blossom covering the fields, hills and villages as far as anyone can see, so thick that the singer cannot tell whether they are looking at flowers, mist or cloud.

**Is Sakura Sakura a children's song or a folk song?**

Both, depending on where you meet it. It began as a practice piece for beginners on the koto in the Edo period, became a standard schoolroom song in the twentieth century, and is now sung by Japanese children and played by adult musicians alike.

**What scale is Sakura Sakura written in?**

It uses the in scale, a five-note Japanese scale with narrow half-step intervals. That is the source of its distinctive sound to Western ears — the melody moves in steps that a major or minor scale does not contain.

**When do Japanese children sing Sakura Sakura?**

Chiefly in spring, during the few weeks of cherry blossom season, when it is sung at school, at hanami blossom-viewing gatherings and in music lessons.

## Sources

- Collection of Japanese Koto Music, Tokyo Academy of Music (1888)
- [Wikipedia — Sakura Sakura](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Sakura)
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/さくらさくら
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2451268