# Aikoku Kōshinkyoku

"Aikoku Kōshinkyoku" (愛国行進曲, Patriotic March) is a Japanese patriotic song composed by Tokichi Setoguchi with lyrics by Yukio Morikawa. It was released in December 1937.

## History

At the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Cabinet of Japan sponsored several public competitions for lyrics to Aikoku Kōshinkyoku in September 1937. There were 57,578 entries for lyrics that were received, and Morikawa's entry was selected as the winner. For the music, 9,555 entries to accompany the lyrics were then received, and Setoguchi was declared the winner. Setoguchi was already a noted composer who had written the Gunkan kōshinkyoku, the official march of the Imperial Navy.
A few days after its release, Aikoku Kōshinkyoku sold a hundred thousand copies from six labels. It sold over a million by 1938.

## In popular culture

This song is used in the 1972 Malaysian film Laksamana Do Re Mi, but with different lyrics. This song appears chanted by children and soldiers in Nobuhiko Obayashi's 2017 Hanagatami.

## Lyrics

| Japanese script | Latin script | Literal English translation | Poetic English translation |
| 見よ東海の空明けて 旭日高く輝けば 天地の正気溌剌と 希望は躍る大八洲 おお清朗の朝雲に そびゆる富士の姿こそ 金瓯無欠揺ぎなき 我が日本の誇なれ 起て一系の大君を 光と永遠に戴きて 臣民我ら皆共に 御稜威に副わん大使命 ゆけ 八紘を宇となし 四海の人を導きて 正しき平和打ち建てん 理想は花と咲き薫る 今幾度か 我が上に 試練の嵐 哮るとも 断乎と守れ その正義 進まん道は 一つのみ ああ悠遠の神代より とどろく歩調 受け継ぎて 大行進の 往く彼方 皇国常に 栄あれ | Miyo Toukai no sora akete Kyokujitsu takaku kagaya ke ba Tenchi no seiki hatsuratsu to Kibou wa odoru Ōyashima Oo seirou no asagumo ni Sobiyuru Fuji no sugata koso Kin'ou muketsu yuruginaki Waga Nippon no hokori nare Tate ikkei no Ōkimi o Hikari to towa ni itadaki te Shinmin warera mina tomo ni Miitsu ni sowan Daishimei Yuke Hakkou o ie to nashi Shikai no hito o michibi kite Tadashiki Heiwa uchitaten Risou wa hana to saki kaoru Ima ikutabi ka waga ue ni Shiren no arashi takeru tomo Danko to mamore sono seigi Susuman michi wa hitotsu nomi Ā, yūen no Kamiyo yo ri Todoroku hochou uketsugite Daikoushin no yuku kanata Koukoku tsune ni sakae are | Look at the bright eastern sky, The sun rises high; The true spirits of the sky and the earth fill all the hearts of Oyashima. Beyond the clouds of dawn Fuji's peak rises. Unwavering and beautiful, It brings pride to my Japan. He who reigns in power and virtue Is our unbroken light. All of us subjects shall follow And accomplish our great mission. Carry forth the eight cords across the universe, Guide the peoples of the four seas. Let us build a tower of true peace So our ideal shall bloom like a flower! Now we face many times Various storms and trials, We must protect and defend righteousness In its single path. Ah, we remember from the divine era, The march of our ancestors that we must follow. We shall go beyond the great march, So our empire will always be glorious! | Look above the eastern sea clearly dawns the sky; Glorious and bright the sun rideth up on high. Spirit pure of heaven and earth fills the hearts of all, Hope abounding springs--O sweet Isles Imperial. Yonder where the clouds of morn shed a radiant glow, Fuji Mountain, Nippon's pride, rears its crown of snow. Fair of form without a blot nobly doth it stand, And unshakable--a true symbol of our land. He who reigns above in power and in virtue dight, Sovereign of unbroken line, is our changeless light. We will follow--one and all loyal subjects, we-- Follow Him aright: fulfil our great destiny! Onward, east, west, north and south. Over land and main! Let us make the world our home, call to fellow-men Everywhere on the four seas, let us build the tower of just peace--let our ideal bloom forth like a flower! Though again and yet again trials we may meet, Over us may tempests roar, storms upon us beat, Resolute in heart and mind justice we defend. But one road we know to gain triumph in the end. Hark! Far from the hallowed past of the Age Divine Sounds our fathers' measured tread. O come fall in line! As we, sons and daughters, march, shines our path before. Glory be unto our land ever, evermore! |