"Shinano no Kuni" (信濃の国) is the prefecture song of Nagano Prefecture, Japan, created for educational purposes. Because of its popular appearance in public areas such as train stations and TV programs, more than half of adults who grew up in the prefecture can sing at least one of its stanzas.[1] Sometimes the song is used (half jestingly) to test one's patriotism to the region. The song was played during the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics to accompany the Parade of Nations.[2]Shinano no kuni is the Japanese name for the old Shinano Province, to which the current Nagano prefecture is contiguous.
The song was created in 1900, and was officially designated as Nagano's prefectural song on 20 May 1968.[3] The lyrics were written by Asai Retsu (浅井洌), a Nagano-born teacher, and the tune was composed by Kitamura Sueharu (北村季晴).[3]It consists of a total of six stanzas, the fourth having a different melody and tempo from the rest. It is said that the reason why the fourth verse is different is to add emotion.
The lyrics are divided into sections as follows:
An overview of the geography of Nagano Prefecture
mountains and rivers
industry
Historic Site/Scenic Beauty
Notable people from Nagano
Usui Pass and the railway (Shinetsu Main Line opened several years before the composition), concluding
See also
Japanese Wikisource has original text related to this article:
^Wigen, Kären (2010). A Malleable Map: Geographies of Restoration in Central Japan, 1600-1912. University of California Press. p. 4. ISBN9780520259188.
^ ab北陸新幹線 金沢開業に向け、長野駅と飯山駅の発車メロディをそれぞれ県歌「信濃の国」と唱歌「ふるさと」といたします。 ["Shinano no Kuni" and "Furusato" to be used as departure melodies for Nagano and Iiyama Stations] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company Nagano Division. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
