Japanese Traditional Songs – うれしいひな祭り Happy Doll’s Festival

• あかり akari – light; lamp
• を ​o – (direct object marker)
• つけましょ tsukemasho – let’s light
• ぼんぼり bonbori – paper covered lantern box
• に ni – to (light the lamp in the bonbori)

• お花 o hana – flowers (honorific お)
• あげましょ agemasho – let’s give
• 桃の花 momo no hana – peach flowers

• 五人 gonin – five people
• ばやし bayashi – musical accompaniment (はやし)
• 五人ばやし gonin bayashi – dolls representing five musicians for the Hina Matsuri
• 笛 fue – a flute; a pipe
• 太鼓 taiko – taiko drums

• 今日 kyou – today
• たのしい tanoshii – happy; fun
• ひな祭り hina matsuri – Hina Matsuri; Doll festival; Girl’s festival; Peach festival (Festival held on March 3rd at which families with girls display the hina dolls eat special sweetmeats, and drink shirozake)

• お内裏様 o dairi sama – doll representing the emperor (with the hina doll, they represent the emperor and empress in ancient costume)
• と to – and
• おひな様 ohina sama – doll for festival in ornamental dress

• 二人 futari – the two (dolls)
• ならんで narande – set in a line; side by side
• すまし顔 sumashi gao – a serious face

お嫁 oyome – bride
お嫁にいらした oyome ni irashita – came as a bride
姉様 neesama – older sister (polite) (She came (いらした) so she must be a brother’s wife hence "sister-in-law")

• よく似た yoku nita – looked very similar to…
• 官女 kan jo – court lady; lady in waiting; a maid of honor
• 白い顔 shiroi kao – white (powdered for wedding) face

• 金 kin – gold (金の golden…)
• びょうぶ byoubu – byoubu; a folding screen
• うつる灯 utsuru hi – reflected light; (This kanji 灯 is often used poetically; for example: 希望の灯 kibou no hi - a ray of hope)
• を o – (direct object marker)

• かすかに kasuka ni – faintly [the に turns かすか (faint; dim; weak) into an adverb]
• ゆする yusuru – to rock; shake
• 春の風 haru no kaze – spring breeze (causes the light to faintly flicker)

• すこし sukoshi – a little bit
• 白酒 shirozake – white sake; (made from sake and rice malt)
• めされたか mesareta ka – were you given to drink (sake); (said to the doll)

• あかいお顔 akai okao – red faced
• 右大臣 udaijin – Minister of the Right (in old Japan)

• 着物 kimono – kimono; clothing
• きかえて kikaete – change clothes (着替えて)
• 帯 obi – an obi; a broad sash worn with a kimono
• しめて shimete – close; tie (obi)

• 今日は kyou wa – As for today
• わたしも watashi mo – I also; me too
• はれ姿 hare sugata – dress up; in finest clothes

• 春 haru – spring
• やよい yayoi – third month of the lunar calendar; spring
• このよき日 kono yoki hi – this auspicious day

• なにより nani yori – more than anything
• うれしい ureshii – happy