google-site-verification: google7308bec6a750d1dc.html G-N1CHSSTK4P G-7DJ1TX8PBX
top of page
Farewell Song echoes on the battlefield
◎Birth of " A Farewell Song"
Hiroshi Ohta, poet  second lieutenant

Hiroshi Ohta, poet &
second lieutenant

Keii Kochihira, music  teacher himeyuri farewell song

Keii Kochihira, music  teacher
by Tokyo University of the Arts Archives

    At the end of 1944 during World War Ⅱ, forthcoming landing operation of U.S. Armed Forces were feared in Okinawa. Hiroshi Ohta as a second lieutenant of antiaircraft platoon, had a duty to determine a  position for  battle.  Under his command, ”Himeyuri girl students(Lily Corps)” were mobilized to cooperate with soldiers to build a position of an antiaircraft gun.  

   Despite severe work of carrying soil and rocks, they worked so much beyond his expectation without his order.  Their devotion to the work touched Ohta’s mind much, so he made a poem named “ Poetry to give  graduates" and gave it to them.

Acacia confusa trees grew along the road to their schools.  At end of next March, upperclassmen of them were expected to graduate the school. The poem comprised two meanings described above and celebrated coming graduation.

   Among the teachers who led girl students, Keii  Kochihira was a music teacher.  He wrote the song to the poem and

named the music as "Farewell Song".  Two young men cooperated with each other over  different positions of a military officer and a music teacher,  and the sad and beautiful story had started .                                                               

   * “Himeyuri girl students”

        comprised both students of 

        Okinawa First  Girls' High  School and            Okinawa  Female Normal  School 

       located at the same campus in Naha   

       City, Okinawa.

School Gate of two schools
school gate himeyuri farewell song hiroshi ohta picture
© Copyright

02004617:那覇市歴史博物館提供
by the courtesy of Naha City
History Museum

◎Chorus echoes on the Campus
ヘルシンキ大聖堂2_edited.jpg

 Acknowledgments to Mr. Jirou Ushio,​Shirokuma Mixed Choir

Rows of mutual love trees
© Copyright

02004628:那覇市歴史博物館提供
by the courtesy of Naha City
History Museum

◎A Farewell Song

          Lyricist              Hiroshi Ohta

          Translatded by  Doromamire

1

Familiar to our eyes are trees

              of mutual love in rows.

While we have been feeling hard to leave

              as going back and forth,

Those flying months and years passed by

              in vain.

Like a dream, which will be missed

              forever.

 

2

After the parting, even the red tiled roof

              of our schoolhouse

Would bring back a lot of fond memories

              to you.

Bosom friends in the dormitory, no matter

              how far apart,

We will always be in each other's hearts.

 

3

Having completed our studies, we spread

              our wings with great joy,

But also with deep sorrow

              contained therein.

Farewell for now, dearest friends,

We will all reunite together someday.

 

4

We will see you off with a hearty smile.

Farewell to immaculate, bright eyes,

Purely embracing the memories

              of the past days.

May you all be well, may you all be happy. 

 

 * The odd-numbered verses are for the   graduates  to express their memories

        and gratitude while the current

        students sing the even-numbered

        verses for the graduates.

 *The phrase "trees of mutual love" is a

        literal translation of "相思樹" in

        Japanese, botanically called Acacia

        Confusa.

© Copyright
Acacia_confusa-01 (1).jpg

flowers  of mutual love (Acacia Confusa ) by Wikipedia

◎Song on the Battlefield

    This song was also called "Song of mutual love trees

(botanically Acacia Confusa)" according to the content of the poetry. And it was sung in severe work  of making position and at the  time of relaxation in the school dormitory. They sang while letting their hearts jump for a coming ceremony  and encouraged each other. But their wish was not realised due to sudden mobilization as the nursing personnel by the order of Japanese Army at end of March, 1945.

   Both girl students and teachers were urged  to move to Army Field Hospital hastily built at Haebaru.   Against their wishes,Farewell Song  could not be sung at the simple graduation ceremony in the  army barrack where candles stood. As the Japanese army withdrew to southern Okinawa, the Himeyuri Student Corps followed the same path, supporting the wounded soldiers into the midst of gun bombing.  They had no food and water reserved,  

and sipped the muddy water in which the dead body of Japanese soldiers floated.  Besides, by the attack of the United States Armed Forces friends were falling down wounded or dead one after another.
   To avoid attack of U.S. Foces, they hid themselves  in a natural cave.   They sang the "Farewell Song"  to  encourage each other while  in the  cave and on the Arasaki shore.  And they resigned themselves to severe fate with dim wish to live for.

   In the cave, teacher Keii Kochihira who composed  the song also sang together with his students  but they finished their short life by attack of U.S.Forces.  Four teachers as well as 38 students were killed by the attack.

   Hiroshi Ota who wrote the words  of the song died at the desperate attack to U.S. Foces tried on 20th of June 1945 at the place not far from the Ihara Third Surgical Cave of the Himeyuri students.

Himeyuri Monument  Peace Museum Okinawa farewell song

Himeyuri Monument / Himeyuri Peace Museum, Itomann Okinawa

himeyuri score farewell song acacia confusa

         A  Farewell Song  
  (Song of Acacia confusa)

Cornerstone of the Okinawa Peace    Poet Hiroshi Ohta

Cornerstone of the Okinawa Peace   * Hiroshi Ohta among over 200,000
       late souls of the dead.

In order to explain the deep insight that Mr. Ota Hiroshi embedded in this poem, the Japanese notation is expressed in Roman alphabet.

   Wakareno-uta

   Soushijuno-uta

    Lyricist      Hiroshi Ohta

    Composer Keii Kochihira

Menishitashi  soushijunamiki 

 

Yukikaeri       sarigatakeredo

 

Yumenogoto  tokitositsukino 

 

Yukiniken       atozokuyashiki 

 

 

 Manabiyano akakiirakamo 

 

 Wakarenaba  natsukashikaran

    

 Wagaryouni   mutsumishitomoyo  

 

 Wasururuna   sakarisumutomo

 

 

Wazanarite   sudatsuyorokobi

 

Iyafukaki    nagekizokomoru

 

Izasaraba     itoshinotomoyo

Itsunohika    futatabiawan

 

 

 Hohoemite     wareraokuran

 

 Sugishihino  omoidehimeshi

 

 Sumimasuru   akarukimamiyo

 

 Sukoyakani     sachiookareto  

 

       sachiookareto

    Rylic poem unthinkable during the war, they can sing goodbye alternately according to their genuine feelings. Full of words of encouragement are spelled out among the poem. There are more efforts to Ota's poetry, alliteration from lines 2 to 4 of each series, you will find pronounced "Yu- Wa- I- Su", it is a congratulatory word in Japanese. Expressions celebrating the graduation ceremony that young girls are looking forward to are studded with multiple layers.

bottom of page