Kochinda, 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” 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  Kochinda was a music teacher.   Kochinda 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.

 Acknowledgments to Mr. Jirou Ushio,​Shirokuma Mixed Choir

Kochinda thought  Ohta  would like to see the campus because he had never visited there.  One Sunday, Kochinda invited Ohta to his schools and showed him around the campus.

In the school dormitory, Kochinda happened to visit a room in which a student was playing reed organ.  He asked the girl to play "Farewell Song” because he knew that she had been practicing the song with a piano in the school. 　To hear the music just then, many  students gathered around the reed organ and  big chorus came up that it was not at time echoed in the school.  During the war,it was the time of a miraculous exchange of courtesies that  Kochinda's friendship with Ohta and trust in Ohta of young girls produced .

Ohta seemed deeply impressed to have watched that  scene.  His poetry moved  many  students, and as a poet it was the first experience in his life. He remained standing alone in his  military uniform  outside the room.

This song was also called "Song of Acacia Confusa(Soushiju Tree)" 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 built suddenly in Haebaru.  The Farewell Song  could not be sung at the simple graduation ceremony in the  army barrack where candles stood.
While the Japanese Army  was retreated  south Okinawa, Himeyuri students also traced the same way 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 Kochinda 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 / Himeyuri Peace Museum, Itomann Okinawa

               Farewell Song  
  (Song of Acacia confusa)

​

　　　Wakareno-uta

　　　Soushijuno-uta

​

　　　　　Lyricist      Hiroshi Ohta

　　　　　Composer Keii Kochinda

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

The first and third reams are presented from graduates to current students. The second and fourth reams are presented from current students to graduates in return. 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.

​