
イロハニ文明開化
irohani bunmei kaika
Irohani Westernisation
Vocals: 鏡音リン (Kagamine Rin)
Lyrics: カラスヤサボウ (Karasu Yasabou)
Composed by: カラスヤサボウ (Karasu Yasabou)
Album: 文学少女インセイン (Insane Literature Girl)
Original upload date: 27 April 2013
Requested by: Saryu
This track is set during the Westernisation movement that took place during the Meiji era (1868-1912), which actually wasn’t very long ago!
Irohani (イロハニ) is the first four syllables of the ‘Iroha’ poem for remembering the Japanese hiragana. There’s a choice to ‘translate’ it as ABCs, but I feel like ‘Irohani’ might have been intended so I left it as it is.
歌詞
何処から何時から話はおかしくなっていた
てにをは合わずの言葉が虚ろになっていた
塞いだ耳でも確かに聞こえた世界は
間違いだらけさだらけさどうしようかねぇー
何処から何時から話はおかしくなっていた
てにをは合わずの言葉が虚ろになっていた
歪んだ知識は誰かが恐らく現実さ
化かして見せてよ貴方の描く通り
人好しと世に人は誰も
気付かずに目を閉じたまま
人波に溺れそうな毎日に
何を感じなくなる前に
さぁ、散切りな頭を叩いて
我(割れ)線を踏み越えて
鈍器になったの違いに放て閃光弾
間違いだらけの世界が回り出すその前に
そう、文明開化の音を鳴らせ
少年少女いざ時は来た
人好しと世に人は誰も
気付かずに目を閉じたまま
人波に溺れそうな毎日に
何を感じなくなる前に
さぁ、散切りな頭を叩いて
我(割れ)線を踏み越えて
鈍器になったの違いに放て閃光弾
最後通牒を傷つけなれた世界の前で
そう、文明開化の音を鳴らせ
キンチュウサイへ躍り込んで
さぁ、散切りな頭を叩いて
我(割れ)線を踏み越えて
鈍器になったの違いに放て閃光弾
間違いだらけの世界が回り出すその前に
そう、文明開化の音を鳴らせ
少年少女いざ時は来た
Romanisation
doko kara itsu kara hanashi wa okashiku natte ita
tenioha awazu no kotoba ga utsuro ni natte ita
fusaida mimi demo tashika ni kikoeta sekai wa
machigai darake sa darake sa dou shiyou ka nee
doko kara itsu kara hanashi wa okashiku natte ita
tenioha awazu no kotoba ga utsuro ni natte ita
yuganda chishiki wa dareka ga osoraku genjitsu sa
bakashite misete yo anata no egaku toori
hitoyoshi to yo ni hito wa dare mo
kidzukazu ni me o tojita mama
hitonami ni oboresou na mainichi ni
nani o kanjinaku naru mae ni
saa, zangiri na atama o tataite
waresen o fumikoete
donki ni natta no chigai ni hanate senkou dan
machigai darake no sekai ga mawari dasu sono mae ni
sou, bunmei kaika no oto o narase
shounen shoujo iza toki wa kita
hitoyoshi to yo ni hito wa dare mo
kidzukazu ni me o tojita mama
hitonami ni oboresou na mainichi ni
nani o kanjinaku naru mae ni
saa, zangiri na atama o tataite
waresen o fumikoete
donki ni natta no chigai ni hanate senkou dan
saigo tsuuchou o kizutsuke nareta sekai no mae de
sou, bunmei kaika no oto o narase
kinchuu sai e odori konde
saa, zangiri na atama o tataite
waresen o fumikoete
donki ni natta no chigai ni hanate senkou dan
machigai darake no sekai ga mawari dasu sono mae ni
sou, bunmei kaika no oto o narase
shounen shoujo iza toki wa kita
Translation
Since where, since when has this story become so strange?
The words that don’t match their particles were becoming hollow.
The world could be heard even with blocked ears.
It’s full of mistakes. Full of mistakes! What to do, what to do…
Since where, since when has this story become so strange?
The words that don’t match their particles were becoming hollow.
Twisted knowledge is, perhaps, reality to someone.
Enchant me, as you depict it.
All people in the world are good
and everyone, without noticing, kept their eyes shut.
Before becoming unable to feel anything
in days where one could drown in crowds of people…
Come on, rap your cropped head (1)
and step across the broken line. (2)
Fire flash bullets into the mistakes that became blunt weapons.
Before the world riddled with errors begins to turn,
yes—let off the sounds of Westernisation.
Boys and girls, the time has come!
All people in the world are good
and everyone, without noticing, kept their eyes shut.
Before becoming unable to feel anything
in days where one could drown in crowds of people…
Come on, rap your cropped head
and step across the broken line.
Fire flash bullets into the mistakes that became blunt weapons.
In front of the world that’s used to being wounded by ultimatums,
yes—let off the sounds of Westernisation
and rush into festival at the Imperial Palace.
Come on, rap your cropped head
and step across the broken line.
Fire flash bullets into the mistakes that became blunt weapons.
Before the world riddled with errors begins to turn,
yes—let off the sounds of Westernisation.
Boys and girls, the time has come!
Translator’s notes
(1) This section is a play on a song/phrase that was popular in the Meiji era (散切り頭を叩いてみれば文明開化の音がする – ‘When you rap your cropped head, it will make the sound of the Meiji Westernisation’). Everyone was cutting their topknots at this time, which is why ‘cropped head’ is referenced.
(2) Two versions of ‘ware‘ are written: 我 (ware, I/oneself) and 割れ (ware, broken).
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