宮さん宮さん (Miya-san, miya-san)

The instruments are voice, guitar, rhythm mandolin, and lead mandolin--not exactly what would have been used in Japan in 1868, but the melody is authentic, and I have tried to make the mandolin sound roughly like a shamisen. This song celebrates the advance of the Satsuma-Chōshū army on Edo, soon to be renamed Tokyo. The real commander of this army was Saigō Takamori of Satsuma, but because it was sanctioned by the imperial court, the ostensible commander was Prince Arisugawa. There is a lovely park dedicated to him in the middle of Tokyo.

宮さん宮さんお馬の前にひらひらするのは何じゃいな

Miya-san miya-san on-ma no mae ni hirahira-suru no wa nan jai na?

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

あれは朝敵征伐せよとの錦の御旗じゃ知らないか

Are wa chôteki seibatsu-seyo to no nishiki no mi-hata ja shiranai ka?

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

Prince [Arigusawa], Prince [Arigusawa], what is that fluttering in front of your horse?

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

It's the brocade banner declaring war on the enemies of the court--don't you know?

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

一天万乗の一天万乗の帝王に手向かいする奴を

Ittenbanjô no ittenbanjô no mikado ni temukai-suru yatsu wo

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

ねらい外さずねらい外さずどんどん撃ち出す薩長士

Nerai hazusazu nerai hazusazu dondon uchidasu Sattchô shi

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

The emperor, the emperor of this whole land--to those who would turn against him . . .

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

. . . The warriors of Satsuma and Chôshû will set out to attack, never wavering from their goal

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

音に聞こえし関東武士どちらへ逃げたと問うたれば

Oto no kikoeshi Kantô samurai dochira e nigeta to tôtareba

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

城も気概も城も気概も捨てて吾妻へ逃げたげな

Shiro mo kigai mo shiro mo kigai mo sutete azuma e nigetage na

トコトンヤレ　トンヤレ　ナ

Tokoton yare tonyare na

The Kantô [Edo area] warriors hear us coming, and, when we ask to where they have fled . . .

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

. . . They will have abandoned their castles and their backbones to flee to the East[/to their wives]*

Fight to the finish, fight to the finish!

*吾妻へ (Azuma e),  is a play on words. Azuma means "east," but, as written here, also means "my wife."

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