Kimi Ga Yo facts for kids
| English: His Imperial Majesty's Reign | |
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| "Kimigayo" | |
Score of "Kimigayo"
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| National anthem of |  Japan |
Kimigayo, His Imperial Majesty's Reign is the national anthem of Japan. Its lyrics are the oldest among the world's national anthems and also one of the world's shortest. Its lyrics are from a poem written by an unnamed author in the Heian period (794–1185), and the current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier.
While the title "Kimigayo" is usually translated as "His Imperial Majesty's Reign", no official translation of the title or lyrics has been established in law. The "Act on National Flag and Anthem" was passed in 1999, choosing both the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" as Japan's national symbols.
During World War II, the Japanese Empire ordered that schoolchildren, both from its homeland and its colonies, were to sing the "Kimigayo" anthem and salute Emperor Hirohito every morning.
Images for kids
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Sazare-Ishi pebbles are believed to grow into boulders in some legends. A photo taken at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyōto.
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Franz Eckert's notes, presented to the Meiji-Tennō in 1880 (cover design by Curt Netto)
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Kimigayo sheet music, 1888
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The Act on National Flag and Anthem (Japan) as it appears in the Official Gazette on August 15, 1999
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A photo taken on November 6, 2007, as "Kimigayo" was being played before a volleyball tournament in Ōsaka
See also
In Spanish: Kimigayo para niños
