The "Ode to Showa Restoration" (青年日本の歌) is a 1930 song by Japanese naval officer Mikami Taku. It was composed as an anthem for the Young Officers Movement.
The song makes strong appeal to natural and religious imagery. It also references the tragic ancient Chinese hero Qu Yuan, a righteous official and poet of the doomed Chu State in pre-imperial China.
Background[]
The Showa Restoration was a movement promoted by Japanese author Kita Ikki, with the goal of restoring power to the newly enthroned Japanese Emperor Hirohito and abolishing the liberal Taishō democracy. The aims of the "Showa Restoration" were similar to the Meiji Restoration as the groups who envisioned it imagined a small group of qualified people backing up a strong Emperor. The Cherry Blossom Societyenvisioned such a restoration.
The 2-26 Incident was another attempt to bring it about, failing heavily because they were unable to secure the support of the Emperor. The chief conspirators surrendered hoping to make their trial advance the cause, which was foiled by having the trials conducted secretly.
Although all such attempts failed, it was a first step on the rise of Japanese militarism.
Lyrics[]
汨羅の淵に波騒ぎ
巫山の雲は乱れ飛ぶ
混濁の世に我立てば
義憤に燃えて血潮湧く
権門上に傲れども
国を憂うる誠なし
財閥富を誇れども
社稷を思う心なし
ああ人栄え国亡ぶ
盲たる民世に躍る
治乱興亡夢に似て
世は一局の碁なりけり
昭和維新の春の空
正義に結ぶ丈夫が
胸裡百万兵足りて
散るや万朶の桜花
古びし死骸乗り越えて
雲漂揺の身は一つ
国を憂いて立つからは
丈夫のうたなからめや
天の怒りか地の声か
そもただならぬ響きあり
民永劫の眠りより
醒めよ日本の朝ぼらけ
見よ九天の雲は垂れ
四海の水は雄叫びて
革新の機到りぬと
吹くや日本の夕嵐
あゝうらぶれし天地の
迷いの道を人はゆく
栄華を誇る塵の世に
誰が高楼の眺めぞや
功名何ぞ夢の跡
消えざるものはただ誠
人生意気に感じては
成否を誰かあげつらう
やめよ離騒の一悲曲
悲歌慷慨の日は去りぬ
われらが剣今こそは
廓清の血に躍るかな