Battōtai (song)

Battōtai
抜刀隊
Lyrics	Toyama Masakazu
Music	Charles Leroux
Published	1885
Audio sample
	Recording made on August 8, 1939 by the Imperial Japanese Army Band conducted by Ōnuma Satoru. The B and C sections of the march use the "Battōtai" melody. file; help;

"Battōtai" (抜刀隊, Drawn-Sword Regiment) is a Japanese gunka composed by Charles Leroux with lyrics by Toyama Masakazu in 1885. Upon the request of the Japanese government, Leroux adapted it along with another gunka, "Fusōka" (Song of Fusang), into the military march Rikugun bunretsu kōshinkyoku in 1912.

Background

The song references the Battōtai who fought in the Battle of Tabaruzaka during the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion. Because of supply problems and heavy rains, the Satsuma rebels were forced to engage with the Imperial Japanese Army in hand-to-hand combat. They inflicted heavy casualties against Imperial forces, who were mostly conscripts with no experience in wielding swords. Lieutenant General Yamagata Aritomo selected and deployed men from the surrounding area who were proficient with swords. He named this unit Battōtai or "Drawn-Sword regiment."[1]

Composition

Charles Leroux, a bandmaster and composer born in Paris, arrived in Japan in 1884 as part of a French military advisory group. He composed his "Battōtai" in 1885, while serving as bandmaster of the Imperial Japanese Army Band. The song was first publicly performed the same year at a concert hosted by the Greater Japan Music Society at the Rokumeikan. It was considered the first Western-style military song in Japan and the first to become popular across the country, although it was initially believed to be difficult to sing for Japanese unaccustomed to modulation.[2]

Lyrics

Battōtai is included in the first volume of poetry compilation Shintai Shishiyou, thanks to the common effort of Tokyo University's professors Masakazu Toyama, Ryoji Yatabe, and Tetsujirō Inoue, 17 years into Meiji's rule, in 1885; the poem posted below was contained in said compilation.


Japanese[3]	Transliteration into rōmaji	English Translation
我は官軍我敵は天地容れざる朝敵ぞ敵の大將たる者は古今無雙の英雄で之に從ふ兵は共に慓悍决死の士鬼神に恥ぬ勇あるも天の許さぬ叛逆を起しゝ者は昔より榮えし例あらざるぞ敵の亡ぶる夫迄は進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて死する覺悟で進むべし皇國の風と武士の其身を護る靈の維新このかた廢れたる日本刀の今更に又世に出づる身の譽敵も身方も諸共に刃の下に死すべきに大和魂ある者の死すべき時は今なるぞ人に後れて恥かくな敵の亡ぶる夫迄は進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて死する覺悟で進むべし前を望めば劔なり右も左りも皆劔劔の山に登らんは　未來の事と聞きつるに此世に於て目のあたり　劔の山に登るのも我身のなせる罪業を　滅す爲にあらずして賊を征討するが爲　劔の山もなんのその敵の亡ぶるそれ迄は　進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて　死ぬる覺悟で進むべし劔の光ひらめくは　雲間に見ゆる稻妻か四方に打出す砲聲は　天に轟く雷（いかづち）か敵の刃に伏す者や　丸に碎けて玉の緒の絶えて墓なく失する身の　屍は積みて山をなし其血は流れて川をなす　死地に入るのも君が爲敵の亡ぶる夫迄は　進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて　死ぬる覺悟で進むべし彈丸雨飛の間にも　二つなき身を惜まずに進む我身は野嵐に　吹かれて消ゆる白露の墓なき最期とぐるとも忠義の爲に死ぬる身の死（しに）て甲斐あるものならば　死ぬるも更に怨なし我と思はん人たちは　一歩も後へ引くなかれ敵の亡ぶる夫迄は　進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて　死ぬる覺悟で進むべし我今茲（われいまここ）に死ん身は　君の爲なり國の爲捨つべきものは命なり　假令（たと）ひ屍は朽ちぬとも忠義の爲に捨る身の　名は芳しく後の世に永く傳へて殘るらん　武士と生れた甲斐もなく義もなき犬と云はるゝな　卑怯者となそしられそ敵の亡ぶる夫迄は　進めや進め諸共に玉ちる劔拔き連れて　死ぬる覺悟で進むべし	Ware wa kangun waga teki wa Tenchi irezaru chouteki zo Teki no taishou taru mono wa Kokon musou no eiyuu de Kore ni shitagou tsuwamono wa Tomo ni hyoukan kesshi no shi Kijin ni hajinu yuuaru mo Ten no yurusanu hangyaku wo Okoseshi mono wa mukashi yori Sakaeshi tameshi arazaru zo Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shisuru kakugo de susumu beshi Mikuni no fuuto mono no fu wa Sonomi wo mamoru tamashii no Ishiin kono kata sutaretaru Nippontou no ima sara ni Mata yo ni izuru mi no homare Teki mo mikata mo moro tomo ni Yaiba no shita ni shisu beki ni Yamato-damashii aru mono no Shisubeki toki wa ima naruzo Hito ni okurete haji kakuna Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shisuru kakugo de susumu beshi Mae wo nozomeba tsuruginari Migi mo hidari mo mina tsurugi Tsurugi no yama ni noboranwa Mirai no koto to kikitsuru ni Kono yo ni oite manoatari Tsurugi no yama ni noboru nomo Wagami no naseru zaigou wo Horobosu tame ni arazushite Zoku wo seibatsu suru ga tame Tsurugi no yama mo nann' no sono Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shinuru kakugo de susumu beshi Tsurugi no hikari kirameku wa Kumoma ni miyuru imazuma ka Yomo ni uchidasu housei wa Ten ni todoroku ikazuchi ka Teki no yaiba ni fusumono ya Tama ni kudakete tama no o no Taete hakanaku usuru mi no Kabane wa Tsumite yama wo nashi Sono chi wa nagarete kawa wo nasu Shichi ni hairu nomo kimi ga tame Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shinuru kakugo de susumu beshi Dangan'uhi no aida nimo Futatsu naki mi wo oshimazu ni Susumu wa ga mi wa noarashi ni Fukarete kiyuru shiratsuyu no Hakanaki saigo wo togurutomo Chugi no tame ni ususu mi no Shishite kai aru mono naraba Shisurumo sarani uraminashi Wareto owowan hitotachi wa Ippo mo ato e hikunakare Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shinuru kakugo de susumu beshi Ware ima koko ni shinan mi wa Kimi no tame nari Kuni no tame Sutsu beki mono wa inochi nari Tatoi kabane wa kuchinu tomo Chugi no tame ni usuru mi no Na wa kanbashiku nochi no yo ni Nagaku tsutaete nokoru nan Bushi to umareta kai mo naku Gi mo naki inu to iwaruruna Hikyou mono to na soshirare so Teki no horoburu sore made wa Susume ya susume moro tomo ni Tamachiru tsurugi nuki tsurete Shinuru kakugo de susumu beshi	We are the imperial army and Our enemies are The Emperor's enemies, forsaken by heaven and earth The enemy's commander is one who through history has no equal — a hero The soldiers who follow him are United as fierce warriors ready to fight to the death Though the wrathful deities shake their courage not Heaven will not forgive their rebellion Those who have risen up against us since olden times Have never had their moment of glory Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die Our divine nation's ways and the samurai's Bodies were defended by the spirits Though thrown away after the restoration Our Japanese swords now and again may be carried Again in our era, our reputation returned; Enemy and ally together as one Must die under the edge of the blade And to those with the Japanese spirit The time to die is now Do not disgrace yourself with delay Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die As I look ahead, there is a sword To my right and to my left, everywhere a sword To climb a mountain of swords They say is a deed for the future Seeing this world from the top with my own eyes I climbed this mountain of swords Not for the sake of atoning For the sins I have committed But for the sake of subjugating the rebels The mountain of swords — what does it matter? Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die The glint of light on a sword — Is it a flash of lightning between the clouds? The voice of the artillery firing in all directions — Is it the roar of the thunder? The ones defeated by the enemy's blades Or those struck by the enemy's rounds — Their life ended, their bodies without a grave The corpses piled up into a mountain Their blood streaming into a river — They go into certain death for the sake of the Emperor Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die Even amidst a rain of bullets The body of which there is no two, without regret Charges forward — myself, like the tempest's Gusts that blow away the white dew Should I meet my end unburied For loyalty's sake I will have died If it be that I die to that effect Then to death I will hold no grudge Those people who think they are as me Do not tread back one step Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die Now and here, my body is to die For the good of the emperor, the good of the country Discarded shall be our lives Even if our corpses may rot For our loyalty and composure, our names Esteemed among the later generations Shall long be passed down by those who remain As a warrior you were born — a life without worth And let nobody call you an immoral dog Nor let them slander you as a coward Until that time that our enemy is destroyed Charge, charge, together as one Drawing our swords, glistening like a broken jewel We must charge forth, determined to die

Foreign-language versions

One of the most famous Japanese patriotic songs, aside from the original in Japanese, Battotai has been sung in several languages including Filipino,[4] Indonesian,[5] Hindi,[6] Punjabi,[7] German,[8] English,[9] Spanish,[10] Polish,[11] and Latvian.[12]

Score

$<< \new Voice \relative c' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trumpet" \key a \minor \time 2/4 a8 e' e4 | e e | f8 f d f | e4. r8 | d b4 d8 | e e e e | b4 c8. b16 | a4 r | a8 e' e4 | e e | f8 f d f | e4. r8 | d b4 d8 | e e e e | b4 c8. b16 | a4 r | a'8 a4 b8 | c c c4 | c8 b a b | e,4. r8 | d4 e8 f | g8. g16 g8 g | d8. d16 e8 d | c r r4 | a'8 a4 b8 | c c c4 | c8 b a b | e,4. r8 | d4 e8 f | g8. g16 g8 g | d8. d16 e8 d | c r r4 | c'8 c b a | g8. g16 g4 | a8 a g f | e4. r8 | a, b c d | e e e4 | a8 a gis a | b4. r8 \bar "||" \key a \major cis4 b8. a16 | a8 a a a | fis fis a a | cis4. r8 | a a gis8. a16 | fis4 gis8 a | b8. b16 b8 b | b4. r8 | cis cis b a | a a a4 | fis8 fis d' d | cis4. r8 | b4 cis8 d | e cis a d | cis4 b8. cis16 | a4 a8 r \bar "|." } \addlyrics { われはかんぐんわがてきはてんちいれざるちょうてきぞてきのたいしょうたるものはここんむそうのえいゆうでこれにしたがうつわものはともにひょうかんけっしのしきじんにはじぬゆうあるもてんのゆるさぬはんぎゃくをおこせしものはむかしよりさかえしためしあらざるぞてきのほろぶるそれまではすすめやすすめもろともにたまちるつるぎぬきつれてしするかくごですすむべし } >>$

References

Kotō, Masayoshi (1987). 西南戦争警視隊戦記 (in Japanese). 産経新聞データシステム. pp. 221–222.
Kurata, Yoshihiro. 民衆歌謡：近世末期から近代への流れ. 岩波講座日本の音楽・アジアの音楽 (in Japanese). Tokyo: 東京書籍. pp. 153–159. ISBN 4000103628.
"新体詩抄. 初編 - 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション".
"Sing with DK - Battotai (Filipino Version) - Sundalo ng Republika". YouTube.
"Battotai Bahasa Indonesia (Resimen Pedang)]". YouTube.
""बट्टोताई" 《Battotai in Hindi》". YouTube.
""ਬਤੋਤਾਈ" 《Battotai in Punjabi》". YouTube.
"Sing with Karl - Battotai [Extended German Version][+ English Translation]". YouTube.
"Battotai (English Version)". YouTube.
"抜刀隊 (Battotai) - Imperial Japanese March [Spanish Version]". YouTube.
"Battotai po polsku". YouTube.
"Battotai [Rare Latvian Version] - Imperial Japanese Army March". YouTube.

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[1] Kotō, Masayoshi (1987). 西南戦争警視隊戦記 (in Japanese). 産経新聞データシステム. pp. 221–222.

[2] Kurata, Yoshihiro. 民衆歌謡：近世末期から近代への流れ. 岩波講座日本の音楽・アジアの音楽 (in Japanese). Tokyo: 東京書籍. pp. 153–159. ISBN 4000103628.

[3] "新体詩抄. 初編 - 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション".

[4] "Sing with DK - Battotai (Filipino Version) - Sundalo ng Republika". YouTube.

[5] "Battotai Bahasa Indonesia (Resimen Pedang)]". YouTube.

[6] ""बट्टोताई" 《Battotai in Hindi》". YouTube.

[7] ""ਬਤੋਤਾਈ" 《Battotai in Punjabi》". YouTube.

[8] "Sing with Karl - Battotai [Extended German Version][+ English Translation]". YouTube.

[9] "Battotai (English Version)". YouTube.

[10] "抜刀隊 (Battotai) - Imperial Japanese March [Spanish Version]". YouTube.

[11] "Battotai po polsku". YouTube.

[12] "Battotai [Rare Latvian Version] - Imperial Japanese Army March". YouTube.