Kojima takanori/児島高徳 [With English and Romaji subtitles] 

児島高徳 / Kojima takanori / Takanori Kojima
- Japanese Educational Song
Singer: Bonny Jacks
Performer: Columbia Orchestra
Lyricist: Unknown
Composer: Teiichi Okano
[About this song]
This song is about Takanori Kojima, who is believed to have been a military commander who served Emperor Go-Daigo during the Nanboku-cho Period. It was published in June 1914 in "Songs for the Sixth Grade of the Ordinary Elementary School".
The lyrics of this song depicts a scene in which Takanori Kojima carves a poem on a cherry tree in Inonosho (present-day Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture). According to the military chronicle "Taiheiki," he raised his army in response to Emperor Go-Daigo's military action at Mount Kasagi, but the news of the fall of Kasagi and the suicide of Masashige Kusunoki left him in a quandary. He learned that the Emperor was to be exiled to Oki Islands and planned to ambush the Emperor's convoy at Mount Funasaka(a mountain on the border of present-day Hyogo and Okayama prefectures). However, the convoy did not pass through Funasaka. Next, he expected the convoy to pass through Sugisaka. Although he reached Sugisaka(a pass near Mount Funasaka) after a steep road, by then the convoy had already entered Inonosho. The plan was a complete failure and his army disbanded. He snuck into the lodging where the Emperor was staying, hoping to at least convey his feelings, but there was no chance to tell the Emperor directly. He found a large cherry tree in the garden of the lodging and carved a ten-letter poem: "天莫空勾践 時非無范蠡" (literal translation: Heaven does not forsake Goujian. At times Fan Li is there.) The next morning, guards found the poem but couldn't understand its meaning, so they informed Emperor Go-Daigo. When the Emperor saw it, he immediately understood the meaning and smiled.
About the poem
"Goujian" in the poem is the king of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period, and "Fan Li" is a retainer who served Goujian. Although Goujian was defeated once by Wu, he amassed strength with the help of Fan Li and eventually destroyed Wu. In other words, the poem says, "Heaven will never forsake you (Emperor Go-Daigo), just as heaven has never forsaken Goujian. A loyal retainer (Takanori Kojima) like Fan Li shall definitely appear to help you."
[Rōmaji lyrics]
Funasakayama ya sugisaka to
Miato shitaite innoshō
Bichū o ika de kikoen to
Sakura no miki ni jūji no shi
Ten kōsen o munashū suru nakare
Toki hanrei naki ni shimo arazu
Mikokoro naranu idemashi no
Misode tsuyukeki asatode ni
Zunjite emasu kashikosa yo
Sakura no miki no jūji no shi
Ten kōsen o munashū suru nakare
Toki hanrei naki ni shimo arazu
[Japanese lyrics]
船坂山や杉坂と
御あと慕いて院の庄
微衷をいかで聞こえんと
桜の幹に十字の詩
『天勾践を空しゅうする莫れ
時范蠡無きにしも非ず』
御心ならぬいでましの
御袖露けき朝戸出に
誦じて笑ますかしこさよ
桜の幹の十字の詩
『天勾践を空しゅうする莫れ
時范蠡無きにしも非ず』