Japan’s national anthem is titled “Kimigayo,” whose lyrics come from a poem in the Kokin Wakashū.
The five-line poem dates from Japan’s classical period and was included in the Kokin Wakashū, an imperial anthology compiled in the early tenth century. Its text expresses a wish for the emperor’s reign to continue for a very long time.
The modern melody was composed by Hiromori Hayashi in the nineteenth century and later revised with assistance from musicians including Franz Eckert. The anthem was formally established by Japan’s National Anthem Law in 1999.
“Kimigayo” is one of the world’s shortest national anthems. Its historical association with the Japanese imperial state has made it politically sensitive, especially in debates about school ceremonies. “Sakura Sakura” is a famous Japanese folk song, but it is not the national anthem.