Battōtai
抜刀隊
LyricsToyama Masakazu
MusicCharles Leroux
Published1877
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.
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"Battōtai" (抜刀隊, Drawn-Sword Regiment) is a Japanese gunka composed by Charles Leroux with lyrics by Toyama Masakazu in 1877. 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 1876 as part of a French military advisory group. He composed his "Battōtai" in 1877, 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, 10 years into Meiji's rule, in 1878; 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

  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.
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