Takeshi's Song

JAPAN via Tube - Tube de Nihongo - Song - Takeshi

Asakusa Kid by Takeshi Kitano

Omae to atta Nakamise no
Where I met you, on Nakamise* street
Nikomi shika nai Kujira-ya de
at Kujira-ya* they only had Nikomi*
yume wo katatta Chuhai no
we talked about the dream, with Chuhai* to drink

awa ni hajiketa yakusoku wa
the promise burst like a bubble it was
akari no kieta Asakusa no
in Asakusa, under a dimmed light
kotatsu hitotsu no apaato de
in an apartment with only a kotatsu* table

Onaji sebiro wo hajimete katte
The same suits we bought for the first time
onaji katachi no chotai tsukuri
the same bow-ties we made
onaji kutsu made kau kane wa naku
the same shoes we had no money to buy
itsumo warai no neta ni shita
with everything we always made fun of
itsuka ureru to shinjiteta
we believed that we'd make it one day
kyaku ga futari no Engeijo de
in the hall with only one audience

Yume wo takushita 100-yen wo
On a hundred yen coin you pinned your hope
Nagete majimeni oganderu kao ni ukanda osanago no
the immature face showed as you threw it and prayed earnestly
mukuna kokoro ni mata horete
I fell in love again with the innocent heart.

Hitori tazuneta apaato de
In the apartment I visited alone
gurasu katamuke natsukashimu
tipped the glass and missed
sonna jidai mo atta ne to
we had such a time you say
warau senaka ga yurete iru
back shaking as you laugh
yume wa suteta to iwanai de
please don't say you disposed of the dream
hokani ate naki futari nano ni
'cos we two have nothing else to depend on.

Yume wa suteta to iwanai de
Please don't say you disposed of the dream
hokani ate naki futari nano ni
'cos we two have nothing else to depend on.

====Music/lyrics by Takeshi

This is a song about when Takeshi visits his former comedian buddy.
The guitarist is one of the Takeshi-gundan (Takeshi's men). His name is Gidayu. He is the biggest fan of his master Takeshi, and is so happy to play for him. That's why I enjoy this clip.
Nagamimi is a long time dedicated fan of Takeshi and an Asakusa-native.

*Words:

Nakamise Street is behind Hozomon gate in Asakusa, a well known tourist area in the heart of Tokyo. It also has a few traditional comedy clubs. Takeshi performed comedy acts here in his younger days.

Kujira-ya is a small bar that serves a popular dish called Nikomi. And it is where Takeshi sings.

Nikomi has a perfect drink to accompany it: Chuhai. Nikomi is like chitlins and chuhai is shochu with club soda. At one time Asakusa had a lot of day laborers. This is the type of drink and snack they would have after work. Now young girls even come to enjoy this simple bar food.Pictured here in front of Kujira-ya are is the establishment's owner with the guitarist from the video clip.

Inside of Kujira-ya with Takeshi.
This photo and the above two are from the blog of Gidayu (guitarist/comedian).

Gidayu's Blog is here (Japanese).

A kotatsu is a heated table with a blanket that covers the lap and a heating unit underneath. Kotatsu today have an electric power switch. At one time they were heated by charcoal.