Akayama – Lyrics
Jul. 12, 2025
‘Akayama’ is a kind of yam. This title is only the first word of this song.
This is a song about young lovers talking in the cottage of the girlfriend’s house. The boyfriend’s lyrics and the girlfriend’s lyrics are sung in turn, but the story flows more naturally in order 1, 3, 2, 4.
I think this song is more about adults singing about the young couple than it is about the couple singing about themselves.
Akayama : 1st verse
Japanese Lyrics (Okinawa-dialect)
1st : girlfriend’s lyricsAkayaman fesachi (Eheee)
Sura-ni mudikuyui. (Yarikunu)
Di wanne umisatu-tu
Ke-mudi-kurana.
** (Hara-yui-yui. Yariku-Yarikunu)
Shinudi katarataru. Nakanu asagi.
(Hara-yui-yui)2nd: boyfriend’s
Asagi kudami-ishi-nu
Tatui kuchuru-tun
Makura saru udin
Kutan kajiri.
**3rd : girlfriend’s
Hishi uchuru namiya
Utan-gutu ke-yumi ?
Ujo uchi-yuru satu-ya
Iranu ke-yumi ?
**4th : boyfriend’s
Saraba, Tingara-ya
Shima yuku-ni natui.
Di chayo, Tachimudura
Yubin-nu jibun.
**
English
1st : girlfriend’s lyricsAkayama vines are
tangled with the treetops.
Well then, I guess I’ll also tangle
with you a little, my dear.
** (Hara-yui-yui. Yariku-Yarikunu)
It’s the private talk in the cottage.
(Hara-yui-yui)2nd: boyfriend’s
Even if the foundation stones of this cottage should rot away,
I won’t take off this arm pillow,
as long as my arms don’t rot away.
**3rd : girlfriend’s
The waves that crash onto the shore
never leave without hitting the rocks, right?
Since you’ve hit on my door,
never leave without going in, right?
**4th : boyfriend’s
The Milky Way has come down
to the side of the village.
Oh! I must go home now.
It’s the same time as last night again.
**
The boyfriend said “As long as my arm doesn’t rot away,” but when the time came, he hurried home. It’s so realistic and funny. Apparently the old okinawan rule was that a young man was free to go to his girlfriend’s house at night, but he had to return before dawn.