Hello, I’m Miyako, a soprano singer.
Today, I’d like to talk about the song “Small Sky” by Toru Takemitsu.
“Small Sky” was the very first song I posted when I started my YouTube channel, so it holds a special place in my heart.
I was so excited when I discovered Toru Takemitsu’s song collection published by Schott Japan — it’s beautifully artistic.
This was also the very first piece I tried singing from the collection.
Contents
About “Small Sky”
“Small Sky” is an art song composed by Toru Takemitsu, one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary composers — often referred to as “Takemitsu of the World.”
Written in 1962, it remains one of his most celebrated works.
Originally composed as the theme song for a TBS radio drama for children titled Gun King, the piece has since been arranged in various versions and continues to be widely loved.
There is even an orchestral version, notable for its delicate orchestration and ethereal, fairy-like atmosphere.
The piano arrangement, by Henning Brauel, gives the song a simple yet lyrical quality.
The work expresses the beauty and vastness of the sky.
Despite the title, “Small Sky,” it evokes a sense of boundless space — something both intimate and distant at the same time.
The song also reflects Takemitsu’s own feelings of nostalgia for his childhood.
It is a piece that resonates deeply, inviting listeners to recall their own childhood memories and emotions — a true masterpiece.
About Toru Takemitsu
Born in Tokyo in 1930. In 1945, during the air raids of World War II, his house was burned down, and he fled to Saitama Prefecture.
Inspired by a chanson he heard just before the end of the war, he decided to become a composer once the war was over.
From then on, he mainly taught himself composition and went on to create masterpieces of contemporary music, receiving commissions from renowned orchestras and music festivals around the world.
While creating artistic works, he also composed over 90 film scores. He was also a talented essayist and even wrote novels at one point!
Though he passed away at the young age of 65 in 1996, he made numerous media appearances, and in one documentary, when asked what he wanted to convey through his music, he answered:
“Love, hope, and prayer.”
This answer has always stayed with me, and for me, Takemitsu is a composer who continues to live through his works.
Lyrics
| 青空見たら わたのような雲が 悲しみをのせて 飛んでいった いたずらが過ぎて 叱られて泣いた 子供の頃を 思い出した夕空見たら 教会の窓の ステンドグラスが 真っ赤に燃えてた いたずらが過ぎて 叱られて泣いた 子供の頃を 思い出した 夜空を見たら 小さな星が |
Aozora mitara, wata no yō na kumo ga Yūzora mitara, kyōkai no mado no Yozora o mitara, chiisana hoshi ga |
English Translation
When I looked at the blue sky,
Clouds like cotton
Carried my sadness
And drifted away.
I remembered my childhood,
When I cried after being scolded
For being too mischievous.
When I looked at the evening sky,
The stained glass
In the church window
Was glowing deep red.
I remembered my childhood,
When I cried after being scolded
For being too mischievous.
When I looked at the night sky,
A tiny star
Was shining
Like a tear.
I remembered my childhood,
When I cried after being scolded
For being too mischievous.
もちろんです。以下は、「小さな空」の歌詞を**日本語学習者向けに英語で丁寧に解説した内容**です。語彙や文法、感情の表現に焦点を当てながら説明しています。
Lyrics Commentary
Verse 1: 青空見たら…
青空見たら わたのような雲が
悲しみをのせて 飛んでいった
Vocabulary:
青空 (aozora) = blue sky
見たら (mitara)= when I looked (past conditional form of 見る)
わたのような (wata no yō na)** = like cotton
雲 (kumo) = cloud
悲しみ (kanashimi) = sadness
のせて (nosete)= carrying (te-form of 載せる)
飛んでいった (tonde itta) = flew away
Explanation:
The speaker looks up at the blue sky and sees fluffy, cotton-like clouds. These clouds are imagined as carrying away their sadness — a poetic way of expressing emotional release.
The verb 「のせて」 (to carry/load something onto) is used metaphorically here.
いたずらが過ぎて 叱られて泣いた
子供の頃を 思い出した
Vocabulary:
いたずら (itazura)= mischief
過ぎて (sugite) = going too far / excessive (from 過ぎる = to exceed)
叱られて (shikararete) = being scolded (passive form of 叱る)
泣いた (naita) = cried
思い出した (omoidasu) = remembered
子供の頃 (kodomo no koro) = childhood
Explanation:
This line reflects a nostalgic memory: the speaker remembers being scolded for misbehaving and crying as a child.
The phrase 「いたずらが過ぎて」means “being too mischievous” — indicating a child who played a little too rough or caused trouble.
Verse 2: 夕空見たら…
夕空見たら 教会の窓の
ステンドグラスが 真っ赤に燃えてた
Vocabulary:
夕空 (yūzora) = evening sky
教会 (kyōkai) = church
窓 (mado) = window
ステンドグラス = stained glass (borrowed word from English)
真っ赤 (makka)= deep red
燃えてた (moeteta) = was burning/shining brightly (from 燃える = to burn)
Explanation:
In the warm light of the evening, the stained glass windows of a church seem to burn with deep red color.
This vivid imagery adds a spiritual or emotional depth to the scene.
Verse 3: 夜空を見たら…
夜空を見たら 小さな星が
涙のように 光っていた
Vocabulary:
夜空 (yozora) = night sky
小さな (chiisana) = small
星 (hoshi) =star
涙のように (namida nōo y ni)= like a tear
光っていた (hikatte ita)= was shining (past progressive form of 光る)
Explanation:
The star is described as shining “like a tear,” suggesting quiet emotion, perhaps sadness or gentle reflection.
The use of **「涙のように」** compares the star’s sparkle to a tear, blending nature and emotion in a poetic image.
Overall Message
The song repeats a central memory — “いたずらが過ぎて 叱られて 泣いた 子供の頃を 思い出した”, which means:
“I remembered my childhood, when I cried after being scolded for being too mischievous.”
This refrain connects different skies (blue, evening, night) with memories and emotions, painting a picture of **nostalgia**, **regret**, and the bittersweet beauty of childhood.
🎴 Vocabulary Flashcards
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 青空 | aozora | blue sky | 青空がとてもきれいですね。 |
| 雲 | kumo | cloud | 空に白い雲があります。 |
| 悲しみ | kanashimi | sadness | 彼の言葉に悲しみを感じた。 |
| 飛んでいった | tonde itta | flew away | 鳥が空に飛んでいった。 |
| いたずら | itazura | mischief | 子どもがいたずらをした。 |
| 叱られる | shikarareru | to be scolded | 宿題を忘れて叱られました。 |
| 泣く | naku | to cry | 映画を見て泣きました。 |
| 思い出す | omoidasu | to remember | 子供のころを思い出しました。 |
| 教会 | kyōkai | church | 教会で結婚式がありました。 |
| 窓 | mado | window | 窓を開けてください。 |
| 真っ赤 | makka | deep red | 夕焼けが真っ赤でした。 |
| 星 | hoshi | star | 夜空に星が見える。 |
| 涙 | namida | tear | 嬉しくて涙が出た。 |
| 光る | hikaru | to shine | 星が光っている。 |
✏️ Grammar Exercises
1. て-form + いく
Meaning: Indicates motion or change going away from the speaker
Example from song: 飛んでいった (flew away)
Practice:
- The car drove away. → クルマが 走っていった。
- The balloon went up into the sky. → 風船が空へ 上がっていった。
2. Noun + のような / のように
Meaning: “Like a…” – used for similes
Examples: わたのような雲, 涙のように光る
Practice:
- 雲のような __________。
- 涙のように __________。
3. 〜たら (Conditional: “when/if”)
Example: 青空見たら (when I looked at the blue sky)
Practice:
- When I got home, I ate dinner. → 家に帰ったら、晩ごはんを食べました。
- When I open the window, I see the mountain. → 窓を開けたら、山が見えます。
Summary
I thought, “What a luxurious time it must have been when Takemitsu’s music was used for a children’s radio drama!”
I really wanted to listen to that drama, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find it.
Back then, after radio broadcasts began, it was often heard that children playing in the streets would hum “Small Sky,” and they were said to find it fresh and fun!
Takemitsu felt that “children seek high-quality things,” and so he incorporated many arrangements of spirituals, Western folk songs, and more.
I’m even more eager to hear it now!
So, without further ado, please enjoy “Small Sky.”