The Fragrance of Early Summer

The Fragrance of Early Summer (初夏の香り Shoka no kaori) is the sixth image song for the character Japan in Hetalia: Axis Powers. It is sung by Hiroki Takahashi in the voice of Japan.

Lyrics
Kanji= 春すぎて夏来(け)にけらし

青々と若葉煌めく

霧晴れた山野のさきに

風恋しくそよぐ

深い緑萌ゆる 小道ひとり歩めば

いつしか密やかに想い馳せ

我が心彩どる遠き記憶

遥かなる詩が聞こえる

さやかに木霊が響く

周りは悠久な大自然

澄み渡る杜の香り

しゃらりしゃらりと 鈴の音鳴らし

足任せに山野をあゆむ

古川の音は さらりさらり澄みやかに

我が心和ませる

草原を彩る ワタスゲの白穂は

夏風にさやさや揺すられて

ふわり身を放ち我が身を包む

耳を澄ませば聞こえる

葉音が優しく歌う

五感で感じる大湿原

澄み渡る花の香り

「初夏が香るこの時期は、美しく咲き誇る水芭蕉が見所です. イタリア君のお家では、

美味しく実ったトマトの畑が景色一面に広がっているようで…是非一度、行ってみたいですね. 」

木漏れ日 煌めく水面は

緑青色に輝く

白樺の小道から眺めれば

淡い世界に癒される

仰ぎ見る若草の丘

敷き詰める青紫の花

美しき色彩に囲まれて

澄み渡る初夏の香り

Romaji= Haru sugite natsu kenikerashi

Aoaoto wakaba kirameku

Kiri hareta yamano no saki ni

Kaze koishiku soyogu

Fukai midori moyuru komichi hitori ayumeba

Itsushika hisoyakani omoihase

Waga kokoro irodoru tooki kioku

Harukanaru uta ga kikoeru

Sayakani kodama ga hibiku

Mawari wa yuukyuu na daishizen

Sumiwataru mori no kaori

Sharari sharari to suzu no ne narashi

Ashimakase ni yamano wo ayumu

Furukawa no ne wa sarari sarari sumiyakani

Waga kokoro nagomaseru

Kusahara wo irodoru watasuge no shiraho wa

Natsukaze ni sayasaya yusurarete

Fuwari mi wo hanachi waga mi wo tsutsumu

Mimi wo sumaseba kikoeru

Haoto ga yasashiku utau

Gokan de kanjiru daishitsugen

Sumiwataru hana no kaori

“Shoka ga kaoru kono jiki wa, utsukushiku sakihokoru mizubashou ga midokoro desu. Itaria-kun no ouchi dewa, oishiku minotta tomato no hatake ga keshiki ichimen ni hirogatteiru you de… zehi ichido, ittemitai desu ne.”

Komorebi kirameku minamo wa

Ryokushouiro ni kagayaku

Shirakaba no komichi kara nagamereba

Awai sekai ni iyasareru

Aogimiru wakakusa no oka

Shikitsumeru seishi no hana

Utsukushiki shikisai ni kakomarete

Sumiwataru shoka no kaori

English= The spring has passed and the summer come again

The new leaves glisten and twinkle in lush green

Beyond the fields and hills, where the fog dissipated

They rustle in the wind longingly

As I walk alone on the path where the deep green sprouts

Before I realized, my mind silently drifts

To remembrance of things past that tinged my heart with joy

I can hear poetry coming from a far distance

As the crisp-sounding echoes ring

I am surrounded by the everlasting nature

And the clear, fresh scent of the deep grove

The sound of bells jingling “ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling”

As I wander through the fields and hills

The sound of old rivers, gushing and rushing, crisp and clear

My heart is soothed and calmed by them

The white plumes of hare’s-tail cottongrass that color the meadow

Whispering softly and swaying in the summer breeze

They gently take off and drift in the air, surrounding me

If you listen careful, you can hear them

The rustling leaves singing a gentle song

The vast wetland that I feel with all my five senses

And the clear, fresh scent of the flowers

“In this season of fragrant early summer, the mizubashou in beautiful full bloom is an highlight. At Italy-kun’s house, I heard that this is when the fields are completely covered in deliciously ripe tomatoes… I would most definitely want to visit them one day.”

The water surface that glitters under the sunlight shining through the leaves

Shines in a vibrant copper green

When I gaze upon it from the small lane lined with Japanese white birch

My soul is healed by the world of soft colors

I look up towards the hill of fresh grass

And the blue-purple flowers that covers it

I’m surrounded by all these beautiful vivid colors

And the clear, fresh scent of the early summer

Album
This song was released on June 24, 2015, on the album Hetalia: The World Twinkle Character CD Vol. 1 - Italy and Japan, and it is the second track. Also on the album is Che Bello! ~My House is the Greatest!☆~. This song is also the second track on the album Hetalia Character Song CD The BEST Vol. 3, which was released on September 6, 2017.

Trivia

 * The first line of the song is from the 2nd poem in a collection of poems called Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and is attributed to Empress Jitō.