The double-petaled cherry blossoms of the ancient capital of Nara bloom today, more beautiful than ever, here in the ninefold palace.
Ise no Taifu was a daughter of the Ōnakatomi family, hereditary chief priests of the Grand Shrine of Ise, and a lady-in-waiting to Empress Shōshi, consort of Emperor Ichijō. She was one of the gifted women of the mid-Heian period, serving in the same imperial court as Murasaki Shikibu, Izumi Shikibu and Akazome Emon. Behind this poem lies a true story. On the day double-flowered cherry blossoms were presented to the palace from Kōfuku-ji temple in Nara, the role of receiving them originally belonged to Murasaki Shikibu, but she ceded that great honor to the newcomer Ise no Taifu (some say at the direction of Fujiwara no Michinaga). Composed on the spot before the eyes of the whole assembled court, this single poem left everyone present in admiration and made Taifu's name in an instant. Shika Wakashū, Spring 29.
"The double cherry blossoms that once bloomed in the ancient capital of Nara are blooming today, more beautifully than ever, here in the ninefold palace." A poem that stands at the very peak of wit, assembling in a single instant a triple contrast: "long ago / today," "Nara / the ninefold palace," "eightfold blossoms / ninefold palace." But behind the technique are the trembling hands of a newcomer suddenly placed at center stage. These blossoms are the flowers offered as a gift, and at the same time they are Taifu herself, who has no choice but to bloom here, today. A poem that accepted, with a smile, a grand stage from which there was no escape.
Kaoru's request was "a cheering song sung in a woman's voice." We chose this poem because the true story behind it, a thousand years ago, was itself a cheering song. A newcomer who was handed a great role by someone else and, trembling, bloomed anyway—we layered that figure onto anyone for whom today is "the day." The line we put the most into is "trembling and racing are made of the same heartbeat." Don't make your nerves the enemy; just bloom, trembling and all—that affirmation. The other thing we wanted to say was "the place someone gave up for you is a signal that says 'you can do this'"—just as Murasaki Shikibu yielded to Taifu, when someone clears a seat for you, it is a sign of trust. Only in the first Chorus did we turn the original poem into a command, "Bloom in all your glory today," and in the Drop we placed the full original poem like a hymn. Rather than ending as a bud, choose the pain of opening—a song from Kuroko and Kaoru to everyone about to step onto their stage.
いにしへの（詞花集/伊勢大輔・百人一首61番）Garu JP
鏡の前で 深呼吸ひとつ
おろしたての靴 ひもを結ぶ
今日がその日だね 空も晴れてく
ふるえる手のひら 握りしめてる
積み重ねた日々は 裏切らないから
だいじょうぶ 胸を張っていい
いにしへの 奈良の都の
八重桜 けふ咲き誇れ
千年前の 花のように
あなたの時が いま開いてく
今日の光は あなたのもの
誰かがあなたに 譲った場所は
「あなたならできる」の 合図だよ
肩をたたいた 手のぬくもり
背中を押して くれている
震えることと 高鳴ることは
同じ鼓動で できている
いにしへの 奈良の都の
八重桜 けふ九重に
昔のあなたの 涙もぜんぶ
今日の花びらに なっている
胸を張って 咲けばいい
うまくいくかは わからない
それでもいいんだ
つぼみのままで 終わるよりも
開く痛みを 選ぼう
いにしへの 奈良の都の 八重桜
けふ九重に にほひぬるかな
いにしへの 奈良の都の
八重桜 けふ九重に
千年たっても 花は咲くから
あなたの春も 何度でも来る
ふるえごと 咲いてしまえばいい
にほひぬるかな……
今日の光の 真ん中で
Inishie no (Shika-shu / Ise no Taifu, Hyakunin Isshu No. 61) Garu JP
One deep breath before the mirror
Lacing up your brand-new shoes
Today is the day — even the sky is clearing
You clench your trembling hands
The days you've piled up will not betray you
It's all right — hold your head up high
From the ancient capital of Nara
Double cherry blossoms — bloom proudly today
Like the flowers of a thousand years ago
Your moment is opening now
Today's light belongs to you
The place someone handed over to you
Is their sign that says "you can do this"
The warmth of the hand that tapped your shoulder
Is pushing you gently from behind
Trembling with fear and pounding with hope
Are made of one and the same heartbeat
From the ancient capital of Nara
Double cherry blossoms, today at the palace
All the tears you cried back then
Have turned into today's petals
Just bloom with your head held high
No one knows if it will go well
And that's all right
Rather than ending as an unopened bud
Let's choose the pain of blooming
Double cherry blossoms of ancient Nara
How they blossom today in the ninefold palace
From the ancient capital of Nara
Double cherry blossoms, today at the palace
Flowers still bloom after a thousand years
Your spring will come again and again
So bloom — trembling and all
How they blossom today...
In the very center of today's light