Time after time～花舞う街で～

Time after time by Mai Kuraki （倉木麻衣）

after so many years, still my favorite song of all time!



English Translation

If I had been able to meet you
I wouldn't have let go of you ever again
The hanamidou [1]
Tells of the end of spring
One petal from this misty flower...

And an old song floats back
Gently, even now, into my heart

Time after time
The miracle of meeting you
In a city where the wind whispered through
We walked a path through the hills hand in hand
And made an unforgettable promise

I can hear your voice in the wind
The thin ice freezes back over [2]
Long ago memories
Not knowing to be afraid of hurt, I swore
That someday, we'd meet again

Here, in a season of pale crimson
With smiles on our faces

Time after time
Alone in the city of whirling blossoms
Can't return to when things were fine [3]
In this very same place, just like on that day
With my face strewn with tears, I waited for you

Those petals fly in the whirling wind
As if stroking the water's surface
In my anguish, I treasure each and every one...

Everyone says that they're lonely
That they have to keep searching
For someone
But all they end up chasing after
Are the fleeting and fragile

Time after time
If I could have met you in the city of changing hues
I wouldn't need any more promises
More than anyone else
You are so easy to hurt
I want to be with you--this time, forever.

Note:
[1] A 'hanamidou' is a hall set up in front of every Buddhist temple and decorated with many beautiful flowers. This tradition commemorates the Buddha's birthday on April 8.
[2] Kuraki uses some obscure 'kigo' (seasonal phrases) in this song. 'Saeka(h)eru' refers to the weather getting chilly again in early spring after a period of warming, so in this line, I translated it as the thin ice (ie, over a pond/river) freezing back over. Kuraki said in an interview that she wanted to evoke an idea of early spring with these words.
[3] 'Chirazaru' means 'not scattered/dissipated'. I assume it primarily refers to the relationship between the romantic couple in this song, but it also hints at the scattered petals (ie, in 'the city of whirling blossoms').

Transliterated by Ran-san
Translated by teresa ko