Lyric

The narrow path of the Kamakura road

Leads straight to you

Once, there were blooming irises

Now, only the whispering branches of old pines remain

Time has left me behind

You must have grown old by now

Yet in my memories

You remain as Sumimaru

Giving you that silly nickname—

I’m sorry for that

The only thing I ever gave you

Was just that

Ink bleeds like your heart

Tears blur upon my cheeks

You were a small shadow

Always following behind me

I thought it would never change

Twenty-five years is a long time

You have always been so stubborn

I should have spoken more

I should have realized my own blindness

I want to see your smile again

To watch you work

Just as I did before

All the things you did for us

The way you loved my mother

The way you filled our home with light

The way you followed me wherever I went

The warmth you brought into our lives

You turned your back, saying we can’t go back

But how could love ever be a crime?

And if there is a sin to bear—

The light of home fades into the distance

My mother’s voice disappears into the wind

Thinking of you, alone in your solitude—

I was too blind to see

I never noticed the changes in you

Letting you go alone—

That was my greatest sin

The sound of the koto resonated in your heart

If only I had listened more closely

You walked a lonely road

But from now on, let’s walk it together

The weight you carried alone—

Let me bear it with you now

I never thought of you as a sacrifice for me

You shine, Sumimaru

Brighter than anyone else

I want to give you something

But I know you won’t accept it

So at the very least, let’s talk—

No resentment, no bitterness—just talk

Let’s speak of brighter things

Of the days when you shined, Sumimaru

Beneath the old pine

By the bridge at Yatsuhashi

In your home