Song description
Hello, everyone! This song is a fun and playful take on Japanese tongue twisters, blending rhythm and humor to create a cheerful and energetic vibe. Tongue twisters, or “hayakuchi kotoba” in Japanese, are phrases designed to challenge your pronunciation skills by combining tricky sounds. They’re not only great for practicing the language but also a fun way to test your speed and focus!
The lyrics include some of the most famous Japanese tongue twisters, like:
- Namamugi, namagome, namatamago
(Raw wheat, raw rice, raw eggs) - Niwa ni wa, niwa, niwatori ga iru
(In the garden, there are two chickens.) - Sumomo mo, momo mo, momo no uchi
(Plums and peaches are both types of peaches.)
These phrases might sound like nonsense at first, but they’re beloved in Japan for their rhythmic and tricky sounds. They’re also a great icebreaker, so if you’re learning Japanese, trying these out with friends can be hilarious!
One of my personal favorites is:
Bouzu ga, byoubu ni, jouzu ni, bouzu no, e wo kaita
(A monk skillfully painted a picture of a monk on a folding screen.)
This one always trips people up because of the repeating “bouzu” sounds—try saying it three times fast without stumbling!
And who could forget the classic:
Aomakigami, akamakigami, kimakigami
(Blue-wrapped hair, red-wrapped hair, yellow-wrapped hair.)
This one feels like a tongue gymnastics challenge!
The lyrics also feature an especially tricky one:
Toukyou tokkyo kyokakyoku kyokuchou
(The chief of the Tokyo patent office.)
Even native Japanese speakers find this one difficult—it’s a tongue-twisting legend!
To make it even more fun, we added a playful twist with the phrase:
Kaeru pyoko pyoko, mi pyoko pyoko, awasete pyoko pyoko, mu pyoko pyoko
(A frog hops “pyoko pyoko,” another hops “pyoko pyoko,” and together they hop “mu pyoko pyoko.”)
It’s lighthearted and perfect for a sing-along!
This song isn’t just about the words themselves—it’s about celebrating the quirks of the Japanese language in a way that’s lively and engaging. Whether you’re a fluent speaker or just starting to learn Japanese, these tongue twisters are sure to make you smile.
So, why not give it a try? Even if you stumble, that’s part of the fun! Let’s twist those tongues and enjoy the ride!
Streaming video
YouTube
Here are the streaming videos on YouTube.
TikTok
Here are the streaming videos on TikTok.
Coming Soon.
Lyrics
Wah・・・
Uh・・・
Namamugi, namagome, namatamago
Niwa ni wa, niwa, niwatori ga iru
Sumomo mo, momo mo, momo no uchi
Shinjin kashu, shinshun shanson sho
Bouzu ga, byoubu ni, jouzu ni, bouzu no, e wo kaita
Aomakigami, akamakigami, kimakigami
Toukyou tokkyo kyokakyoku kyokuchou
Kaeru pyoko pyoko,
mi pyoko pyoko,
awasete pyoko pyoko, mu pyoko pyoko
Namamugi, namagome, namatamago
Niwa ni wa, niwa, niwatori ga iru
Sumomo mo, momo mo, momo no uchi
Shinjin kashu, shinshun shanson sho
Bouzu ga, byoubu ni, jouzu ni, bouzu no, e wo kaita
Aomakigami, akamakigami, kimakigami
Toukyou tokkyo
kyokakyoku kyokuchou
Kaeru pyoko pyoko,
mi pyoko pyoko pyoko,
awasete pyoko pyoko, mu pyoko pyoko
Namamugi, namagome, namatamago
Niwa ni wa, niwa, niwatori ga iru
Sumomo mo, momo mo, momo no uchi
Shinjin kashu, shinshun shanson sho
Bouzu ga, byoubu ni, jouzu ni, bouzu no, e wo kaita
Aomakigami, akamakigami, kimakigami
Toukyou tokkyo kyokakyoku kyokuchou
Kaeru pyoko pyoko,
mi pyoko pyoko,
awasete pyoko pyoko, mu pyoko pyoko
Namamugi・・・
Namamugi,
namagome, namatamago
Niwa ni wa, niwa,
Niwa ni wa, niwatori ga iru
Sumomo mo, momo mo, momo no uchi
Shinjin kashu,
shinshun shanson sho
Bouzu ga, byoubu ni, jouzu ni, bouzu no, e wo kaita
Aomakigami,
akamakigami, kimakigami
Toukyou tokkyo kyokakyoku kyokuchou
Kaeru pyoko pyoko,
mi pyoko pyoko,
awasete pyoko pyoko,
mu pyoko pyoko