Introduction: Overview & Sources

English Hymnals which Contain Japanese Hymns

Popular Japanese Hymns in English Hymnals

Which Japanese Hymns are really popular in Japan?

Much less was known about Japanese hymnody among English speaking people until the "Hymn Explosion" has happened. It was not easy to find a Japanese hymn in English hymnal published before 1980, since they simply ignored international, especially Asian, hymnody. One of a few exceptions is CANTATE DOMINUM: An Ecumenical Hymn Book (3rd edition,1974), published by the World Council of Churches (WCC). Among 200 valuable international hymn repertoire, three were regarded as "Japanese origin." They are:

#106 "In this World abound" Tune= MOSO

#114 "Here, O Lord, Thy Servants Gather" Tune= TOKYO

#125 "Ah, what shame I have to bear" Tune= IMAYO

These hymn tunes must sound like "Oriental" for many Western ears. That's true. They are very traditional in its musical vocabulary, however, there have been no places for them in Japanese Christian churches. They have had a place in Japanese Hymnals, off course, so that the editors of CANTATA DOMINUM could choose them. To tell the truth, majority of contemporary Japanese Christians even do not know these tunes are in their own hymnals! The Japanese contributions to CANTATA DOMINUM, therefore, was by no means a representative of Japanese Christian congregation. Rather, they are chosen according to their editorial policy, "from a wide variety of cultures." A Japanese hymn "Praise the Lord" with the tune of SAKURA, which is found in some contemporary English hymnals, is the same token. Since Japanese traditional tunes are totally foreign to our daily life except for at public school, and the musical vocabulary has been strongly connected with Shinto rituals, very few try to popularize these tunes in our church.

Even though only one Japanese hymn was included, Lutheran Book of Worship(1978), which is regarded as a starting point of the "hymnal explsion" of our age, has also broken a new ground for Japanese hymnody in its international context. The hymn they chose was "In a Lowly Manger Born" with the tune of MABUNE, which means "a manger" in Japanese. The tune was Japanese origin, but it sounds like Sunday School songs by Mason and Bradbury, or even less fascinating. The poem is composed by the late Rev. Ko Yuki, who is regarded as a Japanese Charles Wesley. As a renowned Pascahl scholar, liturgist, hymnologist, and a pastor, his poems are in plain language with deep theological insights. "In a Lowly Manger Born," known as an incarnational hymn, is one of his best pieces, and best loved hymns in Japanese churches. Therefore, it is fair to say this is one of the representatives of Japanese hymnody, in spite of its musical modesty.

The next stage came with more authentic and practical international hymnals. "Hymns from the Four Winds: A Collection of Asian American Hymns, published by the United Methodist Church in 1983, contains 125 Asian hymns for the use of Asian Americans, who need to obtain their hymnic cultures in English for their heirs. Of 125 hymns, 23 are works of Japanese Americans, so that it is used as a small anthology of Japanese hymnody. The other important Asian hymnal, Sound the Bamboo: CCA Hymnal (Trial edition), appears in 1990, as a joint publiccation of the Christian Conference of Asia(CCA) and the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music. While the former was for the use of Asian Americans who sing their ethnic hymn repertoire mainly in English, the latter was supposed to be used in Asian context. The texts in original languages are maintained as can as possible with Roman characters. It has more value as an anthology, than a practical hymnal for local churches. Of 280 hymns, 15 to 19 are Japanese works in any sense.

Due to poor personal library of my own, the following statics is not comprehensive one. I checked about 25 modern hymnals, and most of them are published after 1980. I hope the readers as you, will give me a feedback to complete the list.

For those who are interested in Japanese hymnody, there are some general articles in English. You can ckeck articles by P.S.McAlpine,"Japanese Hymnody: Its Background and Development," in THE HYMN 32:1 (1981), pp.37- 45, or by M.L.Olson, "Japanese Hymns: Problem and Directions," in THE JAPAN CHRISTIAN QUARTERLY (1975), pp. 234-240. C.Michael Hawn's "A Survey of Trends in Recent Protestant Hymnals: International Hymnody" HYMN 42:4 (1991),24-32, is also helpful. On the revisional process of the most recent Japanese hymnal, SANBIKA 21, one can consult a dissertation by Dr. Yokosaka submitted to Columbia Teacher's College, NY, in 1985, entitling Developing the Guidlines for the revision of the Hymnal (1954) of the United Church of Christ in Japan [pp.215/ m Order Nr. AAC 8525536].

# 1. "In a Lowly Manger Born" or "Behold the Man"// MABUNE #

# 9. "Your Spirit in All Majesty" by T.Sano// APPLEGATE by T.Sano (1973/1981)

#17. "Praise the Lord" by N. Hanaoka (1980) [3vs.]
// Sakura(Traditional: Not a hymn tune for Japanese)

#37. "Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather"//TOKYO

#38. "In this World abound"// MOSO

#41."Now, Let us Sing a New Song" // KAMITAKATA

#49. "Send your Word"// MIKOTOBA

#50. "Word of the Lord" // KIYOKI FUMI

#52. "The Sun is Rising O'er the World"// CHRISTMAS DAY

#55. "Ah, What Shame I Have to Bear"/ IMAYO

#56. "Oh, the Eyes of Christ the Lord"// SHU NO HITOMI

#61. "Come, O Come to Me"// COME TO ME

#68. "I Raised My Eyes unto the Lord"// OMIYA

#69. "In Lonely Mountain Ways"// GOLDEN HILL (A Western tune)

#70. "In the Dawn of the Morn"// INORI NO ZA

#84. "O You Fertile Soil"// KUROTSUCHI

#89. "The Light that Comes with Daybreak"// ETENRAKU

#90. "The Sun of Righteousness"// GI NO TAIYO

#99. "Joyful Christmas Day is Here"// KURISUMASU

#101."Jesus My Friend is Great"// KANTO

#103."Para Para Pitter Pat"// NAKADA

#107."A Grain of Wheat"// MUGI

#108."Climb on, Climb on, Young Friend"// ASCENDIMUS

#23. "Praise the Lord" by N. Hanaoka (1980) [3vs.] // Sakura

#27. "Now, Let us Sing a New Song" // KAMITAKATA

#44. "Here I am"// MIKOKORO

#52. "Come, Join the Flowers in Fragrant Fields"// TINSAGU FLOWERS

#54. "Dawn and the Light of Sunrise"// ETENRAKU

#68. "Jesus Built the Church"// CHRISTIAN HOME

#69. "Distracted by the World's Concerns"// UCHI NARU MIYA

#83. "Gatheing Round the Table of the Lord"// MARANATHA

#158. "In the Dawn of the Morn"// INORI NO ZA

#189."Why Has God Forsaken Me?" by Bill Wallace// SHIMPI by T.Sato

#194. "Lo, Now Ascends the Morning Star"// YOKOHI

#195. "In Old Galilee when Sweet Breezes Blew" // GARIRAYA NO KAZE

#207."Plodding on with Weary Footsteps"// COME TO ME

#216."In this World abound"// MOSO

#218."Send your Word, O Lord"// MIKOTOBA

#228. "To Everyone a Call Comes"// STILL SMALL VOICE

#242."Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather"//TOKYO

#250."Why am I Living"// NAN NO TAME

# 5. "Praise to God" by N. Hanaoka (1980), alt.,[3vs.] // Sakura

#72. "Sekai no Tomo(Here, O God, Your Servants Gather)"// TOKYO

#162. "In a Lowly Manger Born"// MABUNE

#203. "Ah, What Shame I Have to Bear"// IMAYO

#317. "Mikotoba o kudasai(Make a Gift of Your Holy Word)" // MIKOTOBA

#106. "In this World abound" // MOSO

#114. "Here, O Lord, Thy Servants Gather" // TOKYO

#125. "Ah, What Shame I Have to Bear" // IMAYO

#195. "Send your Word" // MIKOTOBA

#552. "Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather" // TOKYO

#429. "For Our Country" // (No tunes)

#39. "Joyful Christmas Day is Here" // KURISUMASU
#52. "Sheep Fast Asleep" // KORIN

#465. "Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather" // TOKYO

#179. "Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather" // TOKYO

#190. "Jesus My Friend is Great" // KANTO

#417. "In a Lowly Manger Born" // MABUNE

#211. "Sheep Fast Asleep" // KORIN

#251. "Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather" // TOKYO

Japanese Source Abbreviation:

S = Sanbika (1954) by Japanese Hymnal Committee [Kyodan Shuppan Kyoku]
IIS = Sanbika II (1967) by Japanese Hymnal Committee
IIIS = Sanbika III [Tomoni Utaou](1976) by Japanese Hymnal Committee
S21 = Sanbika 21, revised edition of Sanbika (1954)

Which Japanese Hymns are really popular in Japan?

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