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CULTURAL REPORT
An Introduction to the Traditional Japanese Music
DODOITSU is a traditional Japanese song form, short and easy often sung by GEISHA girls for entertainment at parties. The distinguishing feature of DODOITSU is that it goes like 7+7+7+5 counting the number of Japanese syllables. There is no need to consider rhyming like English poetry.
Another important feature of DODOITSU is that it often contains some sense of humor to make people laugh or at least smile. Most commonly, the first three lines of 7+7+7 try to tell a story drawing the listeners' attention, and then, the portion in the last five syllables concludes the laughable story as the 'punch line', so to speak.
Another feature of DODOITSU is that it often tells a story of love and may sound somewhat elegantly erotic in its context.
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I will show you an example here:
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SAKURA NO SHITA DE
II SAKE NONDE
HIZAMAKURA SITA
YUME O MITA |
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This can be literally translated into English with the same number of English syllables as
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Under cherry blossoms and
drinking some good tasty wine,
with my head on her lap,
'twas the dream I dreamed! |
In the last line, the story told in the first three lines is revealed to be a dream.
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During the course of FALIA seminar, seminar participants made DODOITSU verses of their own, in English, counting the number of syllables as 7+7+7+5.
We attach herewith some masterpieces of their DODOITSU. |
| FALIA PARTICIPANTS' DODOITSU SONGS |
| --May 2002-- |
I met you in FALIA and
now I like to be with you
and we're Happy together
Why must we go home?
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| Suprianto, Indonesia |
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From Different parts of the world
we came to see each other
How wonderful it could be
if time stops forever.
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| Aydan, Turkey |
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As I tried origami
I found it very hopeless
then I tried dodoitsu
it sounds terrible.
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| Dom, Turkey |
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At the seminar classes
most of the men are sleeping
but Huang asks his questions
to wake everyone up.
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| Yashin, Uzbekistan |
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| --June 2002-- |
Over hills and over seas
have I come to see her charms,
with her skin so soft and smooth
since her clothes were thin.
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| Iskandar, Malaysia |
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You apply, then you declare
notify and certify
Men propose, women respond
"yes", "no", or "maybe"!
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| Carrizosa, Colombia |
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When I was there in Tokyo
daytime so enjoyable
and yet nighttime rather dark
I missed my husband.
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| Sule, Turkey |
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| --July, 2002-- |
FALIA members, I thank you
Hakone and the black eggs.
Dotoitsu will be better
with geisha girls, yes?
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| Wong, Malaysia |
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Everytime I tried to eat,
I couldn't b'cause of chopsticks
I lost weight, so now I know
why you are so slim.
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| Dur, Turkey |
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Love is like a piece of cake,
with attractive, tasty look.
What happens if we get it?
Eat and nothing's left.
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| Zaitov, Uzbekistan |
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Since bored in my hotel room,
I reached Shibuya to meet
many beautiful ladies,
now, I feel happy!
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| Handaya, Indonesia |
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| --September, 2002-- |
Staying far away from home,
I don't have a close friend here.
But I am very happy.
You know why I am!
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| Kanjana, Thailand |
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I was to come to Tokyo.
Seven and half hours flying
seemed to be a long journey.
But why sad to leave?
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| Lim, Singapore |
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| --October, 2002-- |
Japanese is not easy.
Hotels are very costly.
But we're now very sorry,
FALIA sends us back.
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| Terzioglu, Turkey |
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A woman's "no" means "may be".
If she says "may be", 't means "yes".
Women won't say "yes" to men.
Don't wait for her "yes"!
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| Chamnarnsil, Thailand |
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