Nirai Kanai (Cocco song)
Encyclopedia
is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Cocco
, that was released as the lead single for her seventh original album, Emerald on June 9, 2010.
drums. Nirai Kanai is a reference to the mythical utopia/origin of life in Ryukyuan Shinto religions. The song's lyrics reference this place, in the context of an Okinawan festival. The Dragon God
of the sea is referenced, and the song also talks about how if good people exist in the world, bad people must also exist (in the lines "If there are praying people, there are also burning people" and "the rain also falls on criminals"). Other than "Nirai Kanai," several Okinawan phrases are in the lyrics: , , and a sentence in Okinawan: .
Cocco wrote the B-side, "Yagi no Sanpo," as a Christmas present to film director Ryūgo Nakamura, after he wrote her a letter expressing how much he enjoyed her music.
music show Japan Countdown. "Yagi no Sanpo" was used as the theme song of then 14 year old director Ryūgo Nakamura's debut feature length film Yagi no Bōken.
Cocco
is a female Ryukyuan folk rock singer who debuted in 1996 with a self-titled EP titled Cocko. A track from the EP, "Sing a Song ~No Music, No Life~", was used in an advertising campaign for Tower Records Japan. In March 1997, she released her major label debut single "Kauntodaun" and a full-length...
, that was released as the lead single for her seventh original album, Emerald on June 9, 2010.
Writing
The song is a mid-tempo rock song, backed with Okinawan festival taikoTaiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
drums. Nirai Kanai is a reference to the mythical utopia/origin of life in Ryukyuan Shinto religions. The song's lyrics reference this place, in the context of an Okinawan festival. The Dragon God
Ryujin
, also known as Ōwatatsumi, was the tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. This Japanese dragon symbolized the power of the ocean, had a large mouth, and was able to transform into a human shape. Ryūjin lived in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from...
of the sea is referenced, and the song also talks about how if good people exist in the world, bad people must also exist (in the lines "If there are praying people, there are also burning people" and "the rain also falls on criminals"). Other than "Nirai Kanai," several Okinawan phrases are in the lyrics: , , and a sentence in Okinawan: .
Cocco wrote the B-side, "Yagi no Sanpo," as a Christmas present to film director Ryūgo Nakamura, after he wrote her a letter expressing how much he enjoyed her music.
Promotion
"Nirai Kanai" was used as the ending theme song for the TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
music show Japan Countdown. "Yagi no Sanpo" was used as the theme song of then 14 year old director Ryūgo Nakamura's debut feature length film Yagi no Bōken.
Track listing
Chart rankings
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
4 |
| Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay | 6 |
| Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Weekly singles |
20 |
Reported sales
| Chart | Amount |
|---|---|
| Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... physical sales |
12,000 |