Sukiyaki Lyrics in Japanese with English Translation

If you’re learning Japanese, you don’t need more flashcards—you need phrases that actually stick. That’s why I love using songs. When you sing something a few times (even badly), your brain starts grabbing patterns automatically: particles like を (o) / が (ga) / は (wa), little connectors like 〜て (-te) and 〜ながら (-nagara), and common shapes like 〜ように (yō ni) (“so that…”).

And honestly, 上を向いて歩こう (Ue o muite arukō)—often called “Sukiyaki” outside Japan—is perfect for this. The lines are short, the vocabulary repeats, and the emotion makes the meaning easier to remember. Below I’m breaking the entire song down line-by-line with romaji first, a normal translation, a literal word-for-word translation, and the Japanese characters (with readings so you can actually sing it). Then we’ll reuse the key words in fresh example sentences so you can take them out of “song mode” and into real Japanese.

Sukiyaki Lyrics 上を向いて歩こう (Ue o muite arukō)

Romaji: Ue o muite arukō
Natural: Let’s walk looking up.
Literal: up / (o = object marker) / facing / let’s-walk
Characters: 上(うえ)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう

Romaji: Namida ga koborenai yō ni
Natural: So my tears won’t spill.
Literal: tears / (ga = subject marker) / not-spill / so-that (yō ni)
Characters: 涙(なみだ)が零(こぼ)れないように

Romaji: Omoidasu haru no hi
Natural: I remember a spring day.
Literal: recall / spring / of (no) / day
Characters: 思(おも)い出(だ)す春(はる)の日(ひ)

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Romaji: Ue o muite arukō
Natural: Let’s walk looking up.
Literal: up / (o) / facing / let’s-walk
Characters: 上(うえ)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう

Romaji: Nijinda hoshi o kazoete
Natural: Counting the blurred stars.
Literal: blurred / stars / (o) / counting-and (-te connector)
Characters: 滲(にじ)んだ星(ほし)を数(かぞ)えて

Romaji: Omoidasu natsu no hi
Natural: I remember a summer day.
Literal: recall / summer / of (no) / day
Characters: 思(おも)い出(だ)す夏(なつ)の日(ひ)

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Romaji: Shiawase wa kumo no ue ni
Natural: Happiness is above the clouds.
Literal: happiness / (wa = topic) / clouds / of (no) / above / in (ni)
Characters: 幸(しあわ)せは雲(くも)の上(うえ)に

Romaji: Shiawase wa sora no ue ni
Natural: Happiness is above the sky.
Literal: happiness / (wa) / sky / of (no) / above / in (ni)
Characters: 幸(しあわ)せは空(そら)の上(うえ)に

Romaji: Ue o muite arukō
Natural: Let’s walk looking up.
Literal: up / (o) / facing / let’s-walk
Characters: 上(うえ)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう

Romaji: Namida ga koborenai yō ni
Natural: So my tears won’t spill.
Literal: tears / (ga) / not-spill / so-that (yō ni)
Characters: 涙(なみだ)が零(こぼ)れないように

Romaji: Nakinagara aruku
Natural: I walk while crying.
Literal: crying-while (-nagara = “while…”) / walk
Characters: 泣(な)きながら歩(ある)く

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Romaji: Omoidasu aki no hi
Natural: I remember an autumn day.
Literal: recall / autumn / of (no) / day
Characters: 思(おも)い出(だ)す秋(あき)の日(ひ)

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Romaji: Kanashimi wa hoshi no kage ni
Natural: Sadness is in the shadow of the stars.
Literal: sadness / (wa = topic) / stars / of (no) / shadow / in (ni)
Characters: 悲(かな)しみは星(ほし)の影(かげ)に

Romaji: Kanashimi wa tsuki no kage ni
Natural: Sadness is in the shadow of the moon.
Literal: sadness / (wa) / moon / of (no) / shadow / in (ni)
Characters: 悲(かな)しみは月(つき)の影(かげ)に

Romaji: Ue o muite arukō
Natural: Let’s walk looking up.
Literal: up / (o) / facing / let’s-walk
Characters: 上(うえ)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう

Romaji: Namida ga koborenai yō ni
Natural: So my tears won’t spill.
Literal: tears / (ga) / not-spill / so-that (yō ni)
Characters: 涙(なみだ)が零(こぼ)れないように

Romaji: Nakinagara aruku
Natural: I walk while crying.
Literal: crying-while (-nagara) / walk
Characters: 泣(な)きながら歩(ある)く

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Romaji: Hitoribocchi no yoru
Natural: A lonely night.
Literal: all-alone / of (no) / night
Characters: 一人(ひとり)ぼっちの夜(よる)

Key Vocabulary List

These words make up the “emotional core” of the song.

• 上 (Ue): Up / Above

• 歩く (Aruku): To walk (Arukō is the “let’s” form)

• 涙 (Namida): Tears

• 零れる (Koboreru): To spill / To overflow / To fall

• 思い出す (Omoidasu): To remember / To recall

• 一人ぼっち (Hitoribocchi): All alone / Lonely

• 夜 (Yoru): Night

• 星 (Hoshi): Star

• 幸せ (Shiawase): Happiness

• 悲しみ (Kanashimi): Sadness / Sorrow

• 影 (Kage): Shadow / Silhouette

Sentence Practice: New Contexts

To truly learn these words, you need to see them outside the song. Here is how you can use the main vocabulary in daily conversation.

1. 上 (Ue) – Up/Above

• Sentence: 猫がテーブルの上にいます。

• Romaji: Neko ga tēburu no ue ni imasu.

• Literal: Cat [subject] table’s above at exists.

• Natural: The cat is on the table.

2. 思い出す (Omoidasu) – To Recall

• Sentence: 彼の名前を思い出せません。

• Romaji: Kare no namae o omoidasemasen.

• Literal: His name [object] cannot recall.

• Natural: I can’t remember his name.

3. 幸せ (Shiawase) – Happiness

• Sentence: 私は今、とても幸せです。

• Romaji: Watashi wa ima, totemo shiawase desu.

• Literal: I [topic] now, very happy am.

• Natural: I am very happy right now.

4. 一人ぼっち (Hitoribocchi) – All Alone

• Sentence: 一人ぼっちで映画を見ました。

• Romaji: Hitoribocchi de eiga o mimashita.

• Literal: All alone [by means of] movie watched.

• Natural: I watched a movie by myself.

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A Quick Grammar Tip:

The phrase “~nagara” (as in Nakinagara – while crying) is a great tool for learners. You just take the “Masu-stem” of a verb and add nagara to show two actions happening at once.

• Tabe-nagara = While eating.

• Yomi-nagara = While reading.

Here are five common examples using the Masu-stem (the part of the verb before -masu).

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1. Walking and Listening

• Verb: Kikimasu (To listen) $\to$ Kiki

• Sentence: 音楽を聞きながら歩きます。

• Romaji: Ongaku o kiki-nagara arukimasu.

• Literal: Music [object] listening-while walk.

• Natural: I walk while listening to music.

2. Drinking and Talking

• Verb: Nomimasu (To drink) $\to$ Nomi

• Sentence: コーヒーを飲みながら話しましょう。

• Romaji: Kōhī o nomi-nagara hanashimashō.

• Literal: Coffee [object] drinking-while let’s talk.

• Natural: Let’s talk while drinking coffee.

3. Watching and Eating

• Verb: Mimasu (To watch) $\to$ Mi

• Sentence: テレビを見ながら晩ご飯を食べます。

• Romaji: Terebi o mi-nagara bangohan o tabemasu.

• Literal: TV [object] watching-while dinner [object] eat.

• Natural: I eat dinner while watching TV.

4. Singing and Playing

• Verb: Utaimasu (To sing) $\to$ Utai

• Sentence: 歌いながらギターを弾きます。

• Romaji: Utai-nagara gitā o hikimasu.

• Literal: Singing-while guitar [object] play.

• Natural: I play the guitar while singing.

5. Thinking and Writing

• Verb: Kangaemasu (To think) $\to$ Kanga-e

• Sentence: 考えながら書きます。

• Romaji: Kanga-e-nagara kakimasu.

• Literal: Thinking-while write.

• Natural: I write while thinking (I think as I write).

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Pro-Tip

When using ~nagara The second verb (the one at the end of the sentence) is always considered the "main" or "primary" action. The ~nagara The verb is the secondary action happening in the background!

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