A Japanese Folk Melody

With this beautifully lyrical piece, expect to be transported to the cherry blossoms of Japan. Why not pray for the people of that nation?

This live recording features Catherine Porter, WEC worker and professional harpist, who plays an instrumental arrangement of this very well known and loved Japanese folk song. Catherine works in Japan and has a vision to use music to bring healing and God's love. She has spent some time ministering to the survivors of the 2011 tsunami.

The song was first composed for children learning to play the Japanese plucked zither, the koto, which sounds quite like a harp. The traditional song has the lyrics "Blooming cherry blossoms" and in 1980 Nobuaki Hanaoka used the same melody for a Christian Hymn. The first verse of this hymn has the following words in English:

"Praise the LORD, praise the LORD, for the greenness of the trees, For the beauty of the flowers, for the blueness of the sky, For the greatness of the sea; praise the LORD, praise the LORD, now and forever."

Style: Traditional Japanese Folk Melody
Composer: Traditional
Arranger: Catherine Porter
Recorded: live in Clacton, England, 2011
Instruments: Catherine Porter (harp)
Contact for track: Catherine Porter
Full title:Sakura, Sakura (“Cherry Blossom”)
Local title: さくら さくら
Romanised Title: Sakura, Sakura
Copyright: ©2011 WEC International

Photo Credit: Pexels