しゃなりはんなりどら焼き姫 (Shanari hannari dorayaki hime) – Swaying elegant Dorayaki princess
from Sakura Gakuin 2013 Nendo ~kizuna~ album.
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Dozing in glorious spring
The princess of coloured-glass
Dancing in circles as she grills sponge cake
Morning and evening, the spring wind fills with fragrance
Sakura petals
Light crimson red bean
The tiny princess at the end of the fork
Jumps with all her might
Pressing on the branding grill, and it’s done
Dorayaki beauty
A bashful sakura sauce
Delicious (swaying) (elegant) joyful
Long live Japan’s traditional ladies
Leisurely awakening
To the sweet fragrance
A feast (a dream) (reality) left
The princess has disappeared
Bouncy warabi mochi
Who is shaking it? Thieves?
Are you really making an appearance? Princess
Yawning and stretching, you appear once again!
After dorayaki
Comes a smooth cherry
Sakura ice-cream, a little stumble
Give it a lick, as the gentle breeze blows through the blooming profusion*
Dorayaki beauty
Soft skin like yoghurt
Butterflies (flutter) (gently) flowers
An alluring chaos of colours
Awakening to petals
Tickling her cheek
Magic (mystical) (possible) wrought
Where is the princess?
Soiya seiya
Choina choina
Everything is about
Dorayaki
Aiya aiya
Dedere koden
Come, take a rest
Have a taste
Dorayaki beauty
A bashful cherry blossom sauce
Delicious (swaying) (elegant) joyful
Long live Japan’s traditional ladies
Leisurely awakening
To the sweet fragrance
A feast (a dream) (reality) left
The princess has disappeared
Dorayaki beauty
Soft skin like yoghurt
Butterflies (flutter) (gently) flowers
An alluring chaos of colours
A single small handwritten note
Left on the plate
Mystical (but) (really) wonderful
Let’s eat, princess
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Notes:
1. “Shanari” is a phrase derived from old Kyoto, and describes the walking motions of a maiko or apprentice geisha; swaying and slightly pretentious.
2. “Dorayaki” is a traditional Japanese dessert consisting of two slices of sponge cake with red bean jam in between.
3. “Sakura” are cherry blossoms.
4. “Warabi mochi” is a traditional rice cake dish made using bracken starch.
5. The line describing flowers blooming in profusion has an alternate meaning of “a gathering of many beautiful women”.
6. The chants during the bridge, “soiya”, “seiya”, choina”, “aiya” etc are Japanese festival chants.
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