Asmi brings a bittersweet tale of young love in ‘Under The Big Onion.’ The poet サンプラザ中野 pens heartfelt lyrics, while 嶋田陽一 composes a melody that mirrors the story’s longing. Together, they create a song that is both warm and sad.
Released: December 11, 2024
Under The Big Onion
Asmi
Under The Big Onion Lyrics English Translation by Asmi
The songwriter writes about two pen pals separated by distance and youth. One line, ‘I broke open my piggy bank and sent you a ticket,’ shows the lengths they go to meet. The ‘big onion,’ a metaphor for the Budokan’s roof, becomes a symbol of their unfulfilled connection.
Penfurendo no futari no koi wa tsunoru hodo niFor two pen pals, the more their love grows,
Kanashiku naru no ga sadameit’s their fate to end up in sadness.
Mata aoi inku gaOnce again, the blue ink
Namida de nijimuis blurred by my tears,
Setsunakuso painfully.
Wakasugiru karaBecause we’re too young,
Toosugiru karabecause we’re too far apart,
Aenai karabecause we can’t meet,
Aitaku naru no wa hitsuzenit’s inevitable that I’d want to see you.
Chokinbako kowashiteI broke open my piggy bank
Kimi ni okuttaand sent you
Chikettoa ticket.
Teikiire no naka no fotogurafuThere’s a photograph inside my pass case.
Egao wa ugokanai kedoYour smile doesn’t move, but
Ano ookina tamanegi no shita de hajimete kimi to aeruunder that ‘big onion’ ‘the Budokan’s roof’, I’ll finally get to meet you.
Kudanshita no eki wo orite sakamichi woI step off at Kudanshita Station and walk up the hill,
Hito no nagare oikoshite ikebapushing past the flow of the crowd.
Tasogaredoki kumo wa akaku yakeochiteAt twilight, the clouds burn a deep red,
Yane no ue ni hikaru tamanegiand the ‘onion’ shines on top of the roof.
Penfurendo no futari no koi wa kotoba dake gaFor two pen pals, words are
Tanomi no tsuna da neour only lifeline.
Nando moMany times,
Robii ni detemita yoI stepped out into the lobby,
Kimi no sugata wo sagashitesearching for any sign of you.
Anaunsu no koe ni hajikareteStartled by the sound of the announcement,
Kounfun ga nami no you ni hirogaru karaexcitement spreads through the room like a wave.
Kimi ga inai karaBut since you aren’t here,
Boku dake sabishikuteI’m the only one feeling lonely.
Kimi no henji yumikaeshiteI keep dreaming of your replies,
Seki wo tatsuand standing up from my seat.
Sonna koto wo tada kurikaeshiteI just keep repeating those same actions.
Tokei dake ga nani mo iwazuOnly the clock says nothing
Mawaru no saas it keeps on ticking.
Kimi no tame no seki ga tsumetaiThe seat I saved for you is cold.
Ankooru no hakushu no naka tobidashitaI rushed out in the middle of the encore applause.
Boku wa hitori namida wo ukabeteI’m all alone, with tears welling up in my eyes.
Chidorigafuchi tsuki no suimen furimukebaWhen I look back at the moonlit water of Chidorigafuchi,
Sunda sora ni hikaru tamanegithe ‘onion’ shines in the clear sky.
Kudanshita no eki e mukau hito no namiI’m lost in the wave of people heading to Kudanshita Station.
Boku wa hitori namida wo ukabeteI’m all alone, with tears streaming down my face.
Chidorigafuchi tsuki no suimen furimukebaLooking back at the moonlit water of Chidorigafuchi,
Sunda sora ni hikaru tamanegithe ‘onion’ glows in the clear sky.
Under The Big Onion Music Video
What does ‘Under The Big Onion’ mean? The lyrics tell the story of love and loneliness. Asmi’s heartfelt delivery in Japanese makes this song a touching tribute to young, distant relationships.