Have you ever been outside in the quiet evening and heard a bird call? It might sound loud and strong, like "Caw! Caw!" That is the sound of a crow. In Japan, there is a famous, gentle song about a crow, but it is not a scary song. It is a song about a mother crow calling for her children. It is a song about family and home. Let's listen to the Japanese song "The Seven Little Crows (七つの子)."
About the Song
Here are the gentle and caring lyrics of this classic Japanese folk song:
かーらす なぜ なくの からすは やまに かわいい 七つの こが いるからよ かーわいい かわいい と なくの
Romanized Japanese: Kārasu naze naku no Karasu wa yama ni Kawaii nanatsu no ko ga iru kara yo Kāawaii kawaii to naku no
English Translation: Crow, why do you cry? The crow is in the mountains Because she has seven lovely children "Cute, cute," she cries
This is a soft, loving, and traditional Japanese song. The song is like a kind question and a warm answer. Someone sees a crow and asks it, "Why do you call out so much?" Then, the singer gives a beautiful answer. The crow calls because she is a mother thinking of her children far away. Her call is a song of love.
What the Song is About
The song is a quiet conversation about a mother's love. First, someone asks the crow a question. "Crow, why do you cry?" The person wonders about the loud call. Where is the crow? "The crow is in the mountains." She is high up, away from the town.
Why is she there? The answer is full of love. "Because she has seven lovely children." She is a mother! She has seven little ones. And what is her call saying? Her call sounds like she is saying "Cute, cute" as she thinks of them. Her loud "caw" is really a mother's word for "my sweet, lovely children." The song turns a simple bird sound into a message of care.
Who Made It & Its Story
The lyrics for this song were written by the poet Saijō Yaso, and the music was composed by Nagayo Motoori. It was created in 1921 (Taishō period) and is a beloved part of Japan's traditional children's song collection. The song reflects a warm, nostalgic view of nature and family. It is loved for three heartfelt reasons. First, it beautifully personifies an animal often seen as common or noisy, transforming the crow's call into a touching expression of maternal love, teaching children empathy and to look for deeper meaning in the natural world. Second, it uses a simple, memorable Q&A structure ("Why? Because...") that is easy for children to follow and remember, while the melody is gentle, slightly sad, and very expressive, perfectly matching the feeling of a loving call across a distance. Third, it introduces the cultural and somewhat mysterious charm of the number "seven" (七つ - nanatsu) in a family context, sparking curiosity about the "seven children" and creating a gentle, story-like image that stays in the mind.
When to Sing It
This song is perfect for quiet, thoughtful moments. You can sing it softly in the late afternoon or early evening when you hear crows or other birds calling, imagining they are calling for their families. It’s wonderful to sing when you are missing your own family or friends, thinking of them with love. You can also sing it as a gentle lullaby, because it is a song about a parent’s care for their children.
What Children Can Learn
This warm song is wonderful for learning about family, asking "why," and describing where someone is in Japanese. It teaches us to think with our hearts.
Vocabulary
The song teaches us family and nature words. "Crow" (からす / karasu). "Why" (なぜ / naze). "Cry/call (for a bird or animal)" (なく / naku). "Mountain" (やま / yama). "In/on/at" (に / ni). "Lovely/cute" (かわいい / kawaii). "Seven (children/things)" (七つの / nanatsu no). "Child" (こ / ko). "There is/has (for living things)" (いる / iru). "Because" (から / kara). "(Quotation marker, 'that')" (と / to).
Let’s use these words! You can ask a question: "なぜ ないているの？" (Why are you crying?) Or describe a family: "かわいい いもうと が いる。" (I have a cute little sister.) New word: おかあさん (okaasan). This means "mother." You can say, "やさしい おかあさん。" (A kind mother.)
Language Skills
This song is a gentle lesson in asking for a reason with "なぜ" (naze - why) and giving a reason with "から" (kara - because). It also shows how to state the location of a person or animal using "[Place] に いる" ([Place] ni iru).
Concept Definition: We are learning the question word "なぜ" (naze), which means "why." We use it to ask for a reason. We are also learning the answer word "から" (kara), which means "because." It gives the reason. We are learning the existence word "いる" (iru), which means "to exist" for people and animals, or "to have" when used with "が."
Features and Types:
- Question "なぜ" (naze): It asks for the cause or reason. It often starts a question. "なぜ なくの？" (Why do (you) cry?)
- Answer "から" (kara): It comes after the reason. "[Reason] から。" (Because [reason].)
- Existence/Location "いる" (iru): It tells us a person or animal is in a place. [Person/Animal] は [Place] に いる。
How to Spot Them: Here is the "Reason Finder" and "Place Finder" trick. Listen for the word "なぜ" (naze) at the start. A "why" question is coming! Look for "から" (kara) at the end of a phrase; it often gives the reason. Look for "に いる" (ni iru) after a place word. It tells you where someone is.
How to Use Them: To ask why, use: なぜ + [situation]? To answer why, use: [Reason] + から。To say where someone is, use: [Person] は [Place] に いる。 Example from the song: "なぜ なくの？" (Why do you cry?) "こ が いる から。" (Because I have children.) "からす は やま に いる。" (The crow is in the mountains.)
Example you can make: "なぜ わらう？" (Why do you laugh?) "たのしい から。" (Because it's fun.) "ねこ は いえ に いる。" (The cat is at home.)
Sounds & Rhythm Fun
The melody of "七つの子" is slow, gentle, and a little bit sad. The rhythm is flowing and calm. It does not make you want to dance; it makes you want to listen and feel. The melody rises and falls like a gentle call.
The song uses a beautiful, stretched-out sound. The first word, "かーらす" (kārasu), holds the first sound "か" (ka) for a long time. It sounds like the long, calling "caw" of a crow. This long note makes the song feel thoughtful and deep. The word "かわいい" (kawaii - cute) is also repeated softly, like a mother saying a loving word over and over. This gentle, calling rhythm is perfect for making your own caring animal song. Try singing: "いぬ いぬ なぜ ほえるの？" (Dog, dog, why do you bark?) to the same slow, gentle tune.
Culture & Big Ideas
In Japan, crows (karasu) are common birds seen in both cities and mountains. They are very smart. This song shows a kind and caring side of the crow, which people sometimes find noisy. The number 七つ (nanatsu - seven) is a special number in many cultures, often meaning "many" or "a complete set." Here, it paints a picture of a full, busy bird family.
The song conveys three gentle ideas. First, it encourages empathy and looking beyond first impressions, asking us to imagine the inner life and feelings of another creature (a noisy crow) and see her calls as expressions of love and care for her family, not just as noise. Second, it celebrates the universal bond of family and a parent's love, showing that this love exists everywhere, even in nature, and that calls across a distance (like a child calling for a parent, or this crow calling) are often calls of connection. Third, it teaches a simple but profound way of understanding the world: by asking "why?" and then imagining a kind, story-filled answer, we can find beauty and meaning in everyday sights and sounds.
Values & Imagination
Imagine you are in a quiet mountain village as the sun starts to set. The sky is turning orange. You see a big, black crow land on an old pine tree. She lets out a loud "Caw! Caw!" You used to think that sound was just noise. But now, you know the song. You listen again. Her call sounds different now. It sounds like she is saying, "My children! My sweet ones!" You imagine her nest, hidden high in the mountain rocks. Inside are seven fluffy, black crow chicks, waiting for their mother. Her call is not a cry; it is a lullaby from far away. Draw this: draw a big, gentle-looking crow sitting on a tree branch on one side of your paper. On the other side, high on a mountain, draw a simple nest with seven little open beaks. Draw a curvy line between them, like the sound of her call traveling. This shows the song's message of love across distance.
The song encourages us to be kind and curious listeners. Not every loud sound is noise; maybe it has a beautiful reason. It teaches us to think about families in nature, just like our own. It shows that love can be the reason for many actions. A wonderful activity is the "Why? Because..." game. Listen to a sound—a car horn, a bird, a door closing. Ask, "Why did it make that sound?" Make up a kind, funny, or story-filled "because." Example: "Why did the car honk? Because it was saying 'hello' to its friend, the traffic light." This plays with the song's question-and-answer heart.
Your Core Takeaways
You are now an expert on the Japanese song "The Seven Little Crows (七つの子)." You know it is a gentle, traditional Japanese song that asks a crow why it calls and answers that it's because she has seven lovely children in the mountains. You’ve learned Japanese words like "からす," "なぜ," "かわいい," and "いる," and you’ve practiced asking "なぜ" (why), answering with "から" (because), and placing someone with "に いる". You’ve felt its slow, gentle, and caring rhythm that sounds like a loving call. You’ve also discovered how the song finds a family story in nature, teaches empathy, and finds beauty in a simple question.
Your Practice Missions
First, be a "なぜ から" Detective. Find something happening—a sibling is laughing, a pet is sleeping. Ask "why" in Japanese: "なぜ わらっているの？" (Why are you laughing?) Then, give a creative reason with "から": "おもしろい え を みた から。" (Because I saw a funny picture.) This mission helps you use the song's Q&A pattern.
Second, be a "Crow's Call" Listener. The next time you hear a bird calling, stop for 10 seconds. Don't just hear the sound. Imagine a "why." Is it calling for its family? Saying the weather is nice? Singing a song? Think your own "because" reason in your heart. This mission connects you to the song's spirit of kind, imaginative listening.