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Sakura Sakura
A Japanese koto song from the 19th century, with the words printed in 1888, sung on “lah”: calm phrases in a Japanese five-note scale with two half steps.
Sakura Sakura is a Japanese song that began in the 19th century as a beginner's piece for the koto, the Japanese zither. Its melody and words, about cherry blossoms in a spring sky as far as the eye can see, were printed in 1888 in the Tokyo Music School's “Collection of Koto Music.” The app uses that version. The Japanese words appear only in the Japanese version of the app, so you sing it on “lah.” The song has 50 notes, runs about 44 seconds at 76 beats per minute in 4/4 time, and uses a Japanese five-note scale with two half steps.
How to do it
- Wait for the two count-in clicks. The piano plays the first phrase alone, then plays along with you.
- Sing every note on “lah” with an even, calm tone. Most notes are quarter notes, and the line ends get half notes.
- Listen for the half steps: at the top of the melody and throughout the low phrases.
- At the end of each low phrase, drop a half step to the lowest note and hold it steady.
Coach's tip: Half steps give the tune its Japanese sound – at the top of the melody and throughout the low phrases. Keep them narrow, and sing slowly and evenly.
What to watch out for
Keep the half steps narrow. If you sing them too wide, the tune loses its Japanese character and the piano roll shows the note off pitch. The slow tempo is the other challenge: the half notes tend to sag unless you keep a steady stream of breath. Don't push air at the start of a note and then run out at the end. The drop to the lowest note should stay relaxed, so don't press down on it. Stop if your voice feels tight.
Who it's for
Level 1, one of the easiest songs in the app and a good first melody. It suits beginners who want to practice slow, steady singing and listen closely to small intervals. Use it as a warm-up or as a calm cool-down. Before it, try Interval: major second and Long note 6 s. Afterward, sing Legato line on one breath. No program lists it. The daily training brings it up more often with the Folk / country style.
Opens the app in your browser. Free to start, no account needed. Put on headphones first.
Related exercises
- Are You Sleeping (Frère Jacques) A simple, well-known melody. A warm-up with lyrics.
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star A fifth leap at the start, then walking down the scale.
- Ode to Joy (Beethoven) The theme of the 9th Symphony. Only seconds – a step-by-step intonation test.
- Happy Birthday An octave leap in the third phrase. A classic trap.
- Twang on “nyah” A bright, narrow “nyah” on the first five scale degrees, holding the fifth. Twang is the safe base of rock edge – the voice sounds sharp while the throat stays loose.
- Pentatonic over a drone The piano holds a low drone – the tonic an octave down, like bagpipes or a hurdy-gurdy – and you sing the major pentatonic over it, up to the sixth and back. You hear the melody first, then sing it alone with just the drone.