1. 忘れはしないよ／時が流れても

Romaji: wasure wa shinai yo / toki ga nagarete mo
Nuanced English meaning: “I won’t forget you, even as time goes by.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
This line expresses an attitude of acceptance toward the past.
As the following lyrics suggest, the relationship wasn’t perfect—there were arguments and emotional distance—but in the end, the other person’s smile embraced everything.

At the same time, the phrasing makes it clear that they are no longer together now.
The memory remains warm, but the relationship itself exists only in the past.

2. かわるがわるのぞいた穴から／何を見てたかなぁ？

Romaji: kawarugawaru nozoita ana kara / nani o miteta ka nā
Nuanced English meaning: “From the hole we took turns peeking into… what were we really looking at?”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
The “hole” symbolizes a shared perspective or world the two once looked into together.
Yet, in hindsight, the speaker wonders whether they were truly seeing the same thing.

This gentle question carries a sense of subtle doubt and emotional misalignment—
a realization that comes only after the relationship has ended.

3. さよなら 君の声を抱いて歩いていく

Romaji: sayonara kimi no koe o daite aruite iku
Nuanced English meaning: “Goodbye. I’ll walk on, holding your voice with me.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
What the speaker “holds” is not the person, but their voice—a memory, a presence.
This expresses a very Japanese form of independence:
moving forward alone, while still cherishing what remains in the heart.

4. ガラスの向こうには 水玉の雲

Romaji: garasu no mukō ni wa mizutama no kumo
Nuanced English meaning: “Beyond the glass, polka-dot clouds were scattered.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
“Mizutama no kumo” evokes sheep-like autumn clouds.
Seen through glass, the scene becomes untouchable, already transformed into memory.

Autumn often symbolizes reflection and endings in Japanese poetry, reinforcing the song’s nostalgic tone.

5. 風が吹いて 飛ばされそうな軽いタマシイで

Romaji: kaze ga fuite tobasare-sō na karui tamashii de
Nuanced English meaning: “With a light soul that could be blown away by the wind.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
Here, “lightness” suggests not freedom, but fragility.
It portrays a self that once believed in simple happiness, yet lacked stability—
emotionally vulnerable and easily shaken.

6. これから 傷ついたり 誰か 傷つけても

Romaji: kore kara kizutsuitari dareka kizutsukete mo
Nuanced English meaning: “Even if I get hurt, or end up hurting someone from now on.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
This line acknowledges that life ahead will involve pain—both given and received.
Rather than idealizing the future, the speaker accepts it as it is, showing quiet resolve.

7. 瞬きするほど長い季節が来て

Romaji: mabataki suru hodo nagai kisetsu ga kite
Nuanced English meaning: “A season so long it feels like a single blink arrives.”

🗣 Cultural & linguistic nuance:
The coexistence of “long” and “blink” captures the strange way time feels after loss—
dragging on endlessly, yet passing in an instant.

This paradox is a hallmark of Japanese expressions of grief and memory.

🎤 Emotional Summary

Kaede is not a song about erasing the past.
It is a song about living on while carrying it.

Time passes, seasons change, and life continues—
but the voice of someone once loved keeps echoing quietly within.

That calm, enduring strength is why Kaede remains a timeless song.