Here's a version of the song with the lyrics and English translation. I didn't know this song either until @ariane and @john-gribble discussed it here.
Ah, thanks a million for the information, @john-gribble! So tragic about the deaths in the plane crash which included the singer!
@robin-thompson, no, I don't think so. It is very typical of Japanese pop songs of the era (early '60s).
A little later--according to Wikipedeia, the lyrics were written after a protest rally and origionally had nothing to do with lost love.
Kyu Sakamoto, the singer, was killed with over 500 other people in 1985 in the worst single plane accident in history.
@john-gribble Is the song based on an old myth or folktale and is the tune a traditional tune? (A dear grad school friend from Japan translated some Japanese folk tales for her thesis and, while she was working on them, I'd read them for her for their "readability" in English. This was several years ago.)
That's a wonderful song, @Ariane and @@robin-thompson. It is still popular in Japan. According to my wife Miwako, it is a "lost love" song, with the singer walking at night and looking at the stars. He says if you look up, the tears won't stream down your face.
I like to play it noter style in DAA. It is pentatonic, and that one flatted note can be had by "half-sticking," using the noter like a guitar slide.
I think I have never heard of that song, @Ariane. It is sweet it gives you a happy remembrance from childhood. We can all use those sorts of remembrances from time to time.
Some days ago I heard a song from the early 1960's in the radio that reminds me of my wonderful childhood and makes me feel "nostalgic" - it is "Ue o Muite Arukou" (also known as "Sukiyaki") sung by Kyu Sakamoto.
Yesterday, while sitting on the terrace noodling around on my MAX (and because this tune has become an "earworm" again - Dean (@Elvensong) will be laughing when he will read this word) I have tried to play this tune on the dulcimer - and (except one half note) it will work.
So I guess that my next recording will be this (for me) very special song... 
Welcome back, @B-Ross-Ashley. You might find that this time of quarantine is an opportunity to hunker down and play more music. We have also found that the initial shortage of toilet paper and some basic food items is over and other than disinfectant wipes and sprays, nearly everything can be found in the markets again. I guess I didn't need that 96-roll box of industrial toilet paper that I ordered when I panicked seeing the empty store shelves back in March and April!
Thanx, Lisa. I figured after all these years I needed a change!
We're doing Zoom yoga with our teacher, and I do T'ai-chi in a local park with a couple friends; plus walking when it's not 90F+ and 90% humidity!
I made a vegetarian Picnic Pie for Sunday Brunch today -- roasted veggies and some cheese encased in puff pastry, baked in a springform pan. When it's done you have a free-standing 'pie' that is 3" tall and 9" in diameter that you slice and serve in wedges. A little decadent with the puff pastry, but once in awhile you've got to splurge. It being Mango season we had chilled mango halves for dessert.
We had a nice salad for dinner today, with lettuce, carrots, scallions, peppers, and cucumber- all of that fresh from the garden. I added a few other items we like: cheese, croutons, and pumpkin seeds. I am sure looking forward our first tomatoes, we have lots of big green ones. I'm dreaming about tomato mayonnaise sandwiches. 
Hey KenH- very nifty new avatar! 
I've been doing my bounce fitness sessions on my rebounder/trampoline for the past ten days now, usually twice a day. I'm am now able to do 8 minute sessions. The first few days, 5 minutes would completely wipe me out. I'm definitely feeling stronger- my legs are stronger already, and I don't get quite as winded even though I'm jumping more. I've lost a couple pounds but that could be water weight so I'll have to wait and see on that. One knee got a little sore when I did some twisting bounces, so I'm avoiding that particular move now and it's helping.
It's really encouraging that I'm seeing obvious progress after only ten days. I'm actually looking forward to it each day. 
It's nice to feel energized again!
I got some long resistance bands and having fun experimenting with tying them to the frame to add some arm stretching.
Hey, @b-ross-ashley Ross-- good to see you again! It's nice to hear you are going to pick up the dulcimer again. I have found playing mountain dulcimer to be a balm to my spirit. Take care.
Hi, all, it has been a while since I poked my head in here ... Sandie and I are still alive, and living in the middle of the 4th largest city north of Mexico. I have not played much at all in the last while. Our community chorus scrubbed its season in March and we have only done the occasional online singing since. The COVID-19 pandemic has not hit us anywhere near as bad as it has our neighbours across the Lakes, but it has hit our elders in Long Term Care really hard, plus the personal care workers who look after them.
But I am back, and hope to pick up the dulcimer again! Glad to see the rest of you too.
Sandie and I mask up when venturing out, and I get out a lot more than she does. She is asthmatic. Masks are now required in indoors public spaces like malls, stores, etc. Bars and restaurants are now open only for outside service, patios etc. Pro sports are still on hold, and the federal government have decided not to allow our baseball team to play their home games here ... keeping cross-border travel to the essential minimum. Hockey may resume, with all games played in two Canadian cities, Edmonton and Toronto, no cross-border travel involved. I am wondering whether the same will happen with the Canadian Football League.
There were some shortages for a while, particularly TP and bakers' yeast! Since I use a bread machine that got to be a hassle for a while but it is coming back now. The Province is opening up gradually, much more slowly than some of your states are (I hope that is not too political, LOL).
Travel is difficult. I have an annual conference later this summer that is going to be online instead of in person because it is just not going to be possible to get to Ottawa safely. So it goes.
Stay safe, all!
John & Ken, it was a great pleasure to be in Hindman for the opening of the museum in November of '15 (I think). Glad you fellows enjoyed the movie!
Thanks Robin. Randy is a very patient teacher whether with children or adults.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
This is so great! Thanks for posting it here!
Thank you, friends! This is what I like to do for fun.
Exception work, as always, my friend. Bravo. That's a real beauty.
Stunning! Wonderful work right there, John !
You do excellent work on making historic dulcimore replicas, John, and this is no exception!
I finished my Sam Russell dulcimore replica exactly 81 years after Mr.Russell finished his prototype! You can see photos of his in L. Allen Smith's Catalogue, on page 52 (D15). It's made of black walnut, with a rosewood nut and bridge, birch accents, full-width staple frets set in a mean-tone scale, and Perfection pegs. It was quite a project!
Hats off to you Belinda, for becoming avid hikers with your husband!
I find it interesting how different people get creative in figuring out ways to get their exercise safely during the pandemic. We each gravitate towards types of exercise that suit both our current situation, our comfort level, and our individual personalities. 
Magic, I'm needing to see your IP address from the location you usually use and where you are usually seeing this issue happen... so maybe let me know when you are logged in from your normal home location- then I'll get the IP address that I can double-check on about possibly you being blocked from our end. Thanks! You can just email me using the "contact site owner" email link at bottom of site to let me know once you're logged in from home. :)
There's something else I'd like to check on, Magic. But you'd need to be logged in at the time I check on it. So if you are able, please try to get logged in and STAY logged in today, so I can do this check. I need you to be logged in at the time I do this checking. Thanks!
Here is what my site platform developers (and my server provider) think:
"So it seems that he's tried different browsers etc. and still intermittently gets this issue.
I'd suggest that he contacts his ISP to see if they are somehow occasionally blocking your site, or maybe a server that might be used on the route to your site."
The idea is that your ISP internet service provider servers are intermittently blocking access to fotmd.com for one reason or another, seeing it as a possible threat. Perhaps that has to do with higher UK protection settings, or not.
It's a good idea to contact them- it's likely that they can whitelist FOTMD.com or adjust that server's settings to stop blocking.
--> Be sure that ALSO on your end, you go into any virus protection programs you might have (and also your browser settings), go into any cookie preventing extensions on your browser, or AdBlock programs etc, and add fotmd.com to any whitelist/'allow' lists there might be within those programs and software.
If this frequent access blocking was coming from fotmd software or fotmd servers, then a whole bunch of members would be experiencing this, and that doesn't seem to be the case. Something you have going on is blocking you from accessing fotmd.com and the pages on our site server.
I had not heard of Jim Hamilton nor his Dulcijo. Like Dusty, I have heard good things about Mike Clemmer's instruments.
I had a similar problem the other day and I just figured the site was offline for awhile. I came back later and got right on, so I don't know what the issue was. That's the ONLY time I've had a problem getting on in 2020.
weird. I have no advice for you. Sorry.
Magictime, I have a question, but maybe I'm just a little slow this morning. If you get an error that you can't enter the site, how are you able to post comments here? What are you doing to bypass that error screen? I wonder if you are not running some kind of virus-protection or internet firewall software that wants to double check that you want to visit this site. I'm no expert, though, so my questions and comments may just reveal my own ignorance.
This is helpful additional information, thanks. :)
I've asked a couple of knowledgeable folks about this to see if they have any ideas.
Meanwhile, if any other members are experiencing this, please post it here.
