The sun rises first on a peak of pure white,
As Mount Fuji wakes in the soft morning light.
A kingdom of islands, of cedar and pine,
Where the edges of nature and spirit entwine.
The Cherry Blossoms fall like a pink, snowy rain,
Over temples of wood that have conquered all pain.
In the gardens of Kyoto, where stone meets the moss,
Not a moment of silence is ever a loss.
The Kimono's silk tells a story of old,
With patterns of cranes and of fans stitched in gold.
The Tea Ceremony, a slow, steady art,
A healing of mind and a peace for the heart.
The Samurai's honor, the Katana's bright gleam,
Still live in the soul of a modern-day dream.
From the Shinto shrines with their gates of bright red,
To the high-speed trains where the future is fed.
A culture of bowing, of grace and of care,
With a fragrance of incense that floats in the air.
From the buzz of Tokyo to a forest of bamboo,
Japan is a masterpiece, ancient and new.