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明日があるさ Ashita Ga Aru Sa

 

When people outside Japan hear the name Kyu Sakamoto, they usually think of "Sukiyaki." The song, originally titled Ue o Muite Arukō, became an international hit and remains one of the few Japanese-language songs to reach the top of the American music charts.

 

But in Japan, Kyu Sakamoto is also remembered for another song: "Ashita Ga Aru Sa" — which translates to "There Is Always Tomorrow."

 

The song tells the story of a shy young man who keeps trying to gather the courage to talk to a girl he likes. He follows her from a distance, thinks about calling her on the phone, and even rehearses what he wants to say. Yet each time, he loses his nerve and tells himself, "There is always tomorrow."

 

On the surface, it is a lighthearted love song. However, the phrase "Ashita Ga Aru Sa" became much more than that. For many Japanese people, it came to represent optimism, patience, and hope. No matter what happens today, tomorrow will come, bringing another opportunity.

 

I have always liked that message.

 

Life does not always go according to plan. Businesses have setbacks. Health challenges appear. Relationships sometimes become difficult. Yet one thing remains true: tomorrow comes. With it comes another chance to learn, improve, and move forward.

 

That simple message is probably why Ashita Ga Aru Sa is still remembered and loved more than sixty years after Kyu Sakamoto first sang it.

 

Sometimes a person does not need a complicated philosophy. Sometimes it is enough to remember three simple words:

 

Ashita ga aru.

 

There is always tomorrow.