This comprehensive study guide is designed for JLPT N3 learners to analyze “僕が一番欲しかったもの” (Boku ga Ichiban Hoshikatta Mono) by 槇原敬之 (Makihara Noriyuki). This guide will provide linguistic breakdowns, cultural context, and practice materials to deepen your understanding of the song’s heartwarming message.
Proficiency Prerequisites:
Before you begin, you should be comfortable with:
- Basic verb conjugations (て-form, た-form, ない-form)
- Common particles such as は, が, を, に, で, と
- Approximately 600 Kanji (JLPT N5 and N4 levels)
How to Use This Guide:
For the best learning experience, please follow these steps:
- Pre-Listening Activities: Prepare yourself for the song’s themes and vocabulary.
- Active Listening Tasks: Engage with the song through targeted exercises.
- Line-by-Line Commentary: Deepen your understanding of the lyrics’ grammar and meaning.
- Slang Glossary and Grammar Appendix: Review key linguistic elements from the song.
- Practice Set: Test your comprehension and apply what you’ve learned.
- Production Activities: Use the song’s language to express your own ideas.
- Next Steps: Discover more ways to continue your learning journey.
Remember, this song is an excellent tool for reinforcing and practicing grammar you’ve already encountered. Interacting with it multiple times through these diverse activities will maximize your learning.
2. Full Lyrics Display
“僕が一番欲しかったもの” is a narrative song that tells a touching story about selflessness and the true nature of happiness. The lyrics follow a protagonist who repeatedly finds “wonderful things” only to give them away to others who seem to need them more. In the end, the protagonist discovers that the joy of seeing others happy was the “wonderful thing” they were searching for all along.
Key structural elements include:
- Verse 1: The protagonist finds a “wonderful thing” and gives it to someone in need.
- Chorus 1: The protagonist believes they will find something even more wonderful in the future.
- Verse 2: The same situation occurs again, and the protagonist once more gives away their discovery.
- Chorus 2: The protagonist finds happiness in seeing the recipient’s joyful face.
- Bridge: After repeatedly giving things away, the protagonist reflects on their journey.
- Climax: The protagonist realizes that the happiness of others is the greatest treasure.
- Conclusion: The protagonist finally obtains the most “wonderful thing” of all.
Audio Integration Note:
- Audio source: You can find the official audio and music video on YouTube and other streaming platforms.
- Total song length: Approximately 5:40
- Recommended listening approach:
- First listen: Focus on the overall melody and emotion without looking at the lyrics.
- Second listen: Follow along with the lyrics to get a general sense of the story.
- Third and subsequent listens: Use the line-by-line commentary to analyze the song in detail.
Tempo and Difficulty Rating:
- Tempo: Moderate (approximately 75 BPM)
- Pronunciation clarity: Clear
- Vocabulary level: Mostly N3, with some N4 and N2 vocabulary.
- Cultural reference density: Low
- Overall difficulty: Mid N3
3. Pre-Listening Activities
Before You Listen: Preparation Activities
Vocabulary Preview
- 素敵 (すてき): wonderful, lovely
- 拾う (ひろう): to pick up, find
- 喜ぶ (よろこぶ): to be pleased, to be delighted
- 横 (よこ): side, beside
- 惜しい (おしい): regrettable, disappointing
- 振り返る (ふりかえる): to look back, reflect
- 気持ち (きもち): feeling, emotion
Thematic Warm-up Questions
- Have you ever given something of yours to someone who needed it more? How did it make you feel?
- What does “happiness” mean to you? Is it something you find for yourself or something you share with others?
- Think about a time you did something for someone else. What was the most rewarding part of that experience?
Grammar Alert
- ～ていた: This pattern indicates a past continuous action. Listen for how it’s used to describe the state of the people the protagonist helps.
- ～（の）に気付く (にきづく): This phrase means “to notice” or “to realize.” Pay attention to what the protagonist notices throughout the song.
- ～（だ）と分かる (だとわかる): This pattern means “to understand that…” or “to realize that…” It’s used to show the protagonist’s moments of understanding.
First Listening Goals
On your first listen (without reading the lyrics), try to identify:
- The general mood of the song (happy, sad, thoughtful, etc.)
- Any Japanese words you recognize.
- Whether the song tells a story or expresses a feeling.
- Any English words used in the song (there are none in this case, which is a good learning point in itself!).
4. Active Listening Tasks
Progressive Listening Activities
Listening 1: Global Comprehension
- What is the overall mood of the song? (thoughtful, heartwarming, uplifting)
- Is this a fast or slow song? (slow to moderate)
- Does the singer sound male or female? (male)
- What do you think this song is about, based on the music alone?
Listening 2: Targeted Information (Gap-fill exercise)
- さっきとても素敵なものを_僕は喜んでいた
- その人はさっき僕が拾った素敵なものを今の僕以上に_としている人だと言う事が分かった
- きっとまたこの先_いればもっと素敵なものが見つかるだろう
- それを見た時の気持ちが僕の_いたものだとわかった
Listening 3: Detailed Analysis
Now you’re ready to dive into the line-by-line commentary below. As you read, listen to each section of the song to connect the written words with the sound and emotion of the music.
5. Line-by-Line Commentary
Verse 1
- さっきとても素敵なものを / 拾って僕は喜んでいた
- Translation: Just now, I found something wonderful and was feeling happy.
- Grammar note: 拾って is the て-form of 拾う (to pick up), connecting the two actions. 喜んでいた is the past continuous form of 喜ぶ (to be happy), indicating a state of being.
- ふと気が付いて横に目をやると / 誰かがいるのに気付いた
- Translation: Suddenly, I noticed and looked to the side, and I realized someone was there.
- Grammar note: ～に気が付いて means “to notice.” ～に気付いた is the past tense of “to realize.”
- その人はさっき僕が拾った / 素敵なものを今の僕以上に
- Translation: That person needed the wonderful thing I had just found more than I did.
- Grammar note: 僕が拾った is a relative clause modifying 素敵なもの. 以上に means “more than.”
- 必要としている人だと / 言う事が分かった
- Translation: I understood that they were a person who needed it.
- Grammar note: ～としている is used to describe a state. ～だと言う事が分かった means “I understood that…”
Chorus 1
- 惜しいような気もしたけど / 僕はそれをあげる事にした
- Translation: I felt a little regret, but I decided to give it to them.
- Grammar note: ような気がした means “I had a feeling that…” ～ことにした is an N3 grammar point meaning “I decided to…”
- きっとまたこの先探していれば / もっと素敵なものが見つかるだろう
- Translation: Surely, if I keep searching, I’ll find something even more wonderful.
- Grammar note: 探していれば is the conditional form of 探している (to be searching). だろう indicates probability.
- その人は何度もありがとうと / 嬉しそうに僕に笑ってくれた
- Translation: That person said “thank you” many times and smiled happily at me.
- Grammar note: ～そうに is used to describe an appearance or manner. ～てくれた indicates that someone did something for the speaker.
Verse 2
- その後にもまた僕はとても / 素敵なものを拾った
- Translation: After that, I found another very wonderful thing.
- Grammar note: その後 (after that) is a useful transitional phrase.
- ふと気が付いて横に目をやると / また誰かがいるのに気付いた
- Translation: Suddenly, I noticed and looked to the side, and I realized someone was there again.
- Grammar note: This is a repetition of the earlier lines, emphasizing the recurring nature of the event.
- その人もさっき僕が拾った / 素敵なものを今の僕以上に
- Translation: That person also needed the wonderful thing I had just found more than I did.
- 必要としている人だと / 言う事が分かった
- Translation: I understood that they were a person who needed it.
Chorus 2
- 惜しいような気もしたけど / またそれをあげる事にした
- Translation: I felt a little regret, but I decided to give it away again.
- きっとまたこの先探していれば / もっと素敵なものが見つかるだろう
- Translation: Surely, if I keep searching, I’ll find something even more wonderful.
- なによりも僕を見て嬉しそうに / 笑う顔が見れて嬉しかった
- Translation: More than anything, I was happy to see their face smiling so joyfully at me.
- Grammar note: なによりも means “more than anything.” 見れて is the potential form of 見る (to see), meaning “was able to see.”
Bridge
- 結局僕はそんな事を何度も繰り返し / 最後には何も見つけられないまま
- Translation: In the end, I repeated such things over and over, and finally, I couldn’t find anything for myself.
- Grammar note: 結局 (in the end) is a key N3 vocabulary word. ～まま means “while in a certain state.”
- ここまで来た道を振り返ってみたら
- Translation: When I looked back on the path I’ve come down…
- Grammar note: ～てみたら is the conditional form of ～てみる (to try to do something).
Climax
- 僕のあげたものでたくさんの / 人が幸せそうに笑っていて
- Translation: Many people were laughing happily with the things I had given them.
- Grammar note: 僕のあげたもの is a relative clause. ～ていて is the continuous state.
- それを見た時の気持ちが僕の / 探していたものだとわかった
- Translation: I understood that the feeling I had when I saw that was the thing I had been searching for.
- Grammar note: ～ていたもの is the thing I “had been” doing. ～だとわかった is the past tense of “I understood that…”
Conclusion
- 今までで一番素敵なものを / 僕はとうとう拾う事が出来た
- Translation: I was finally able to find the most wonderful thing I’ve ever come across.
- Grammar note: 今までで一番 means “the most… ever.” とうとう means “finally,” often with a sense of accomplishment.
6. Slang Glossary
This song uses standard, gentle Japanese and does not contain slang. This is a great example of how clear, grammatically correct Japanese can be used to tell a powerful and emotional story.
7. Grammar Appendix
- ～ことにする/～ことにした (decided to…)
- Rule: Verb (dictionary form) + ことにする
- Meaning: Expresses a decision made by the speaker.
- In this song: The protagonist uses 僕はそれをあげる事にした (I decided to give it to them) to show his conscious choice to be generous.
- ～（よ）うな気がする (have a feeling that…)
- Rule: Verb/adjective + ような気がする
- Meaning: Expresses a less certain feeling or impression than と思う.
- In this song: 惜しいような気もしたけど (I had a feeling of regret, but…) shows the protagonist’s slight hesitation, making his subsequent generosity more meaningful.
- ～まま (while in the state of…)
- Rule: Verb (た-form) / Noun + の + まま
- Meaning: Indicates that a state or condition continues unchanged.
- In this song: 何も見つけられないまま (while in the state of not being able to find anything) emphasizes that the protagonist ended up with no material possessions for himself.
8. Short Practice Set
- Listening Discrimination: In the line 「嬉しそうに僕に笑ってくれた」, what does the 「くれた」ending signify?
a) The speaker did the smiling.
b) Someone did the speaker a favor by smiling.
c) The smiling was a neutral event. - Thematic Interpretation: What is the “一番欲しかったもの” (the thing I wanted most) that the title refers to?
- Grammar Identification: Find an example of a relative clause in the lyrics and explain what it’s modifying.
- Vocabulary Application: Use the word 「結局」 (kekkyoku – in the end) in an original sentence about your experience learning Japanese.
- Production Task: Rewrite the line 「僕はそれをあげる事にした」 (I decided to give it to them) from the perspective of the person who received the gift.
Answer Key:
- b) Someone did the speaker a favor by smiling.
- The feeling of happiness that comes from seeing others happy because of his actions.
- Example: 「僕が拾った素敵なもの」 (the wonderful thing I found). The clause 「僕が拾った」 modifies 「素敵なもの」.
- 毎日勉強しても、結局漢字を忘れてしまうことがあります。(Even if I study every day, in the end, I sometimes forget the kanji.)
- その人はそれを私にくれる事にしました。(That person decided to give it to me.) or その人はそれを私にくれました (That person gave it to me.)
9. Production Activities
Activity 1: Sing-Along Practice
- Goal: Improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.
- Instructions:
- Listen to the first chorus several times.
- Try singing along, focusing on the natural flow of the phrases.
- Record yourself and compare it to the original.
Activity 2: Personal Response Writing
- Goal: Apply the song’s vocabulary and grammar to express your own thoughts.
- Prompt: Write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) in Japanese about a time you felt happy because you helped someone else. Try to use at least two words or grammar points from the song.
Activity 3: Creative Extension
- Goal: Demonstrate a deep understanding of the song’s theme.
- Task: Write a short “sequel” to the song. What “wonderful thing” might the protagonist find next, and who might they give it to?
10. References and Suggestions for Further Practice
1. Research the Artist:
- 槇原敬之 (Makihara Noriyuki) is a famous singer-songwriter known for his positive and heartfelt lyrics. Explore some of his other popular songs, such as “どんなときも” (Donna Toki mo) and “世界に一つだけの花” (Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana).
2. Explore the Theme of “Gifting”:
- This song was originally written for the British group Blue under the title “The Gift.” You might want to listen to that version as well and compare the English and Japanese lyrics.
3. JLPT N3 Connection:
- This song reinforces several key N3 grammar points, including volition, conditionals, and expressing emotions.
- The vocabulary is highly relevant to everyday situations and feelings, which is a core component of the N3 exam.
- The narrative style of the lyrics is good practice for the reading comprehension section of the test.
By engaging with “僕が一番欲しかったもの” on multiple levels, you can improve your Japanese skills while enjoying a beautiful and meaningful song. Happy learning
