Sanpo

Sanpo is the opening song featured in My Neighbor Totoro. Written by Rieko Nakagawa and arranged by Joe Hisaishi. Azumi Inoue provided the vocals.

Japanese
あるこう　あるこう　わたしはげんき あるくの　だいすき　どんどんいこう

さかみち　トンネル　くさっぱら いっぽんばしに　でこぼこじゃりみち くものすくぐって　くだりみち

くりかえし

みつばち　ぶんぶん　はなばたけ ひなたにとかげ　へびはひるね ばったがとんで　まがりみち

くりかえし

きつねも　たぬきも　でておいで たんけんしよう　はやしのおくまで ともだちたくさん　うれしいな! ともだちたくさん　うれしいな!

Romaji
arukou arukou  watashi wa genki aruku no daisuki  don-don ikou sakamichi TONNERU  kusappara ipponbashi ni dekoboko jari-michi kumo no su kugutte kudari-michi

mitsubachi  bun-bun   hana batake hinata ni tokage hebi wa hirune batta ga tonde magari-michi

kitsune mo tanuki mo  dete oide tanken-shiyou hayashi no oku made tomodachi takusan ureshii na! tomodachi takusan ureshii na!

Translation
Hey, let's go! Hey, let's go! I'm happy as can be Let's go walking, you and me Ready, set, come on, let's go!

Over the hill, across the field Through the tunnel we'll go We'll run across the bridge And down the bumpy gravel road Creep beneath the spider's web Ready, set, let's go!

Hey, let's go! Hey, let's go! I'm happy as can be Let's go walking, you and me Ready, set, come on, let's go!

The foxes and the badgers too All come out to play They all want to explore The deep and wonderful woods all day

Look at all my many friends Ready, set, let's go!

Look at all my many friends Ready, set, let's go!

Trivia

 * The song is referenced in Ponyo: at one point Lisa sings the lyric "I'm happy as can be" (or "Watashi wa genki") from the song in both the Japanese and English dub. This coupled with her having a Totoro magnet on the fridge suggests My Neighbor Totoro is a film in-universe.

Sanpō