 The lyrics first appeared in the "Kokin Wakashū", a poetry anthology, as an anonymous poem.The poem was included in many anthologies, and was used in a later period as a celebration song of a long life by people of all social statures.Unlike the form used for the current national anthem, the poem originally began with ""Waga Kimi wa"" ('my lord') instead of ""Kimiga Yo wa"" ('my lord's reign').