Aj lučka, lučka široká

"Aj lučka, lučka široká" (English: "Oh the wide, wide field"^[1]) is a Czech folk song.^[2] A Slovak equivalent, "Horela lipka, horela" (English: "The lime tree burned, it burned") has the same melody.

The song has been used as a marching song,^[3] including by the Czechoslovak Army in the Russian Civil War.^[4] It notably achieved popularity in Japan under the name "Omakiba wa midori" (English: "Oh, the pasture is green").^[5][6][7] In 1961, it was the first national song broadcast by the Japanese music television show Minna no Uta.^[8] The song was brought to the United States by Czech immigrants, where Japanese pastor and church musician Nakata Ugo came across it and wrote Japanese lyrics.^[9]

"Aj lučka, lučka široká" is the traditional opening song in Yale Whiffenpoofs concerts.^[10][11] In 2005, United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld sang the song to Czech journalists on the steps of The Pentagon.^[12]