Researching the 117 Series on Youtube and found:

[Welshbloke]

This rather sweet video. I've no idea what the song is about, but I'm guessing it's intended as a memorial to the 117 Series?

 

 

I went hunting for videos of the real thing after buying a used Kato model on impulse and spending a few hours sorting out minor niggles, such as the headlights not working on one end and the motor overheating. It now runs perfectly and has retrofitted tightlock couplers within the set.

[Densha]

In the comments I found the link to the song: https://youtu.be/DlO308doIyU (旅立ちの日に... / Tabidachi no Hi ni...)

Japanese lyrics: http://j-lyric.net/artist/a012d7b/l00994d.html

 

Looking at the lyrics, I would say it's a song about school graduation. Kinda about reminiscing the good things before saying farewell. I guess that fits in the context of JR Central retiring these sets.

[Sacto1985]

I agree--the video was a memorial to the retirement of the 117 Series EMU in favor the 211, 311, 313 and 373 Series EMU's on short to medium-distance services in the spring of 2013.

[bikkuri bahn]

I recall seing some 117 sets stored out past Ogaki a few years back. I don't think I ever rode a JR Tokai set, though I have ridden the JR West-owned sets on a few occasions, both in Okayama on the Sanyo Main Line and on the Kosei Line in Shiga.

 

The 117 series is a historically significant design, could be considered a break from old JNR "one size fits all"  thinking and a precursor of a corporate business philosophy that emphasized meeting the needs of a specific region and its customers.  I know a carriage is preserved at the JR Tokai museum, I certainly hope one will be set aside and kept at the new museum in Kyoto, perhaps after they are all retired from regular service.

[Welshbloke]

There's a three car set preserved as a static exhibit somewhere, formed KuHa-MoHa 116-KuHa. You see it at the end of the video. Hopefully they'll manage to get hold of a MoHa 117 so that it could be returned to working order in future, or at least represent a four car set. Even better if they could find two MoHa 117s and another MoHa 116 to return it to the original six car formation!

 

I guess a good translation for the song's meaning would be the old Dr Seuss line: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".

 

I was attracted to the model by the cab design and the colour scheme. At that point I was on the lookout for a JNR EMU of some sort and didn't know much about them, but it looked clean and I could afford it (famous last words!) Mine's the 10-419 in JNR cream/beige with the deep red stripe.