[Folk Songs and Children's Songs of Akita] A curated selection of local masterpieces that evoke love for one’s hometown

Akita Sake Brewers' Moto-Suri Song

Akita Sakaya Motosuri Uta (Fujishima Fuka) 9th All-Japan Akita Folk Song Competition: Akita Sakaya Motosuri-uta (a work song for sake brewing)

Sung and passed down at sake breweries in Akita, this piece spread as a work song for brewing.

It was reportedly sung during the monotonous yet vigorous task called “moto-suri,” in which steamed rice and koji are crushed with a paddle.

The rhythmic phrasing and the spirited interjection “yarayoi” seem to express fleeting moments of joy amid hard labor and a sense of solidarity among the craftsmen.

This work is said to have taken root spontaneously from the early to mid-Meiji period.

It might be a good listen when you want to connect with the history of Japanese handcrafts and the local culture born in harsh environments.

Song by Kazunaga Tsuna

ten ten: Song of Shishitsuno Tsuna (From the Kazuno Tsuna)

This is a traditional, work-based song rooted in everyday life, long passed down in the Kazuno region of Akita Prefecture.

It has been sung on important occasions when everyone joins forces, such as building a new house.

Its charm lies in the crisp rhythms of the Akita shamisen and the spirited calls used to keep everyone in sync.

You can almost hear the powerful breathing of people encouraging one another and uniting their hearts amid hard labor.

This piece is included on the albums “Songs from the Kazuno Nets”/“Taishoji Okesā,” as well as on Sato Yuko’s celebrated record “Min’yō — Nostalgia of the North and Kazuno Folk Songs.” When you want to experience the soulful resonance nurtured by Akita’s natural and cultural landscape, give it a listen.

Miyokichi-bushi

Miyoshi Bushi (with lyrics) by Saga Kiyo Sakura

This is a dedicatory song passed down at the dynamic Bonten Festival of Sankichi Shrine, at the foot of Mt.

Taihei in Akita City.

Along the route as the bonten are offered to the gods, the bearers sing out in call-and-response, proclaiming their pride and their fierce resolve that they will never be outdone by anyone.

The song is the very spirit and cry of the people of Akita, forged by a harsh natural environment.

The singer’s powerful, ornamented voice, the timbre of the shakuhachi, and the spirited shouts fuse together to convey the festival’s heat and exhilaration directly.

When you want to feel pride in your hometown or unite your heart with your companions, listening to it will surely light a fire in your heart.

Niida-bushi

The legendary Akita folk song makes a miraculous comeback! “Niida-bushi”

This is a folk song handed down in the Ani region of Akita Prefecture that, after its recorded sources once vanished, even came to be called a “phantom.” Its bright, soaring melody and subtly buoyant rhythm seem to reflect both the harsh yet beautiful nature of Akita and the resilient spirit of the people who live there.

The piece was revived when local researchers carefully interviewed elderly residents and re-recorded a song that had previously been preserved only through oral tradition.

It may resonate warmly in the hearts of those living away from their hometown as they picture Akita’s landscapes, or of anyone wishing to feel the preciousness of culture passed down across generations.

Song of the Seashore

Song of the Seashore (Summer Children’s Song)

Composed by Tamezou Narita from Kitaakita City in Akita Prefecture, this is a beautiful school song that evokes deep nostalgia.

Its leisurely melody is like gentle waves washing in and out.

The lyrics depict an inner landscape: standing alone on the beach, quietly recalling past memories or someone far away.

While this universal scene isn’t directly tied to Akita’s scenery, it will awaken each listener’s own sense of home.

Listen to it when you’re striving far from where you grew up or when you want to reflect alone at night, and you’ll be wrapped in a tender, bittersweet feeling.

It will gently help you reclaim precious memories you had nearly forgotten.

Fukikko Song

The legendary Akita folk song makes a miraculous comeback! “Fukikko Uta”

This song is filled with a story of a once-lost Akita folk tune making a miraculous return.

What it sings of is the joy of people who live robustly amid harsh nature, like butterbur sprouting as the snow melts.

The nimble rhythm of the shamisen and the singer’s powerful phrasing will set your heart dancing.

As you listen closely, you can almost see the rich scenery of the hometown and the warm lives of its people.

By touching this nearly forgotten local treasure, you may just rediscover your own love for home.

Come, firefly

Akita regional children’s song: Firefly, Come (arranged by Ogura Roh)

Did you know that the famous children’s song everyone knows, “Hotaru Koi,” is actually a traditional nursery rhyme from the Akita region? Its cute lyrics and melody are truly soothing.

With its enchanting mood—as if dazzling, gleaming fireflies and magnificent nature are unfolding right before your eyes—this piece is sure to be sung and cherished for generations to come.