Folk Songs, Children's Songs, and Nursery Rhymes of Aomori: Japanese Songs from Tsugaru and Hachinohe that Resonate with the Heart
Aomori Prefecture is alive with a rich tradition of culture and performing arts.
In the lands of Tsugaru and Hachinohe, the emotive strains of folk songs still resound today.
Coupled with the powerful tones of the Tsugaru shamisen, Aomori’s folk music speaks deeply to our hearts.
In this article, we have carefully selected “folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes of Aomori,” born from the lives of people shaped by mountains, the sea, and a harsh climate.
We present timeless masterpieces that have been lovingly sung and passed down through the ages.
Won’t you lend an ear to the world of songs that can truly be called the heart of Aomori?
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Aomori Folk Songs, Children's Songs, and Nursery Rhymes | Soul-stirring Japanese Songs Alive in Tsugaru and Hachinohe (11–20)
Tsugaru Aiya-bushi
Tsugaru Aiya-bushi is one of the five great folk songs of Tsugaru, alongside Tsugaru Ohara-bushi, Tsugaru Yosare-bushi, Tsugaru Jongara-bushi, and Tsugaru Sansagari.
“Aiya” is a chant meaning “south wind,” shouted by fishermen as they set sail.
The original pronunciation was “hae,” which evolved over time to hae → haea → haeya → haiya → aiya.
With its brisk tempo, this bright folk song captures the vigor of fishermen heading out to sea while praying for a big catch.
Tsugaru Jongara-bushi
Tsugaru Jongara-bushi is one of the three major folk songs of the Tsugaru region, alongside Tsugaru Ohara-bushi and Tsugaru Yosare-bushi, and is sung with shamisen accompaniment.
The origin of the term “jongara” is uncertain, but a leading theory traces it to the name of a monk, Jōen, from a temple in the castle town of Asaseishi during the Sengoku period.
It is said that villagers held a Bon dance every year both to memorialize and console the spirit of the monk, who met an unfortunate end, and in doing so passed down the history—this is regarded as the origin of Jongara-bushi.
Tsugaru Ondo
Although it’s named like an ondo (lead chant) and has “Ondo” in the title, the song “Tsugaru Ondo” differs in style from a traditional ondo.
The original piece for this work is a song called “Akita-bushi.” In order to bring a forgotten folk song to the public, Untyoku Narita, a master of the Tsugaru folk music world, gave it the impactful title “Tsugaru Ondo,” under which it became widely known.
Yasaburō-bushi
It’s a folk song that was sung toward the end of the Edo period, but it’s a wife-bullying song to a degree that would be unthinkable today! It’s said to have as many as fifteen verses.
“Yasaburō’s wife’s hands are cracked and bloody, yet she’s not allowed to put oil on them,” “Even when given delicious botamochi, they hide it and eat it so the wife won’t find out”.
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How does that make you feel?
Tsugaru Yosare-bushi
There are various theories about the meaning of “yosare” in Tsugaru Yosare-bushi, one of the three major folk songs of Tsugaru.
Some say it means “let poor harvests and poverty go away,” while others interpret it as “I’ll leave the rest to you” when departing from a party or gathering.
Because there are also popular songs that use the word “yosare” in their titles, many people may have a general sense of its nuance.
Tsugaru Ohara Bushi
“Ohara-bushi” is a style of folk song sung throughout Japan, and “Tsugaru Ohara-bushi” is cherished as one of the representative folk songs of the Tsugaru region.
It is said that this song, traditionally performed at drinking parties, originated as a variation of the Miyagi prefectural folk song “Shiogama Jinku.”
Aomori Folk Songs, Children's Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: Japanese Songs That Resonate in the Heart, Alive in Tsugaru and Hachinohe (21–30)
Silver Killer
This song blends the wistful strains of the Nanbu Jinku with the familiarity of a children’s lullaby.
Set in the port town of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture, it gives voice to the fishermen’s conflicted feelings about visiting the red-light district and the guilt they carry toward the families they leave at home—an aching, helpless state of mind.
Some may wonder why such a heavy theme has been passed down in so gentle a melody.
Originally an orally transmitted song, it was compiled as a new folk song around 1954 by Narita Untyoku, a promoter of Tsugaru folk music.
When you want to enter a musical world infused with the complex emotions of people who lived in a harsh land, you’ll find yourself drawn to listen closely to its profound depths.