Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs

[Songs of Gunma] Exquisite masterpieces that sing of Gunma’s nature and the spirit of its people

Accompanist / Piano InstructorYuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

When you hear place names from Gunma, do a nostalgic melody and lyrics come to mind? Songs themed around Gunma Prefecture are wonderfully diverse—from children’s songs and traditional school songs to enka, J-pop, and anime tunes! Many masterpieces vividly portray the atmosphere of hot spring towns, the grandeur of the mountains, and everyday life, and just hearing them makes you want to visit Gunma.

In this article, we’ve gathered songs related to Gunma Prefecture.

Why not discover Gunma’s lesser-known charms through music?

[Songs of Gunma] Exquisite masterpieces celebrating Gunma’s nature and the spirit of its people (41–50)

A Daughter’s JourneyNatsumi Kawano

Natsumi Kawano’s original song performance: “Musume Dōchūki” (A Daughter’s Travelogue)

Musume Dōchūki Natsumi Kawano

I think the choice to say “musume” rather than “onna” is surely meant to convey youth.

Among travel songs—which often have an enka flavor and a lot of spirited numbers—this one stands out for its lively, handclap-inducing energy.

It also emphasizes cuteness and love at first sight: born in Naniwa, first arrived in Jōshū, and instantly smitten.

Raise the rankinglower

Lullaby of AkagiMichiya Mihashi

Akagi Lullaby / Michiya Mihashi

Lullaby of Akagi by Michiya Mihashi

It’s a song where you can feel sorrow within a lullaby.

It’s not simply soothing a child and telling them not to cry; rather, it’s a song that sounds all the more mournful in Michiya Mihashi’s voice, portraying the sadness of being caught between duty and human emotion—carrying on one’s back the child of a blood relative whose hands have been stained, and following Chuji’s orders.

Raise the rankinglower

Chuji, the chivalrous outlaw’s journeyAya Shimazu

Aya Shimazu / Chūji The Chivalrous Outlaw’s Journey

Chuji serves as a guest on a journey, Shimazu Aya

This song portrays Chūji Kunisada, and above all, its selling point is the spirited, snappy banter.

Delivering lines with such crisp diction is tough unless you’re a professional actor, but the voice and sharpness here are outstanding.

Even in enka, expressing the world of ninkyō (chivalrous yakuza) is difficult, yet Ms.

Shimazu pulls it off brilliantly despite being a woman.

Raise the rankinglower

In conclusion

We introduced a variety of songs related to Gunma.

Through these songs, many of you may have rediscovered the charms of Gunma and felt an even stronger desire to visit.

It might be nice to travel around Gunma while listening to classic tunes that depict the land and its people from various perspectives.