[Hiroshima Songs] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song | A Curated Selection of Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations

In the country where Hiroshima isLyrics and Music by Satoshi Yamamoto

Chorus in the country where Hiroshima is

This work confronts the painful history of the atomic bombing and gives powerful voice to a deep longing for peace.

Written and composed by Satoshi Yamamoto in 1983 while he was in college, it may be a simple folk-style piece, but its straightforward message moves many listeners.

The warm tone of the acoustic guitar and Yamamoto’s sincere vocals combine to leave a profound impression.

Widely sung at peace-themed events and gatherings across the country, as well as used in school music materials, it was also performed at the 4th Sumida River Folk Festival in 2014.

Filled with love for one’s hometown and a prayer for peace, this is a song I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who wants to learn about Hiroshima’s history or pass on the importance of peace to the next generation.

Message — kotodute —Porno Graffitti

Porno Graffitti “Kotodute (Message)” (Theme song for NHK Hiroshima Broadcasting Station’s “80 Years Since the Atomic Bombing” Project) | NHK

A gem of a song woven from prayers for peace born in Hiroshima.

Created in April 2025 as the theme song for NHK Hiroshima Broadcasting Station’s “80 Years Since the Atomic Bombing Project,” this track by Hiroshima-born PornoGraffitti grew out of conversations with hibakusha survivors.

At its heart lives the motif of the “First Tram,” the streetcar that resumed operation just three days after the atomic bombing.

Set to a gentle rock sound, the song celebrates the power of words and the importance of human connection, and was chosen as the ending theme for the NHK documentary Connect: Messages to the Future.

Infused with the spirit of Hiroshima, it resonates with all who carry love for their hometown and a wish for peace.

Hiroshima DriveTamio Okuda

Hiroshima Drive

A vividly painted piece brimming with Hiroshima flavor that brings hometown scenery to life.

The lyrics overflow with Tamio Okuda’s love for his hometown, featuring one iconic Hiroshima spot after another, such as Mazda Stadium and the Hacchobori intersection.

Released digitally in October 2018, this track was created as a Hiroshima-dialect parody version of “Tokyo Drive,” with fellow Unicorn members from the same hometown joining in with rhythmic call-and-response.

The blend of the local dialect and a warm melody stirs a deep sense of nostalgia, making it a treasured song that offers comfort—not only to those from Hiroshima, but to anyone living away from their hometown.

Apollo (Hiroshima dialect ver.)Porno Graffitti

Pornograffitti Apollo Hiroshima dialect ver.

A song that radiates pride and love, sung in the Hiroshima dialect.

The local-version debut single by Porno Graffitti, released in September 1999, gained instant attention when it was used as the ending theme for the TBS program “Koko ga Hen da yo Nihonjin.” Its poetic imagery intertwines the grand dream of a moon landing with the stirrings of romance, made even more approachable by the warmth of Hiroshima-ben.

It’s the perfect track for anyone seeking a sense of nostalgia and hope for the future, or for those who want to experience the charm of Hiroshima through music.

Song of the AogiriLyrics and Music: Nanairo Morimitsu

Song of the Chinese Parasol Tree — Morimitsu Nanairo

A gem of a song, woven as a prayer for peace, inspired by the image of the Aogiri tree that survived the atomic bombing and resonated in a young heart.

Written and composed by Nanairo Morimitsu when she was in second grade, this piece won the Grand Prix out of 915 entries in the “Songs of Hiroshima” competition hosted by Hiroshima City in 2001.

It is deeply moving that it was the only entry created by a child at the time.

Set to a gentle melody and a simple structure, it quietly yet powerfully expresses the rebirth of the bombed Aogiri and a wish for world peace.

Highly recommended for those who want to feel a deep love for their hometown and hope for the future, and for everyone who wishes to pass on the importance of peace to the next generation.

The crested ibis cries.Porno Graffitti

PornoGraffitti “Abi Cries” Lyric Video

Pornograffitti’s “Abi ga Naku” is an anti-war song imbued with a spirit that wishes for peace.

Set to a gentle melody, it conveys the horror and sorrow of war and a resolve never to repeat those mistakes.

Modeled after the former scenery of Innoshima City, it carries a strong message of yearning for peace, and its powerful anti-war lyrics are characteristic of Pornograffitti, who hail from Hiroshima.

The song was also chosen as a support track for the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023.

Please take a moment to feel the wish for peace embedded in the music.

ChallengerPerfume

Perfume – “Challenger” (Official Music Video)

This song by Perfume, a three-member technopop unit from Hiroshima, proudly sings of the spirit of challengers.

It’s a special work that reconstructs the track which marked their fateful encounter with producer Yasutaka Nakata, serving as a bridge between their origins and the present.

Included on the best-of album “Perfume The Best ‘P Cubed’” released in September 2019, the piece commemorated the milestones of their 20th anniversary as a group and 15th anniversary since their major-label debut, and was chosen as the support song for the women’s football team Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina.

The music video also comes with a moving story: in a project contest that drew over 1,000 submissions from around the world, a plan devised by an 11-year-old elementary school student was selected.

It’s a song that carries their love for their hometown of Hiroshima and gives a push to those embarking on new challenges.