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

a pencilHibari Misora

a pencil

This is a song by Hibari Misora, the “Queen of Kayōkyoku,” created for her appearance at the first Hiroshima Peace Music Festival.

It depicts the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Having herself experienced the Great Yokohama Air Raid, she is said to have readily accepted the invitation to perform at the festival.

The sky of HiroshimaMasashi Sada

Hiroshima Sky by Masashi Sada

This song centers on the theme of the atomic bombing—an event that remains unforgettable for the people living in Hiroshima.

It is an anti-war song that Sada sings gently yet powerfully, to pass on to the next generation the folly of repeating war.

It ensures we do not forget the fact that this country was indeed engulfed in the flames of war.

#33Mebius

Mebius “Smile” ~Hiroshima Toyo Carp Ryosuke Kikuchi’s Life Theme Song~

This is the song used as the walk-up music for Ryosuke Kikuchi of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

The title, of course, comes from Kikuchi’s jersey number.

Mebius, a sister duo from Hiroshima, delivers a refreshing up-tempo tune, with perfectly matched harmonies that pump up Kikuchi’s entrance.

Woman of OnomichiSaburō Kitajima

(39) Woman of Onomichi (Saburo Kitajima)

A song released in 1966, back when Saburo Kitajima—affectionately known as “Sab-chan,” one of the biggest figures in the enka world—was still just starting out.

It evokes the sweet yet fleeting scene of a man who has traveled all the way from the north, crossing the sea, to reunite with a woman from his memories.

Ferry to MatsuyamaKozo Murashita

Kozo Murashita - Ferry to Matsuyama

The late Kozo Murashita, known for his song “First Love,” also has a hidden gem called “The Ferry to Matsuyama,” which poignantly sings of a heartbreaking farewell between lovers.

Although Hiroshima and Ehime are only about 60 km apart across the Seto Inland Sea—not a great distance—crossing the water makes it feel far away, which, I think, lends even greater depth to the lyrics’ sense of sorrow.

Hiroshima StoryHiroshi Kadokawa

Hiroshi Kadokawa “Hiroshima Story”

A mature, emotionally rich number that serenely sings of Hiroshima nights, it evokes a moody memory of a man and woman’s encounter.

Kadokawa is a veteran enka singer who debuted in 1976, but it’s said that in high school he was a member of the baseball team at Koryo High School.

Hiroshima, River of LoveTokiko Kato

"Hiroshima: River of Love" Massive Riverside Chorus on August 6 — First Event — Filmed in 2015 (70 years after the bombing)

This is a message song praying for everlasting peace, with lyrics written by the late Keiji Nakazawa, author of Barefoot Gen, set in Hiroshima, which was devastated by the atomic bomb.

Ms.

Kato, known for the classic Shiretoko Ryojo and for voicing Gina in the Studio Ghibli film Porco Rosso, delivers a powerful performance.