[Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido] Songs of Hokkaido that continue to be loved across generations
The folk songs and children’s songs that resound across Hokkaido’s land carry the lives, joys, and prayers of people who have long faced its harsh nature.
Traditional music such as Esashi Oiwake and Soran Bushi has been passed down across generations and remains deeply rooted in many hearts today.
In this article, we introduce beloved classics—folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes—that have been handed down in Hokkaido and are still cherished today.
Why not lend an ear to these nostalgic melodies and feel the allure of music nurtured by the northern land?
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[Hokkaido Folk Songs and Children's Songs] Hokkaido Songs Loved Across Generations (31–40)
Isohama Bon UtaFumio Otsuka
This is a Bon Odori song from the Cape Suttsu area on the west coast of Hokkaido.
It’s said to have originally been brought by people from the mainland when they came to settle the land, as a song for tamping down the ground.
Unlike the cheerful image of typical Bon Odori, it carries a somewhat wistful tone.
Even so, it invites you to come at least once.
Hokkai Cod Fishing SongTomohide Umezu
It’s said to be one of Hokkaido’s five major folk songs.
Fishermen heading out to cod fishing would hum it on their boats, and it was apparently created by the fishermen themselves.
They would visit a Jizo shrine, scatter purifying rice and salt into the sea, and pray for the safety of their boat—this is a song that conveys the spirit and resolve before setting out to fish.
Song of Ezo FujiFolk Song Band Komachi
This is a piece that praises Mount Yotei, known as the Ezo Fuji.
It’s a volcano located in western Hokkaido.
One can imagine the beautiful scenery with Lake Tōya and the Nakayama Pass nearby.
Befitting the beautiful mountain, the performance features powerful yet beautiful vocals and shamisen.
The piano is also put to excellent use.
Shibetsu OndoMidori Hatakeyama
Shibetsu is a city in the northern part of the Kamikawa region of Hokkaido and is said to be one of the last tondenhei (pioneer militia) settlements.
In August, a Thousand-People Dance parade is held during the Teshio River Festival.
It seems that lively dance processions from local organizations continue through the city.
The voice of Midori Hatakeyama, who hails from Shibetsu, matches the scene well.
Nemuro Women's Worker's SongKumiko Takae
It was passed down in song among the female workers at the canning factories in Nemuro and the Kuril Islands.
Women who had come as seasonal laborers were made to work from early morning until late at night, with no end to the tasks in sight.
You can keenly feel the hardship of working in what we would now call a black company.
As the number of singers gradually declined, a monument bearing the song was erected to preserve their sentiments.
[Hokkaido Folk Songs and Children's Songs] Hokkaido Songs Loved Across the Ages (41–50)
Teshikaga OndoTomoe Takada
It was created in 1953 as the New Teshikaga Kobushi song.
The idea began when Teshikaga Town set out to develop a hot spring district as a tourism initiative, and later it was reborn as the Teshikaga Ondo.
Since then, it has been passed down and danced by the townspeople.
The lyrics lively celebrate Lake Mashu and the hot springs.
Autumn Salmon Bounty SongRyusei
As the song says, autumn salmon is pronounced “aki-aji” (meaning “autumn flavor”).
It’s called that because it’s in season in autumn.
It seems folk song competitions are held in various places across Hokkaido.
Ryusei-kun’s singing, on par with that of adults, is truly impressive.