[2025] Masterpieces that sing of Hokkaido: The enduring heart of our homeland passed down in song

Fighters' AnthemShudai Uesugi

[MV] Fighters Anthem / Shudai Uesugi

This is the official cheer song of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Although the song has been used since the team was based in Tokyo, it has continued to be used after the move to Hokkaido.

The video features a version sung by Shudai Uesugi, a local celebrity from Sapporo.

Melancholy SapporoKeiko Matsuzaka & Keisuke Hama

Melancholy Sapporo / Keiko Matsuzaka & Keisuke Hama

It’s a duet song by actress Keiko Matsuzaka and composer Keisuke Hama.

Set in Sapporo, it’s a love song with a sophisticated, mature mood.

It truly feels like a song for grown men and women, and it would likely be a big hit at karaoke.

Traveler of the NorthYujiro Ishihara

Ishihara Yujiro "Traveler of the North"

A poignant love story set in Japan’s northern lands that graced Yujiro Ishihara’s final years.

Released in 1987, this song vividly portrays the scenery of Hakodate and Otaru in Hokkaido, and stands as a masterpiece that deeply evokes lost love and loneliness.

Yoko Yamaguchi’s woven lyrics and Tetsuya Gen’s flowing melody blend beautifully, and together with Ishihara’s wistful voice, they move the hearts of many listeners.

A song befitting the end of the Showa era, it sold 1.

25 million copies and reached No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It’s a gem that you’ll want to savor on long winter nights—irresistible even to those who aren’t fans of enka.

Ah, SusukinoS/mileage

S/mileage 'Ah, Susukino' (Promotion Edit)

This is a 2014 song released as S/mileage’s final single before they renamed themselves ANGERME.

It portrays the feelings of a woman who, while traveling, ends up arguing with her lover in Susukino.

The poignant melody, overflowing with Tsunku’s distinctive style, leaves a strong impression.

Night in KushiroKenichi Mikawa

Kushiro Night ... Kenichi Mikawa

Released in 1968, this is Kenichi Mikawa’s 11th single.

The setting is Nusamai Bridge in Kushiro City, Hokkaido, spanning the Kushiro River.

Later, a film with the same title was produced, inspired by this song.

It’s a mood-rich piece that showcases Kenichi Mikawa’s wistful, melancholic vocals.

Becoming a Thousand WindsMasafumi Akikawa

Masafumi Akikawa / A Thousand Winds (short ver.)

“Sen no Kaze ni Natte” is a work created in 2001 by lyricist-composer and singer Man Arai, who translated into Japanese and set to music the poem “Do not stand at my grave and weep,” which had drawn attention in the United States.

After purchasing a vacation home in Nanae, Hokkaido, Arai surrounded himself with the area’s tranquility and beautiful nature as he worked on his translation of “Sen no Kaze ni Natte.” With just the single character for “wind,” one can picture Hokkaido’s vast landscapes.

The masterpiece became widely beloved when Masafumi Akikawa covered it in 2006.

It makes you want to spread your arms and sing amid Hokkaido’s magnificent natural scenery.