[Hyogo Songs] A Collection of Local and Love Songs Set in Hyogo
What comes to mind when you hear “Hyogo”? For many, it’s likely a stream of charming images: stylish cityscapes, delicious cuisine, renowned hot spring resorts, rich arts and culture, and more.
In this article, we’ve gathered songs set in Hyogo Prefecture.
From enka that sings of bittersweet romances, to local tunes beloved by residents, to pieces that supported post-earthquake recovery—enjoy to your heart’s content these “Songs of Hyogo,” performed by artists from Hyogo and musicians who love the region!
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[Hyogo Songs] A Collection of Local and Love Songs Set in Hyogo (11–20)
Solo KobeShinichiro Hakozaki
This is a regional kayō song by Shinichiro Hakozaki, a singer known for his feminine, heartrending falsetto.
Released in May 1981, the piece paints a gripping scene of walking alone through Kobe at night while thinking of a former lover.
The lights of the Port Tower and the beautiful night view of the harbor only heighten the protagonist’s loneliness, making it all the more poignant.
The fact that it was composed by the Kobe-born master Konosuke Hamaguchi also deepens the work’s sense of narrative.
It’s a song that gently accompanies the pain of heartbreak—one that lets you soak in the quiet of a Kobe night.
So that (I/We) can carry/bring happinessAi Kawashima
“Shiawase Hakoberu You ni” (“To Carry Happiness”) is a song composed by a man named Makoto Usui after the Great Hanshin Earthquake, wishing for Kobe’s recovery.
It was originally written as a choral piece, but it is also known for being covered by singer-songwriter Ai Kawashima.
Because it has been sung not only in Kobe but also after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Kumamoto earthquakes, many of you have probably heard it.
Et cetera related to the seashorePUFFY
A single by PUFFY released in April 1997.
It reached number one on the Oricon weekly chart and became one of PUFFY’s signature songs.
Only during the winter season, at Kinosaki Onsen Station in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, the song is reportedly used as the departure melody, in reference to the local specialty, crab.
Yi-Er Fan ClubMikito-P
This song is included on the compilation album “EXIT TUNES PRESENTS Vocalosensation feat.
Hatsune Miku,” released in February 2013.
The work is themed around Nankinmachi, the Chinatown located in Kobe.
Tower Side MemoryYumi Matsutoya
“Tower Side Memory” is a track included on Yumi Matsutoya’s 1981 album “Shall We Meet Tonight?” The “tower” refers to the Kobe Port Tower, and the lyrics also mention the Portopia Expo held in Kobe in 1981, the year the album was released.
It’s said that whenever Matsutoya performs in Kobe, this song is almost always part of the set.
Just a little more… a bit more…ZARD
A single by ZARD released in September 1993.
This song, which portrays a forbidden love, features “Kobe” in its lyrics.
You can picture a woman in the city of Kobe pouring her overflowing love into a letter—a heartbreaking love song that tightens the chest.
[Songs of Hyogo] A Collection of Local and Love Songs Set in Hyogo (21–30)
Morning has come to KobeYoshinori Monta
This song is included on the album Horizon, which Yoshinori Monta released under his own name before he became known with Monta & Brothers.
Monta is from Higashinada Ward in Kobe.
The album had gone out of print, but it was reissued on CD in 2015.