![[2025] Masterpieces themed around Ibaraki: From local songs to municipal anthems, an introduction](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/PLSxp41UUdI/maxresdefault.webp)
[2025] Masterpieces themed around Ibaraki: From local songs to municipal anthems, an introduction
In Ibaraki Prefecture, magnificent waterscapes stretch from the Pacific Ocean to Lake Kasumigaura, complemented by farm produce nurtured by its nature-rich land and historic townscapes—there are countless captivating elements.
Many songs have been composed to celebrate the wonders of Ibaraki, cherished as a source of pride by its residents.
From municipal anthems to beloved local tunes, music themed around Ibaraki is remarkably diverse.
In this article, we introduce a variety of songs that express Ibaraki in many forms—from simple hometown affection to grand hymns to nature.
You might discover a side of “Ibaraki in music” you’ve never known.
[2025] Masterpieces themed around Ibaraki: Introducing everything from local songs to municipal anthems (1–10)
Moon-waiting Waterfall Love SongKaori Mizumori
This is a lyrical enka number performed by Kaori Mizumori, renowned as the “Queen of Local Songs,” set against the power spot Tsukimachi Falls in Daigo, Ibaraki Prefecture.
It portrays a single-minded, heartrending love that longs to meet someone no longer reachable—“even if only in a dream.” Mizumori’s clear, wistful voice blends beautifully with the waterfall’s serene, mystical atmosphere, leaving a deep impression on the listener’s heart.
Listening to this song may make you feel as though you’re standing amid the rich natural scenery of Ibaraki.
Song of Oarai TownBxAxG
This is the official image song of Oarai Town, created by the locally rooted mixture rock band BxAxG.
The vocalist, NAOI, lives in Oarai as a fisherman, and that authentic perspective is a major appeal of the track.
The line “born, raised, and felt in the town of Oarai” conveys a deep affection and pride that goes beyond simple scenic description.
The lyrics, which vividly evoke the warmth and kindness of the townspeople, are truly the everyday life of Oarai.
Carried by an energetic sound, the straightforward feelings it delivers warmly embrace listeners’ hearts—making it a quintessential local anthem overflowing with love for the town.
HospitalityIbaraki Young Master
Ibaraki Wakadanna is a unit formed as part of a tourism promotion for Ibaraki.
Their debut song, “O-MO-TE-NA-SHI,” is, as the title suggests, a welcome song filled with the spirit of hospitality.
Set to a melody reminiscent of nostalgic Showa-era pop, it conveys a warm sentiment toward those visiting Ibaraki.
Because the members actually work in lodging facilities, their message of “We’ve been waiting for you” carries genuine warmth and real persuasive power.
Just by listening, you can almost picture the entrance of an inn welcoming travelers and the gentle smiles of the people of Ibaraki.
This song will surely make you want to set out on a journey to experience the charms of Ibaraki.
Itako LullabyHarumi Miyako
This is a lyrical song by Harumi Miyako, one of Japan’s leading enka singers, that vividly evokes the scenery of Itako City in Ibaraki Prefecture.
The wistful tones of the shamisen and the unhurried melody are like a boat gliding quietly through the waters of the Itako marshlands.
This song is more than a simple lullaby.
It beautifully weaves together the sorrow of seeing someone off as they depart from the port and the deep maternal love that wishes for the healthy growth of the child held in her arms.
Beneath the gentle refrain of “nen-nen korori” lies a yearning for the one who is leaving and a prayer for the child’s future.
It is a timeless masterpiece that softly awakens in listeners the landscapes of their hometown and warm feelings for their family.
The Crows of TsukubaHaruo Minami
This is a local song set in Ibaraki by Haruo Minami, known as a nationally beloved singer.
The emotionally rich “kayō-rōkyoku” style, unique to a rōkyoku balladeer, vividly portrays the scenery of Tsukuba and the human warmth that resides there.
The word “aho-garasu” (foolish crow) that appears in the lyrics likely symbolizes the protagonist’s helpless feelings and homesickness as he travels far from home.
Listening to Minami’s powerful yet gentle voice, you can almost see the sun setting over the banks of the Tone River and the scenes of Morokawa-juku.
It’s a deeply moving song filled with the spirit of Ibaraki and the bittersweet longing for one’s hometown.
Seal of TearsSelf-styled Tourism Association
This is a local song from Ibaraki Prefecture by the duo “Katteni Kanko Kyokai,” formed by Jun Miura and Hajime Anzai.
The song’s charm lies in its unique idea of comparing the protagonist’s bittersweet feelings of love to Mito Komon’s ‘inrō’ (the seal case).
The poignant sentiment of “needing lies in order to love” is strikingly condensed into the phrase “tears as an inrō.” The lyrics are packed with Ibaraki specialties—like the “greasy sweat of Mount Tsukuba’s toad” and the “strings of Mito natto”—which comically portray the protagonist’s complex state of mind.
It’s a song overflowing with love for Ibaraki, where melancholy and humor blend to perfection.
Boatman's BalladLyrics by Ujō Noguchi / Music by Shinpei Nakayama
Sentokuwata (Boatman’s Lament) features lyrics by poet Ujō Noguchi from Kitaibaraki City.
It is a poignant masterpiece that reflects Noguchi’s own wandering life.
The image of a boatman who can only surrender himself to the current is layered with feelings of life’s helplessness and impermanence.
The melancholy scene calls to mind the vast winter waterscapes of Noguchi’s beloved Ibaraki—places like Lake Kasumigaura or the Tone River.
The lyrics, which touch each listener’s heartstrings in their own way, merge with the desolate melody to sink deeply into the listener’s chest.
It is a song that quietly questions the sorrows of life across the ages.