Songs of Iwate: The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song | A Collection of Classics to Enjoy While Thinking of Iwate
With melodies that resonate in the heart, Iwate’s beautiful scenery unfolds before your eyes.
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The culture rooted in this land and the lives of its people have become countless beloved songs that are still sung today.
The timeless history of the World Heritage site Hiraizumi, the mystical folklore of Tono, and the warm feelings of the people who live in the region.
The stories woven into each song are like a single painting capturing Iwate’s landscapes through the changing seasons.
In this article, we introduce gems of classic songs brimming with love for Iwate.
Why not let these songs stir your thoughts toward Iwate?
[Songs of Iwate] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song | A Collection of Classics to Listen to While Thinking of Iwate (1–10)
Flowers will bloom.Lyrics by Shunji Iwai / Music by Yoko Kanno
A heartwarming anthem created to support the areas and people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The delicate melodies woven by Yoko Kanno, who hails from Iwate Prefecture, and the warm tones of the piano imbued with love for her hometown gently resonate with listeners’ hearts.
Released in May 2012 as part of NHK’s Great East Japan Earthquake Project, the song also drew attention for being performed in a relay format by 34 notable figures with ties to the disaster-hit regions.
The lyrics, written from the perspective of those who lost their lives in the quake, deliver a powerful message to those of us who remain.
Offering the courage to overcome sorrow and face forward, this is a song you’ll want to listen to while picturing the landscapes of Iwate.
Song of the Puppy SiblingsIwate/Hiraizumi Tourism Campaign Executive Committee
This heartwarming, hometown-pride-filled song is packed with the charms of Iwate.
The lyrics, featuring the lively “Wanko Kyodai” characters modeled on specialties from across the prefecture, gently embrace Iwate’s nature and culture.
With an approachable, catchy pop melody, it’s a tune that makes you want to sing along.
Released in June 2008 as part of the “Iwate–Hiraizumi Tourism Campaign,” this piece played an important role in showcasing Iwate’s appeal far and wide.
Give it a listen before visiting Iwate, and your wanderlust will grow even more.
Rock and hand! Iwate! Geodude!Pokémon Fan Club
The prefectural support song born from the collaboration between Iwate Prefecture and Pokémon is a popular track brimming with hometown pride and humor.
Its upbeat, rock-inspired melody is paired with memorable lyrics that blend Iwate’s appeal with the distinctive traits of Geodude.
With vocals by Kazuo Sato, a native of Ninohe City, the song powerfully conveys the spirit of Iwate.
Since its release in May 2019, it has been featured at events both within and outside the prefecture, playing a role in promoting tourism.
Centered around the song, tourism promotions—such as the Geodude-wrapped trains and the installation of Pokémon manhole covers known as Poké Lids—garnered a strong response.
It’s a track perfect for Iwate natives reminiscing about home from afar, as well as Pokémon fans planning a trip to Iwate.
Hometown ~Blue Sky Homeland~Misaki Usuzawa
This is the debut single by a songstress from Iwate, resonating with pure vocals and the breath of folk music.
Released in July 2012, the piece conveys her feelings for her hometown after the earthquake, expressed by 13-year-old Misaki Usuzawa through her crystal-clear voice.
With a grand melodic line that evokes the vast skies and earth of Tohoku, and vocals that deeply touch the heart, it stands as a gem of a song in perfect harmony.
Upon release, it reached No.
1 on the USEN request chart, and she went on to receive numerous honors, including the Japan Record Award’s New Artist prize.
It’s a masterpiece best listened to while picturing the landscapes of Iwate or reflecting on your own spiritual hometown.
SakuramachiCody Lee (Li)
This is a gem-like ballad set in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, resonating with a heartfelt longing for home.
The scenery of Sakuramachi, the hometown of Hibiki Takahashi, is vividly portrayed alongside a beautiful melody.
Originally released in April 2020 as a digital single on the independent label “sakuramachi records,” the track was later included on the album “Seikatsu no News.” It received high praise from music fans, including selection for TOWER RECORDS’ “Tawarekomen.” It’s a song you’ll want to listen to quietly when you wish to reflect on the landscapes etched in your heart and memories with loved ones, even when far from home.
VOICESaToMansion
A passionate message song inspired by Iwate’s winter scenery.
Created by SaToMansion, a band of four real-life brothers, this carefully crafted track expresses their love for their hometown with a powerful rock sound.
Released in March 2018 as the theme for TV Asahi’s EX Theater TV, the song was also used for a high school baseball program in Iwate Prefecture, and a music video was produced set at Ōdaira Baseball Stadium in Ninohe City.
Its unique world, blending the sturdy rhythms of garage rock with the sentimentality of Showa-era pop, is sure to resonate deeply with people from Iwate who now live away from home.
Talarira Sanriku Reconstruction Support Versionunderpath!
This is a song created by underpath!, a group based in Iwate Prefecture, as a message of support for disaster-stricken areas.
Set to a bright and lively melody, it portrays the beautiful scenery of the Sanriku region and the warmth of its people, delivering courage and hope to listeners.
Produced in cooperation with the NHK Morioka Broadcasting Station, the official music video was released around 2020.
It’s recommended for those who want to rediscover the charms of Iwate or support disaster-affected areas through music.
Let the warm vocals wrap around you as you reflect on Iwate’s seasonal landscapes.