[Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Masterpieces from Across Japan, Brimming with Local Pride
From north to south, the traditional singing voices passed down across Japan are treasures of each region.
Perhaps you, too, have a memorable song that your grandparents or parents sang to you when you were a child—or one you sang together.
Folk songs, woven with the lives, cultures, and sentiments of their native places, have been sung across generations.
In this article, we introduce a selection of Japanese folk songs that resonate with the heart.
As you listen to the nostalgic melodies of hometowns, let us touch the spirit and landscape of Japan.
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- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
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- Folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes of Osaka: the enduring spirit of our hometown carried on in song
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- Folksongs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Fukushima: the heart of our hometown passed down in song
- Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad
- Soran Bushi: The heart of Japan passed down through song
- The Spirit of Japan: A Collection of Famous and Popular Shamisen Pieces
- Folk Songs, Children's Songs, and Nursery Rhymes of Aomori: Japanese Songs from Tsugaru and Hachinohe that Resonate with the Heart
[Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Local Masterpieces from Across Japan (11–20)
Takeda Bushi (Takeda Song)
It is a truly soul-stirring masterpiece that powerfully sings of the majestic nature of Kai and the pride of the people rooted there.
Centered on the famous teaching, “People are the castle, people are the stone walls, people are the moats,” it vividly portrays deep love for one’s homeland and the spirit of the samurai.
Originally a demo tape for dance practice, the lyrics were written in 1957 at the lyricist’s wish to create “a song everyone in Yamanashi can sing.” Why not listen to it when you want to bask in historical romance or rouse your own spirits?
Awa Yoshiko melody
This is a folk song beloved in Tokushima Prefecture.
It’s sung during Awa Odori, one of Japan’s three major Bon dances, and is cherished not only by the people of Tokushima but by many others as well.
The song’s greatest appeal lies in its lively “zomeki” rhythm that sets listeners’ hearts dancing.
It brims with an open, infectious energy that seems to teach us the chic spirit of everyone—dancers and spectators alike—enjoying the moment together.
Why not listen when you want to feel the festival’s heat and the exhilaration of people moving as one? It’s a piece filled with a mysterious charm that makes you want to move your body.
Katano-bushi
This is a traditional Bon Odori song from the Kawachi region, said to have originated in the mid-Edo period.
It is also known as a root of the “Kawachi Ondo.” With melodies and dances passed down in slightly different forms from area to area, its simple resonance may evoke images of one’s hometown landscape.
In October 2018, a recording titled “Katano Bushi ~ Ishikawa Goemon ~,” arranged with orchestral accompaniment, was released.
Furthermore, in 2025, as part of a project related to the Osaka–Kansai Expo, an uptempo arrangement of this work was introduced to reach younger audiences.
Sano's seduction
This is a richly narrative bon odori song passed down since the Edo period in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture.
Its lilting 7-5 syllabic phrasing, delivered like spoken storytelling over rhythms of shamisen and taiko, resonates deeply.
It almost feels like watching a grand historical picture scroll unfold.
Highly regarded for its cultural value, it has been recognized as a component cultural asset of Japan Heritage.
Why not give it a listen when you want to reflect on Osaka’s history and the lives of its people?
Nambu Tawatsumi Uta
Nambu Tawara-zumi Uta is a folk song and travelling performer’s song handed down in Sannohe District, Aomori Prefecture, which belonged to the former Nambu domain.
In the past, itinerant performers in Sannohe District would visit households at seasonal milestones such as New Year’s and Setsubun, using small props like rice-straw bales to perform pieces including Nambu Tawara-zumi Uta.
They would present celebratory acts lavishly praising the master and mistress of the house, as well as the storehouse and residence, and in return received rice or money.
Tankō-bushi (Coal Miner's Song)
Tankō-bushi is a folk song handed down in Fukuoka Prefecture and is said to have originated in what is now Tagawa City.
Its original form is believed to be “Ida-ba Uta Sentan-uta,” sung by female workers at the Mitsui Tagawa coal mine, which, after being arranged, was first recorded in 1932.
Today, it has become the most standard piece for Bon Odori and is widely known throughout Japan.
[Japanese Folk Songs / Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Classics from Around Japan (21–30)
Gosha Dance
A celebratory folksong rooted in the local community and passed down at Hine Shrine in Izumisano City, Osaka.
Its origins lie in the travel songs sung during the Edo-period pilgrimages to Ise.
In 1965, its name was chosen through submissions from parishioners, and it was dedicated along with choreography.
It is characterized by an energetic style that unites drum rhythms with spirited calls.
Carefully preserved by the hands of local residents, it is truly a piece imbued with the heart of the hometown.
Why not experience the fervor of Osaka’s festivals and the warm prayers of its people?