[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.
- Ranking of Popular Folk Songs
- Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy
- Nostalgic Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: The Heart of Japan Passed Down Through Song
- [Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido] Songs of Hokkaido that continue to be loved across generations
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- Japanese shoka (school songs). Nostalgic tunes, songs of the heart.
- Folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes of Osaka: the enduring spirit of our hometown carried on in song
- A folk song singer. The enduring heart of their hometown
- 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 Classics from Across Japan Brimming with Local Pride (41–50)
Tokamachi Kouta (Tokamachi Folk Song)
Born in 1929 (Showa 4), this song is celebrated as a classic that colors the spirit of Niigata.
Composed by Shimpei Nakayama with lyrics by Hakubi Nagai, it became well loved as a commercial song for Akashi Chijimi fabric.
With its graceful rhythm and melody, it extols the charms of Tokamachi City and grew so popular that it won first place in the New Folk Song category in 1960 (Showa 35).
The timbres woven by traditional instruments such as the Tsugaru shamisen and shakuhachi evoke the rich natural scenery of Niigata.
This piece is perfect not only for fans of folk music, but also for listeners seeking to experience Japanese culture.
A heartwarming song that conveys love for Niigata and pride in its hometown heritage.
[Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Classics from Across Japan Filled with Local Pride (51–60)
Tokunoshima folk song “Rokuchō”
Another folksong from Tokunoshima in the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture is this “Rokuchō.” It has a faster rhythm and is easier to dance to.
The calls are also easier to shout than in “Waido-bushi,” so I think this one is more suitable for dances like Bon Odori.
Tancha-mae BushiTink Tink
“Tanchame-bushi” is a folk song based on fishing at Tanchame Beach in Onna Village, Okinawa.
It is said to have been composed about 250 years ago to welcome the Ryukyu king when he stopped by at Manzamo.
It is one of the miscellaneous dances depicting scenes in which men catch fish with oars, while women place the fish in baskets (baaki) and carry them on their heads to sell.
Thirteen SandhillsMimura Michioka
I think it’s a reassuringly traditional-sounding folk song.
It’s about things like Jūsan Lake on the Tsugaru Peninsula, and as you listen, the scenery comes to mind.
The shamisen and the male vocals are excellent, so I recommend this song for beginners to folk music or those who aren’t very familiar with it.
Komoro Packhorse Driver's SongKatsumasa Mitsuhashi
Komoro Mago-uta is a folk song that originated in and around Komoro City in Nagano Prefecture.
The packhorse drivers who traveled chiefly around the Usui Pass sang mago-uta, which, through the serving women at Oiwake-juku on the Nakasendō, evolved into the parlor song Oiwake-bushi, featuring shamisen accompaniment and chant-like refrains.
It then spread to northern Japan via the Hokkokukaidō and the Kitamaebune shipping routes.
Komoro Mago-uta also became a popular song in Edo.
Hokkai Bon UtaMichiya Mihashi
Hokkai Bon Uta is a folk song passed down in Hokkaido and is said to have originated in Ikushumbetsu, Mikasa City, which once prospered as a coal-mining town.
It spread nationwide after enka singer Michiya Mihashi’s record became a major hit.
Across Hokkaido, it is used as a song for Bon dances during the Obon season, and in Mikasa City, the Mikasa Hokkai Bon Odori is held every August to promote the city as the song’s birthplace.
Esashi OiwakeKiichi Hamada
Esashi Oiwake is a folk song from Hokkaido, originating in Esashi Town, Hiyama District, located along the Sea of Japan on the Oshima Peninsula.
It is said to have its roots in the Shinano Oiwake-bushi and is believed to have emerged from the mid-Edo period onward.
It is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Hokkaido and has been selected as a Hokkaido Heritage item as part of “The Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival and Esashi Oiwake.”