![[Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Masterpieces from Across Japan, Brimming with Local Pride](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5kLZ7eaRZ8c/hqdefault.jpg)
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 Local Masterpieces from Across Japan (1–10)
Shunryō main clause
This is a folk song from Amami Ōshima, its heartrending melody speaking directly to the soul and profoundly moving all who listen.
Originally cherished as a love song, it was reborn as a requiem after a local legislator’s wife lost her life at sea during the Meiji era.
Woven into the piece is the island belief that a woman spiritually protects her brothers, evoking an unshakable bond of souls that endures beneath the deepest sorrow.
A recording performed by Ritsuki Nakano was released in May 1993, and in 1994 a young performer won the Min’yō Grand Prize with this song—evidence that it continues to be sung and treasured across generations.
On a quiet night when your thoughts turn to your hometown or to loved ones now gone, why not listen closely and let it sink in?
Tinsagu Flowers
This is a song full of warm teachings that has long been passed down from parents to children in Okinawa.
Like dyeing your nails with the blossoms of the balsam flower, it gently teaches you to let your parents’ lessons soak into your heart.
Some may relate to the idea that a parent’s words are like countless stars and like the North Star that lights the course of one’s life.
The song became widely loved after it was broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” in 1966, and in recent years it was also featured in the drama “Chimudondon.” In March 2012, it was chosen by a prefectural referendum as the musical symbol of the prefecture.
Yasugi-bushi
A signature folk performance from Shimane Prefecture, this piece beautifully blends the bustle of a port town with the bittersweet lives of its people.
Its lively 7-7-7-5 rhythm interweaves with shamisen and festival accompaniment, setting listeners’ hearts dancing.
The free-flowing melodic turns—sometimes described as almost jazz-like—carry a certain wistfulness as well, a depth that many may find deeply compelling.
Its origins trace back to the Genroku era of the Edo period, thought to have evolved through the fusion of diverse cultures carried by the Kitamaebune trading ships.
United with a humorous dance, this work invites you to listen when you wish to touch the primal landscape of the Japanese spirit—let its nostalgic strains wash over you.
Kawachi Ondo
An energetic local sound imbued with Osaka’s fiery spirit and heartfelt warmth.
This is a traditional Bon dance song from the Kawachi region of Osaka Prefecture, with roots dating back to the late Edo period.
In 1991, an arranged version titled “Kākin Ondo” was produced for a commercial, gaining nationwide popularity.
While based on taiko drums and shamisen, it freely incorporates guitar at times, delivering improvised lyrics that range from samurai warlords to contemporary events.
Its lyrics distill the land’s history and culture into a vivid, living narrative.
Join in the calls and responses, and experience the spirit of Naniwa for yourself!
Takeda Lullaby
This is a melancholy lullaby that has been passed down in the Takeda area of Fushimi, Kyoto.
In reality, however, it tells of the harsh daily lives and sorrows of young girls sent out as nursemaids because of poverty.
The hardship of working without rest, with no Bon festival or New Year’s holiday, comes through with a gripping poignancy.
The song from this region became widely known through research for the stage play “The River with No Bridge,” based on Sue Sumii’s original work.
It was featured by the folk group Akai Tori in 1971, and Kaori Kawamura’s 1991 cover sold about 280,000 copies, carrying the song across generations.
If you listen closely to the story behind the singing, you may hear the heartbeat of the people who once lived in this homeland.
Tsugaru Aiya-bushi
Born as a boatman’s song in a port town of Kyushu, this piece traveled north along the Sea of Japan and blossomed powerfully in the snowy land of Tsugaru.
The cheerful tones of its southern origins merged with the spirit of people facing harsh nature, evolving into a distinctive timbre.
The repeated calls and responses may not recount a specific story, but rather embody the collective prayer of a community that endured years of poor harvests and wished for a brighter future.
Passed down as one of the Five Great Folk Songs of Tsugaru, its spirit is carried on today by artists like Hiromitsu Agatsuma.
Heard in lively gatherings with friends, it creates a sense of unity; listened to alone, it conjures images of home and the warmth of its people.
It is a melody that conveys a robust hope, like waiting for spring beyond a severe winter.
Gujo-bushi
A nostalgic folk song passed down mainly in Gujo Hachiman, Gifu Prefecture.
Its history is said to go back about 400 years, and it is known nationwide as a Bon dance song.
This piece expresses the lingering feelings of someone leaving their hometown.
Even though no rain is falling, the sleeves are soaked with parting tears—an image that irresistibly draws you in.
Since a preservation society was founded in the Taisho era, its warm melody has been lovingly safeguarded by local residents.
When you find yourself suddenly missing home while living in the city, this bittersweet and beautiful melody may seep deep into your heart.