Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs

The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies that Carry On the Spirit of the Hometown

Accompanist / Piano InstructorYuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Folk songs and children’s songs rooted in the land of Kagoshima vividly reflect the spirit and daily life of the region.

Masterpieces that capture a range of emotions—such as the toil of land-reclamation work, the prayers and joys of islanders, and the pure romantic feelings of young people—have been passed down across generations and are still cherished today by locals and by those living away from their hometown.

In this article, we’ve gathered folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes brimming with love for Kagoshima.

Please enjoy the moving world of Kagoshima’s folk music.

The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies Carrying on the Spirit of the Hometown (21–30)

yokaiMitsuo Sasagawa

Yokai (Tanegashima Lullaby - Folk Song)

Yokai Masao Sasagawa

Not “yōkai” as in monsters, but “yōkai” is a lullaby sung throughout all the islands of Kagoshima, a word used to soothe children.

However, it seems that many island children still think the lullabies they heard long ago are about yōkai (monsters).

For a lullaby, it’s quite sobering—mentioning, for example, a father who went away for seasonal work and hasn’t returned for over three years—so the song conveys the hardships of people’s lives.

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RokuchōKazuhira Takeshita

Kazuhira Takeshita, “Rokuchō”

Rokuchō Takeshita Kazuhira

The six elements—song, dance, sanshin, drum, whistling, and calls—together make up the “Rokuchō.” Its intense rhythms and dancing may bring Okinawan folk music to mind, but locals consider it a different piece from the Okinawan folk “Kachāshī.” That said, both are sung on celebratory occasions and at the close of feasts.

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The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies That Carry On the Heart of the Hometown (31–40)

Grass-Cutting SongTakako Hidaka

Tanegashima folk song 'Kusakiri-bushi' — sung by Sue Sasagawa and her son Mitsuo Sasagawa — with on-screen lyrics and commentary

Kusakiri-bushi by Takako Hidaka

I thought it might be a typical folk work song from the fields, but it actually gives off a cheerful vibe of a man and woman happily working together.

In the past, when differences in family status made it difficult not only to marry but even to court despite mutual affection, it’s said that couples enjoyed their dates by doing farm work together like this.

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Osumi Rice Hulling SongMinyo Hokushin-kai

Osumi Rice Hulling Song

Osumi Rice Hulling Song Folk Music Hokushin Association

The rice-hulling song is a folk song sung across Japan with various lyrics depending on the region.

Today, machines handle all simple tasks, but in rural areas it was passed down as a work song because the job was hard and time seemed to drag on.

People sang while working to take their minds off the labor.

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Kagoshima Mikudari (three-step descent)Shimbashi Kiyozō

Kagoshima Mikudari (Shimbashi Kiyozō) 80 rpm

Kagoshima Sangesagari Shinbashi Kiyoza

Among folk songs, this one is quite sultry.

“Mi-sagari” is one of the shamisen tuning methods—that is, a way of tuning the shamisen.

In this case, it lowers the third string of the standard tuning by a whole tone (a major second), which is said to bring out a sensual, stylish mood.

In that sense, “Kagoshima Sansagari” is exactly that.

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Counting Song of the Arrival of FirearmsNaoyuki Harada

Arrival of Firearms Counting Song – with Lyrics Subtitles – Mitsuo Sasagawa – Tanegashima Corina

Harada Naoyuki, Tekkō Denrai Counting Song

Today it’s famous as a rocket launch site, but a generation ago it was known for the arrival of firearms from Portugal.

Songs—especially folk songs—often turn local events and scenes into lyrics, so they’re educational too.

However, in verse 10, a woman named Wakasa marries a foreigner on the condition that he teach her how to make guns.

We don’t know whether she ended up happy or unhappy.

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Shio-kaebushiShoji Matsuyama

Song 'Shiogaebushi' sung by Katsushi Matsuyama, a folk song instructor from Osumi

Kashioe-bushi Matsuyama Katsuji

Makurazaki City in Kagoshima Prefecture has long been a thriving fishing town.

Various kinds of fish are landed at Makurazaki Port in the town center, but it is especially famous as a “katsuo” (bonito) town.

The “zako” that appears in the song refers to kibinago (silver-stripe round herring), which serve as bait for bonito.

To transport fresh bait, the water in the tanks had to be changed day and night, and it is said that the song was sung by fishermen to keep themselves awake.

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