The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies that Carry On the Spirit of the Hometown
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.
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The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies That Carry On the Heart of the Hometown (31–40)
Kaseda Makata-bushiKagoshima Song Singing Club
In 1872 (Meiji 5), the first place Emperor Meiji visited on an imperial tour was Kagoshima Prefecture.
Shimazu Hisamitsu, the supreme authority of the Satsuma Domain, was a key figure in the Meiji Restoration, yet he opposed reforms that differed from his own ideas.
One reason for the Emperor’s tour is said to have been to placate Hisamitsu.
Amid these circumstances, in response to the difficult conditions Hisamitsu faced—such as the steep Santarō-zaka and Shirogane-zaka—it is said that a song was composed as an apology.
wide clauseYutaka Tsuboyama
When you listen to it, it kind of feels like an Okinawan folk song, but “Waido-bushi” is actually a song about bullfighting on Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture.
“Waido” is a shout, but the lyrics themselves are in dialect, so even if you read them, you can’t really tell what they mean.
According to one theory, it’s a wishful song comparing the growth of a boy from Tokushima Prefecture to a bull named Waido, hoping he would become strong.
Tokunoshima BushiYamato Tokuhara
One of the traditional island songs handed down in Amami, it is sung throughout Tokunoshima.
On Amami Ōshima it is known not only as Tokunoshima-bushi but also as Inutabu-bushi, and in the Irabu Islands as Inutabu-mine-bushi.
Inutabu is a place name, and the origin is said to be that farmers were accused of illegally diverting brown sugar and were tortured; it is regarded as a song of resentment by the islanders from the Satsuma era.
Kagoshima Hama-bushiKatsushi Matsuyama
This is a folk song that praises the scenery of Fukiagehama in Kagoshima Prefecture and is also one of the representative songs of Kagoshima folk music.
The opening line, “Ka-go—shi—ma—,” begins without shamisen accompaniment, making it quite a difficult start, and it’s a popular piece in folk song competitions.
The song is said to have been created around the Taisho era.
It used to be cherished as an ozashiki-uta (a song performed in tatami-room gatherings), but nowadays it’s more commonly regarded as a song meant for listening as folk music.
Shinchi Bushiten ten
The Kagoshima folk song “Shinchi-bushi” is also known as “Izumi Shinchi-bushi.” It is said to have been sung to celebrate the completion of the land reclamation at Arasaki Coast in Izumi City.
At first listen it may sound like a parlor kouta-style ditty, but it is actually a work song that conveys the indescribable hardships people faced at the time.
The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies Passing Down the Local Spirit (41–50)
Morning Glory MelodyHatsune Miku
In the Amami Islands, this song is almost always sung as a celebratory piece for occasions like New Year’s and weddings.
The original song is “Hokorasha-bushi,” sung in the southern part of Amami Oshima, and it carries the meaning of “proud” or “joyful.” Its melody resembles Okinawan celebratory songs such as “Gujinfū” and “Okore-bushi,” likely because it spread from island to island and evolved in unique ways along the way.
Honen-bushi (Harvest Festival Song)Saburo Hidaka
From the title, I imagined it might be a song praying for or celebrating a bountiful harvest, but it also tells a deep history.
Around 400 years ago, Amami was under Satsuma’s rule, and people survived hunger by sipping things like rice gruel.
When Satsuma’s ships came into view, it meant rice and provisions would be supplied, so even while they were in a situation where they would no longer have to suffer from hunger, the islanders expressed their joy—yet there is something quietly sorrowful about it.