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 Passing Down the Local Spirit (41–50)

the ‘don-don’ ending; the -don/-dondon sentence-ending pattern (a Japanese grammatical/expressive ending implying things proceed rapidly or continuously)Kore-eda Three Sisters

the ‘don-don’ ending; the -don/-dondon sentence-ending pattern (a Japanese grammatical/expressive ending implying things proceed rapidly or continuously)

The Kore-eda Sasisters are rapidly implementing 'saving on, saving on'.

This is a folk song from Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture.

About 400 years ago, the region suffered several consecutive years of poor harvests.

However, in the Year of the Monkey there was a good harvest, only for another poor harvest to follow the next year.

In response, the local people established a harvest-prayer event on the tsuchinoe-saru day, calling it “Issansan” (Autumn Rice Cake Receiving).

This tradition is still passed down today in Isen Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, and this is the folk song sung during that event.

Raise the rankinglower

AhagariIkue Asazaki

Ahagari

Akihara Asazaki Ikue

It is said that island songs have been passed down not as songs but as spoken words, and this “Ahagari” has lyrics that truly speak to the heart.

The meaning of “ahagari” is “everything is bright,” and it is a profound piece that inspires gratitude for being born into this world.

The singer, Ikue Asazaki, is known as the Misora Hibari of Amami.

Raise the rankinglower

Sumo wrestler songAssociation for Caring About Takarabe Hometown

Performance of 'Sumōtoribushi' by the Takarabe Hometown Appreciation Society 'Gottan Club'

Sumo Wrestler-Bushi Takarabe Hometown Appreciation Association

The uniquely distinctive ‘Sumotoribushi’ (Sumo Wrestler Song) seems, even from the characters, to be a folk song derived from ‘sumo.

‘ Its history is old: from the late Edo to the Meiji period, it is said to have been popularized in the pleasure quarters, where sumo wrestlers spread it during tours at ozashiki gatherings.

Kagoshima’s Sumotoribushi is believed to have originated from Kumamoto’s Dokkoise-bushi (also known as Sumotori-bushi).

Raise the rankinglower

In conclusion

Kagoshima folk songs are deeply engraved with the lives of the local people and their sentiments, and each one carries the living history of Kagoshima.

By listening to these traditional melodies with an understanding of how the songs came to be and what their lyrics mean, you will feel the southern land of Kagoshima all the more familiar.