Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy

Tsugaru Aiya-bushiChieko Kishi

Tsugaru Aiya-bushi

Tsugaru, in Aomori Prefecture, is known for its abundance of folk songs and its many distinguished historical works in the field of music.

Among the folk songs counted as the “Five Great Tsugaru Folk Songs” is Tsugaru Aiya-bushi.

Its origin can be traced to the Kumamoto folk song Haiya-bushi.

Haiya-bushi is known for having given rise to many other folk songs.

One of these, sung around the theme of “haiya,” which refers to a south wind favorable for launching boats, is a popular folk song that has also been covered with many different lyrical interpretations.

Akita Funakata-bushiHanako Ono

Takahashi Shujiro Akita Funakata-bushi Song: Ono Hanako akitafunakatabusi takahasi shujiro

Akita Funakata-bushi is notable for its lively interjections.

As its name suggests, it’s a song about sailors from Akita Prefecture, featuring amusing lyrics related to boats and the sea.

The shamisen and drum accompaniment is bustling and fun; among the folk songs of the era, it stands out as flashy yet pleasant—what we might now call an up-tempo piece.

This song falls into the genre known as “sawagi-uta” (rowdy party songs) and was sung at drinking gatherings and banquets.

It is deeply rooted in the local culture, with contests even held in Oga City, Akita Prefecture.

Tokyo OndoKiyoshi Hikawa

Kiyoshi Hikawa “Tokyo Ondo”

Tokyo Ondo is a relatively new folk song born in 1932.

It was originally composed and written under the name “Marunouchi Ondo” to boost morale and aid the recovery from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

The song was later renamed “Tokyo Ondo” and became a huge hit.

As intended, it encouraged the people of Tokyo and gave rise to many stories.

Even today, it continues to be sung as a supporters’ song for the baseball team Yakult Swallows and the J.

League club FC Tokyo.

It is a folk song that represents modern Tokyo.

Soma Bon SongHibari Misora

Hibari Misora: The Legendary Brazil Concert - MISSORA HIBARI (Part 2)

The folk song Soma Bon Uta from the Soma region of Fukushima Prefecture was released on record in 1937 and became a big hit.

True to its title, even today during the Bon Odori season every August, there are areas in Fukushima where dancing Bon Odori to this song has become an annual tradition.

It is also known as one of Hibari Misora’s signature songs; with bold new arrangements, it gained even more popularity and fame.

Another appeal is its highly auspicious lyrics, which pray for a bountiful harvest in the Soma region, once known for its rice production.

Yagi-bushiChiemi Eri

Eri Chiemi ~ Yagi-bushi ⛩ 1971

Yagibushi is sung across two prefectures, Gunma and Tochigi.

It’s a song distinguished by its powerful, vigorous accompaniment and melodic phrases.

Its most notable feature is the way the rhythm is marked by drumming on barrels, and this sound and beat form Yagibushi’s core identity.

Its history and dissemination are documented in considerable depth and detail, and the Yagibushi Festival is still held every year.

Among the many folk songs, its exceptionally robust rhythm makes it a track you can thoroughly enjoy even today.

Kuroda-bushiAya Shimazu

Aya Shimazu ★ Kuroda-bushi Goro Kagami (dance)

Kuroda-bushi was known not only in Fukuoka Prefecture but throughout Japan as a classic song sung at drinking parties.

Its lyrics are perfectly suited to such occasions, and the opening lines about sake give this folk song a distinctive flavor unlike others.

Sung in honor of the Fukuoka samurai, it charms with a witty play on words between “Kuroda-bushi” (the song) and “Kuroda-bushi” (Kuroda warriors).

With a deeply masculine, weighty, and powerful melody, it evokes the spirit of Fukuoka’s land and people.

It’s a folk song you’ll want to belt out proudly and enjoyably at any banquet.

Setsu ToyamaShoko Kikuchi

Setsu Toyama / Shoko Kikuchi

Born in 1891 (Meiji 24) and transcribed in the early Showa period before being passed down through the years, this is “Toyama-bushi,” a grass-cutting song sung at a ranch in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture.

As you can see, many folk songs were sung by working people, and their charm lies in how they reflect the climate and character of each region.

Although the Toyama Imperial Ranch that served as the setting for this “Toyama-bushi” no longer exists, the fact that it remains as a song reminds us of the power of music.

It seems to be so popular in Morioka that there is even a national competition featuring live performances of Toyama-bushi.