Folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes of Kumamoto: the enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
Kumamoto has served as the setting for folk songs and children’s songs known throughout Japan, such as Otemoyan and Itsuki no Komoriuta.
These works vividly portray the grandeur of Aso’s natural landscape, the majestic figure of Kumamoto Castle, and the rhythms of everyday life.
From Taharabanzaka, which conveys the sorrow of the Satsuma Rebellion, to Higo Kome Ondo, which celebrates a bountiful harvest, each folk song passed down through the generations is deeply etched with Kumamoto’s history and culture.
In this article, we have gathered folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes from Kumamoto, imbued with love for the homeland and the joys of daily life.
Let us lend an ear to the world of song where the spirit of Kumamoto resides.
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Kumamoto folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes: The heart of our hometown passed down through song (21–30)
Kumamoto Temari Song
It’s a lively hand-clapping song that begins with the question, “Where are you from?” The rhythmic back-and-forth feels like children’s bright voices leaping right out, making it so much fun! The lyrics humorously convey the warm feeling of sharing one’s hometown and the old-time custom of sharing a raccoon dog.
This piece was sung by Keiko Fuji on her 1971 album “Keiko’s Children’s Songs / Keiko Fuji and the Green Men,” and became familiar as a nursery rhyme through the Yakult “Toughman” commercial featuring Shiro Ito.
How about enjoying a hand game again for the first time in a while?
Fukurenki Lullaby
This lullaby, which lives on in the Amakusa region of Kumamoto, is a work that weaves the earnest feelings of young girls who left their hometowns to work in service into a gentle melody for lulling infants to sleep.
The lyrics, which depict the daily life of child caretakers and even voice wishes for the afterlife, reveal the harsh living conditions of the time and a deep longing for home.
It is said that this song has been passed down since before the Ansei era, prior to the 1850s.
At the “Fukuregi Lullabies & Children’s Songs Festival,” held annually since 1995, local children continue to sing it with great care.
Why not listen closely to a melody imbued with the rhythms of people’s lives and the spirit of their community?
Kumamoto’s folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: The heart of our hometown passed down through song (31–40)
Aoi-san’s Gate (Festival Song)
A heartfelt traditional melody rooted in the festivals of Kumamoto.
Its simple yet majestic pentatonic tune invites listeners into the joy of celebration.
This piece has been passed down as a “folk song of the Kumamoto region” and is still sometimes performed at local festivals in Kumamoto today.
Piano arrangements and vocal sheet music are also available for purchase, and it is widely known as a song deeply embedded in Kumamoto’s culture.
Those who wish to experience the warmth of Japanese traditional music and the spirit of local culture will find themselves filled with a gentle sense of peace.
Rhapsody on the Kumamoto Folk Songs Yoheho-bushi and Itsuki LullabyYu Okuda
Rooted in two folk songs that embody the spirit of Kumamoto, this work beautifully weaves the resonance of the shamisen with the melodies of the violin.
The refined sensibility of Japanese tradition and the expressive power of Western music are harmoniously balanced, stirring feelings of nostalgia and a deep, prayer-like emotion in listeners.
Commissioned by Kioi Hall and premiered around 2017, a passionate performance video by violinist Fuminori Shinozaki and nagauta shamisen performer Choryuro Imafuji remains available.
Perfect for those who wish to connect with the primal landscapes of Kumamoto or seek a fresh musical experience that fuses East and West.
Why not take your time and immerse yourself in its world?
Battens and BaterenSelf-styled Tourism Association
When the spirit and warmth of Kumamoto are rendered by Jun Miura and Hajime Anzai, they turn into such a delightful and heartwarming local song.
This track sings about Kumamoto’s specialties and history—like horse sashimi, Mount Aso, and Amakusa Shirō—with affection, humor, and nostalgia.
The gentle tone of Miura’s guitalele and the cozy sense of place created by the “Ryoka-roku” inn recordings feel truly comforting.
It was included on the album “Vol.
1” in January 2003, and later featured on the February 2008 album “Katte ni Kankō Kyōkai Katte ni Gotōchi Song 47+1.” How about giving it a listen when you want to rediscover Kumamoto’s charm or are in the mood for music that warms the heart?
Hang in there, Kumamoto!Kenji Hayashida
An anthem born from the heartfelt wish for recovery after the Kumamoto earthquakes, bringing together the hopes of many.
Kenji Hayashida carefully transformed the real voices and earnest wishes of those affected into lyrics, creating this work together with the people of Kumamoto.
As symbolized by the Kumamoto dialect word meaning “hang in there,” it carries a warm yet powerful message of encouragement that speaks directly to the listener’s heart.
Included on the mini-album “Minna no Oto-gasane” released in January 2017, the song is deeply connected to support for the disaster-stricken areas, including Kumamoto Castle.
Enriched by the pure voices of the NHK Kumamoto Children’s Choir, it powerfully conveys undying love for one’s hometown and the bonds of people facing hardship.
It’s a song that gently stays by your side when your heart is about to break or when you long for human warmth, giving you a push toward tomorrow.
OtemoyanAkaska Koume
The folk song Otemoyan, which represents Kumamoto, is said to have originated from the Kumamoto Jinku, a parlor song sung in the geisha districts of Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is characterized by its cheerful lyrics with a strong Kumamoto dialect.
Even today, Otemoyan—and Otemoyan Samba, a samba-style arrangement—are often danced at festivals in Kumamoto.