[Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
Across Japan, there are many “local songs” created around themes like regional climate and traditions, long-standing customs, hometown pride, and specialty foods.
However, few people are likely familiar with songs from places far from their own living area or hometown.
Some might even have spent years in a region without knowing its local songs at all.
In this article, we’ll introduce some highly impactful, must-hear local songs from across Japan that we hope many of you will get to know.
If it’s a place you’ve visited, try listening while picturing the local scenery.
If it’s somewhere you’ve never been, let the song help you imagine the land and the lives of the people who live there.
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[Local Songs] Must-Listen Tracks Filled with Hometown Pride from Across Japan (71–80)
Hiroshi’s proud hometown, ze yo!Hiroshi Miyama
This is a song by Hiroshi Miyama, a native of Nankoku City in Kochi Prefecture, packed to the brim with love for his hometown.
As a tourism ambassador, his signature spirit of service shines through, making it a deeply satisfying local anthem.
The lyrics roll out one after another—from famous landmarks like Harimaya Bridge and Hirome Market to regional specialties like first-skipjack bonito and gamecock hot pot—turning the piece into a musical journey through Kochi’s charms.
Sung proudly in his warm “vitamin voice,” declaring “shoeiyo (amazing!),” you can feel his deep affection for where he’s from.
The comfortable enka melody combined with the rustic cadence of the Tosa dialect conjures vivid images of Tosa’s grand nature and the heartfelt warmth of its people.
The Great Cedar of SugiHiroshi Miyama
This song was performed by Hiroshi Miyama, the “Vitamin Voice” born in Kochi, as a heartfelt tribute to his hometown.
Composed by his mentor, Masamasa Nakamura, it’s a grand life-themed enka inspired by the three-thousand-year-old ‘Great Cedar of Sugi’ towering over his local town of Ōtoyo.
The anecdote that Miyama himself piloted a drone to film the music video also speaks volumes about his extraordinary love for his hometown.
He overlays his own life onto the great cedar that has “withstood blizzards, storms, and drought,” and vows to show a “proud, shining figure” to someone dear to him.
That straightforward resolve blends perfectly with Miyama’s warm vocals, gently infusing listeners with the strength to face tomorrow.
Typhoon of LoveSelf-styled Tourism Association
A local song for Kochi released in 2004 by Miura Jun and Anzai Hajime’s duo, the Katte ni Kanko Kyokai (Self-Appointed Tourism Association).
It’s a playful number produced in their “Ryokaroku” style—improvised recordings done at inns.
From pounding out ‘katsuo no tataki’ to getting swept up in a ‘typhoon of love’ the moment they spot whales at Cape Muroto, the lyrics comically portray the start of an irresistible romance against the backdrop of Kochi’s famous sights, and just listening fills you with excitement! “Whatever happens, happens!” You can feel the protagonist’s mood in this passionate and humorous track.
It’s the kind of song that makes you want to set off on a trip, as if you can feel the Tosa breeze on your skin.
Shimanto no Yado (Inn of Shimanto)Yuko Oka
This is a renowned song performed by Yuko Oka, known as the “Singing Map of Japan” for her renditions of local songs from across the country, set against the clear currents of Kochi.
Included on a single released in 2016, the piece portrays a quiet love story unfolding at a hidden inn along the banks of the Shimanto River.
The scene evoked by the line “Resting my cheek on your shoulder / a roofed boat on the Shimanto River” is like a painting.
With the lively Yosakoi Festival as a backdrop, time flows gently for just the two of them.
Oka’s richly expressive, sultry voice perfectly matches the poignancy of their secret love and the serene ambiance of Kochi.
It’s a deeply evocative song, as if the heroine’s fleeting wishes melt into the glittering waters of the pure stream.
Long live old age!Gee-Pop from Kōchi-ken All Stars
With its innovative lineup and comical vocals, many of you were probably shocked the moment you first heard it.
Released in 2016, it’s the major debut single by Jii-POP from Kochike ALL STARS.
Turning the prefecture’s high elderly population on its head, the lyrics boldly proclaim “Long live the elderly,” which is delightfully refreshing.
Along with the lilt of the Tosa dialect, the song sprinkles in humorous nods to Kochi’s blessings like buntan and bonito, as well as everyday life—such as waking up at 5:30 in the morning.
Dressed in white as they dance, they look like the blue skies and white clouds of Tosa.
Just by listening, you can feel the warmth of Kochi’s people and its culture; it might be the ultimate anthem of support.
Yosakoi enkaTatsue Kaneda
This is a local song in which Tatsue Kaneda—who took the world by storm with “Kagai no Haha”—sings the spirit of Tosa with passionate intensity.
Released in 2022, “Yosakoi Enka” is truly a song for Kochi, blending the driving energy of a festival with the distinctive pathos of enka.
Listen closely to the lyrics and you can almost picture a single-minded man, gazing out over the Pacific Ocean with pride in his hometown swelling in his chest.
Kaneda’s rich, folk-honed vocals align with the protagonist’s spirit and stir the listener’s soul.
Doesn’t it feel like a masterpiece you’ll want to hear again and again, distilling the heat of the Yosakoi Festival and the grandeur of Kochi’s natural beauty?
Tosa manGoro Kagami
Veteran enka singer Goro Kagami’s “Tosa no Otoko,” released in 2009, is a quintessential local enka piece that vividly conjures up scenes of Kochi.
Phrases like “the moonlit Yosakoi at Katsurahama” and “holding a red camellia blossom” invite you into the beautiful landscapes of southern Tosa.
Above all, what stirs the heart is the rugged spirit of the Tosa man, belted out in the line “Let the spray and rough waves come crashing!” Kagami’s resonant voice and distinctive phrasing brilliantly embody that indomitable soul.
With pride in his homeland, he faces any hardship with guts.
Just by listening, you can feel the grandeur of Tosa’s nature and the passion of its people rushing into your heart—an empowering song brimming with strength.