[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.
- [2025] Masterpieces that sing of Hokkaido: The enduring heart of our homeland passed down in song
- [Songs of Saitama] A Wealth of Humor-Filled Classics! Local Anthems Packed with Love for Saitama
- [Song of Osaka] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- [Kyoto Songs] Masterpieces that sing about Kyoto — songs themed on the ancient capital. The enduring heart of our hometown passed down in song.
- A famous song about Fukuoka. The heart of the hometown passed down through song.
- A classic song that celebrates Niigata. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- Songs about Tokyo: A Collection of Popular J‑Pop Classics [2025]
- Introducing Classic Songs About Shizuoka: Local Anthems and Popular Hits [2025]
- [Songs of Kagoshima] The heart of our hometown carried on in song | A curated selection of classic tracks that embody Kagoshima
- A classic song about Nagano. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- A classic song that sings of Nagasaki: the enduring heart of our hometown
- Songs related to Mie Prefecture. Beloved local tunes of Mie that continue to be cherished.
[Local Songs] Must-listen tracks packed with hometown pride from across Japan (1–10)
Osaka RomanesqueKanjani Eight
Set against the cityscape of Osaka, this song portrays a bittersweet love.
Familiar place names like Midosuji and Shinsaibashi are sprinkled throughout, evoking nostalgia in listeners.
It was included on Kanjani Eight’s album “KJ1 F·T·O,” released in March 2006, and was later issued as a single in June of the same year.
In May 2018, a newly recorded version featuring Taro Hakase was produced.
Furthermore, since 2018 it has been adopted as the theme song of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, helping to widely showcase the charms of Osaka through this work.
It’s also a recommended track as background music for trips revisiting cherished memories with a loved one, or for sightseeing in Osaka.
Blue Light YokohamaAyumi Ishida
A nightscape of a harbor town wrapped in blue light, upon which a fleeting love story is projected.
Upon its release in December 1968, the legendary classic became an instant smash hit, achieving an astonishing one million copies sold in just ten days.
The lyrics, inspired by the beautiful night view of Yokohama, masterfully intertwine the city’s scenery with the stirrings of the heart.
The sophisticated composition by Kyohei Tsutsumi went on to have a profound influence on subsequent Japanese popular music.
Why not give it a listen—perfect for a nighttime drive or as a cherished song to share with someone special.
North WingAkina Nakamori
“North Wing” is the name for the northern section of Narita International Airport’s Terminal 1.
It’s also the title of a signature song by Akina Nakamori, which captures the complex emotions of a woman setting off overseas in pursuit of her lover.
Released in January 1984, the song reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and generated major buzz, including five consecutive weeks at No.
1 on TBS’s music program The Best Ten.
It’s the perfect track for anyone who wants to feel the tremors of a heart in love or is about to embark on a journey.
Listen to it at the airport or on a plane, and it will resonate even more deeply.
[Local Songs] Recommended Masterpieces and Tunes Filled with Hometown Pride from Across Japan (11–20)
The Hill of PromisesMasaharu Fukuyama
This is Masaharu Fukuyama’s sixth single, inspired by Mount Inasa in Nagasaki City.
Released in October 1992, the song was written and composed by Fukuyama himself.
It was also featured as the ending theme for the TBS program “Television Near-Future Laboratory,” capturing the hearts of many listeners.
Centered on the theme of “the repetition of despair and hope,” it sings of a strong will and hope to overcome hardships.
Its simple melody and meaningful lyrics resonate deeply with listeners.
It’s a courageous song recommended for those struggling in life or about to take a new step forward.
Islanders' TreasureBEGIN
A masterpiece packed with the wonders of Okinawa is BEGIN’s “Shimanchu nu Takara” (“Treasure of Island People”).
Released in 2002 as their 23rd single, it was used by NHK Okinawa as the image song commemorating the 30th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan.
It’s said that vocalist Eisuke Higa asked a former classmate—now a teacher at their hometown junior high school—to have students write down their feelings for the island, which he then used as inspiration for the lyrics.
The song has been covered by many artists, including Rimi Natsukawa and BENI, so be sure to give it a listen!
When I turn around, it's YokohamaFuyumi Sakamoto
Furimukeba Yokohama is a song by Marcia, and a cover version was included on Fuyumi Sakamoto’s 2018 album ENKA III: Shin’ka (Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Komasa Inomata’s Birth).
This masterpiece portrays love, parting, and the resolve to move toward the future through scenes of Yokohama.
Sakamoto’s expressively rich vocals blend beautifully with the lyrics of Furimukeba Yokohama, resonating deeply with listeners.
It’s especially recommended for those who have experienced a bittersweet romance or who stand at a turning point in life.
Through this work, Sakamoto reflects on lost love while giving us the courage to face forward and take the next step.
Tsugaru Strait – Winter SceneSayuri Ishikawa
Set against the snow-laden Tsugaru Strait, this winter classic poignantly sings of a woman’s heartrending farewell.
Released in December 1977, the song became a major hit, selling over 1.
5 million copies, and is widely known as one of Sayuri Ishikawa’s signature works.
Told from the perspective of a woman boarding the Seikan Ferry from Aomori Station, the lyrics evoke the sorrow and loneliness of parting.
Its touching vocals and vivid scenic imagery are truly captivating.
It’s a song to listen to alone, quietly on a winter night, while thinking of someone you love—or once loved.