[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 from Across Japan Filled with Beloved Classics and Hometown Pride (161–170)
Isezakicho BluesMina Aoe
I’ve heard that Ms.
Aoe had a boyish personality, but I think she did a wonderful job singing a very sultry song—the kind you almost feel you shouldn’t be listening to.
Her husky voice made me want to hear her tackle authentic blues as well.
It feels like a waste that she was only a pop singer; if she were still with us today, I wonder what kinds of songs she would be singing.
A woman aloneDuke Aces
I thought that if I really traveled around Kyoto alone, it would heal a broken heart.
There are that many places that suit a solo journey.
And after all, Kyoto is a land that suits women.
The Duke Aces sing it beautifully, and you can listen to it without resistance.
It’s a quiet song about Kyoto.
Yokohama TwilightHiroshi Itsuki
Even though it’s also a song about Yokohama, many others have an exotic feel, whereas this one feels desolate, and the heartbreak comes across as painfully raw.
It must be Itsuki’s melancholy singing that makes it feel that way.
This is another song that’s easy to remember and I find myself humming it before I know it.
Chasing YokohamaJunko Sakurada
I think she’s singing in Junko-chan’s own color—not confined to Miyuki Nakajima’s style, but not sticking to the idol image either.
The lyrics do have Miyuki’s signature touch, though.
It feels like she’s casually chasing after her lover.
Yokohama is a city that lends itself to song, isn’t it? But this is fresh, different from the various other Yokohamas we’ve heard.
Love in KyotoYuko Nagisa with The Ventures
When I first heard it, I was amazed that a Kyoto song could fit the Ventures’ style so perfectly and feel so natural.
Yuko Nagisa’s high notes are put to great use, and I think that really enhances the Kyoto vibe.
It captures Kyoto well—its tradition along with a touch of modernity.
~Yaizu Black Hanpen~ Black Hanpen OndoHachirō Minato & Kaori Chigusa
This is a fun local song themed around Yaizu City’s specialty, kuro-hanpen (black fish cake).
Released in February 2024, the track is a collaboration between Mr.
Minato Hachiro and Ms.
Kaori Chigusa.
While incorporating Japan’s traditional ondō style, it features a modern arrangement.
The lyrics, filled with the nature and culture of Yaizu—and the charm of kuro-hanpen—stir a sense of hometown pride in listeners.
A total of 1,000 CDs were produced, many of which were donated to the city and the tourism association.
It’s recommended not only for local residents but also for visitors to Yaizu.
Ginza 9-chome, on the waterIchiro Kobe
Hearing a young singer perform reminded me of Mr.
Kobe’s songs.
His soft, resonant voice is wonderful.
Making Ninth Street out at sea and going on a date aboard a ship—what a chic and stylish song.
I think Mr.
Kobe’s clean, wholesome singing creates a great mood.
There really were dreamlike songs like this in the old days.