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Classic songs about Nara: Local anthems and popular tracks [2025]
The captivating scenery and historic streets of the ancient capital Nara, along with the daily lives of the people who live there, have stirred the hearts of countless artists and been expressed through music.
From local songs that weave in distinctly Nara elements like the Great Buddha, Sento-kun, and the deer, to lyrical pieces that capture scenes set in Nara, there exists a wide variety of celebrated songs connected to the city.
In this article, we introduce a selection of exquisite tracks that convey Nara’s charm through music.
Please enjoy these pieces that let you feel Nara’s allure through sound, imagining the landscapes as you listen!
Classic songs about Nara — Local anthems and popular tracks [2025] (1–10)
Nara would be good.D.W. Nicholls
D.
W.
Nicols’s “Nara Nara Ii yo” charms with a sound as warm as spring sunshine.
Many will remember it as a track from the mini-album Smile 3 that has continued to be loved at live shows.
With vocalist Daisuke Watanabe’s gentle voice, a straightforward affection—“Nara is just the best”—is sung with plenty of humor.
The imagery conjures up the Great Buddha and the deer, as if you were strolling through the ancient capital with someone dear to you.
Anyone who has spent calm, happy moments like that will surely relate.
New Nara OndoHaruo Minami
This is a local festival song in which Haruo Minami, known as a nationally beloved singer, powerfully extols the charms of the ancient capital.
His uniquely piercing, beautiful voice and the spirited shouts of “Yoisho!” resonate in the chest, making your heart leap just by listening.
Iconic scenes of Nara—like the Great Buddha and the deer in the park—spring vividly to mind one after another, likely stirring a sense of travel in many listeners.
It’s a masterpiece that leaves you with a warm feeling, as if you’re part of a festival circle from the good old days.
Yamato Nadeshika (deer pun)Le Siana
One of the signature songs by Le Siana, Nara’s first local idol group, is “Yamato Nadeshika.” The title cleverly combines “Yamato,” an old name for the ancient capital, with “shika,” meaning deer—the symbol of Nara—making it a song brimming with love for the region.
Its upbeat melody, colored by tones reminiscent of traditional Japanese instruments, carries a festive sense of exhilaration.
Listening to its boundlessly bright sound may put you in a joyful mood, as if you’re energetically dashing through the streets of the old capital.
Cherished by fans for many years and passed down through countless performances, this classic is also a perfect travel companion for anyone planning a visit to Nara.
A large Buddha statue in NaraRekishi
This uniquely Lex-like track makes history feel close to home, saying, “Even the creation of a grand Great Buddha is a project where everyone joins forces.” Set to an irresistibly groovy funk sound, it paints a human drama unfolding behind the scenes of erecting the symbol of the ancient capital, Nara.
You’ll feel the thrill of looming deadlines, someone quietly reading the room and lending a hand—little moments that make you chuckle and that anyone working in a modern team can’t help but relate to.
It gently resonates with the idea that historic achievements are crystallizations of countless people’s hopes.
Many listeners will find their hearts captured by the warmth that makes distant events from long ago feel dear and familiar.
Wakakusa Mountain StarmineBURNOUT SYNDROMES
Crafted by BURNOUT SYNDROMES, who champion “youth literature rock,” this song vividly conjures scenes of Nara.
The literary world envisioned by vocalist Kazumi Kumagai meshes perfectly with the majestic landscape of Mount Wakakusa.
From the intro, the festival-like beat and piercing rock sound feel just like a celebration where the mountain burning and fireworks perform together.
Themes such as the warmth of family bonds and the radiance of life are woven in, likely moving many listeners with their imagery.
Listen to this track that dynamically colors the ancient capital’s night sky, and you’ll feel a stirring longing to travel to Nara.
Yamato Love SongNanako Kawanami
“Yamato Koibana,” sung by Nanako Kawanami—who also serves as a tourism ambassador for Nara City—evokes the world of the Manyoshu, portraying a steadfast love that remains unfaded even after a thousand years.
The song feels like the very story of her fresh start under a new stage name.
Her silky, lustrous voice invites listeners into the romantic history of the ancient capital.
As you listen to the grand, lyrical melody, scenes of antiquity spring to mind, and you may find yourself utterly entranced.
Why not overlay your feelings for someone special onto this timeless love that transcends eras?
Nara Prefectural Citizens' SongLyrics by Shiro Hagiwara / Music by Shoji Fukushima
It is a stately, dignified piece that was established as Nara Prefecture’s official prefectural song.
Interestingly, the initially selected entry was once pointed out as resembling another prefecture’s song, so the work was created anew by Shiro Hagiwara and Shoji Fukushima, both from Nara.
With that background, the song sets to a grand melody iconic Nara scenes that everyone knows, such as the cherry blossoms of Yoshino, Mount Unebi, and the Great Buddha.
You can almost picture the pride of the ancient capital and the resilient people moving toward the future.
It is said to be performed as a chorus at prefectural events as well, and if you have a chance to hear it locally, it might feel all the more moving.