Ranking of Popular Folk Songs
That nostalgic melody, passed down through generations—the heart of our hometowns.
We’ve researched a wide range of folk songs from past to present, from East to West! In this article, we’ve selected popular tracks based on reliable feedback from music fans who’ve contributed to our site so far.
Among them, we’ll introduce the most acclaimed ones in a ranked format.
Please take a look.
We also researched children’s songs like nursery rhymes and lullabies, as well as work songs and songs for ceremonies and events.
In recent years, new ways of listening to folk music—championed by acts like Minyo Crusaders and Riyō Sanmyaku—have been attracting a fresh audience.
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Folk Song Popularity Rankings (51–60)
Potato Digging Song57rank/position
Perfect for the autumn season, this song is a children’s tune about the fun of digging sweet potatoes.
Set to a bright and cheerful melody, it depicts children experiencing potato digging.
The call-and-response chant “Untokosho, dokkoisho” is memorable and really livens things up when everyone sings together! It’s often sung at autumn events and harvest festivals, and its simple, easy-to-remember lyrics make it enjoyable even for very young children.
Singing it before a potato-digging outing is a fun way for everyone to share the excitement.
Stroll March58rank/position
Osanpo March gets you excited right from the prelude! Autumn scenery can feel a little lonely, but when you listen to this song, it seems like you could happily step on fallen leaves and walk along.
Its lively, march-like melody is perfect for children—if you sing it before a walk, some kids might get so eager they can’t wait to go outside! The lyrics also feature various autumn sights and traditions, so it sounds fun to collect those things as you follow along with the song.
Use what you gather to draw pictures or make toys, and create lots of wonderful memories!
Donguri Korokoro59rank/position
The children’s song “Donguri Korokoro,” starring the acorns that fall all over the roads in autumn, has actually been around since the Taisho era.
It has appeared in music textbooks and was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Songs.
The story tells of an acorn that rolls and tumbles into a pond, where it meets a kind loach and plays together.
But the fun is short-lived; the acorn starts to miss the place it came from, and a sense of loneliness sets in.
Its whimsical world where an acorn and a loach play, along with the lively melody, is sure to delight even babies!
Buzz buzz buzz60rank/position
Even slightly scary bees can feel cute in this children’s song, “Bun Bun Bun.” Based on a folk song that was sung in Bohemia, Czechia, it depicts bees buzzing around flowers in search of nectar.
In Japan, as the title suggests, the buzzing sound of a bee is expressed as “būn,” but in German the sound is expressed a bit differently, so the title there is “Summ, summ, summ.” Honeybees are essential for the growth of beautiful flowers, vegetables, and fruits.
If you don’t bother them, it’s rare to have a frightening experience, so when you see them while out for a walk, try singing or listening to this song from a safe distance.
Folk Song Popularity Rankings (61–70)
Surti East-sai61rank/position
This Okinawan folk song has a calm atmosphere, as if contemplating various thoughts while facing east.
The title, combining the call-response phrase “sūri” and the character for the direction east—read here as “agari”—is also striking.
It depicts feelings being entrusted to a butterfly flying toward the east, evoking a sense of poignancy.
When used in Eisa performances, you could convey the song’s content more clearly by emphasizing the rhythm to highlight its gentle mood and incorporating choreography that expresses the east.
Shopping at the bakery62rank/position
Here’s a fun hand-play song for autumn: “Buying Bread at the Bakery”! In this game, players split into customers who buy bread and shopkeepers who sell it.
The customers shop while naming the breads they want.
Can the shopkeepers sell all the requested breads without making a mistake? It’s a hand-play song that kids love—give it a try!
Mitsuya Cider63rank/position
The educational duo Mana & Yuu—Mana Onochi (known as “Mana”) and Yuki Hamasaki (known as “Yuu”)—run the popular educational YouTube channel “Manayuu Channel,” which features lots of children’s songs and hand-play activities that kids can enjoy.
This time, with summer as the theme, let’s introduce a song about Mitsuya Cider, the first beverage that comes to mind for many when thinking of summer.
The cute choreography that expresses the fizzy carbonation is sure to delight children.
The lyrics also include counting—one, two, three—so it’s great for helping little ones learn numbers.