[Ryukyuan Music] Folk and Classical Music of the Ryukyu Islands
When it comes to Ryukyuan folk songs, the simple sanshin accompaniment, the drum rhythms, and the distinctive Ryukyuan vocal style really leave an impression! With just a little listening, you can tell it’s traditional Okinawan music—its presence is deeply tied to a culture that has developed in its own unique way.
I’d like to introduce Ryukyuan folk music, which you could say is filled with the roots of Okinawa! I’ll cover a wide range—from songs often called Okinawan pop that incorporate elements of traditional folk music, to the classical repertoire known as Ryukyuan classical music that was performed in the Ryukyu Kingdom.
These are timeless masterpieces that sing of the Ryukyuan spirit passed down for hundreds of years.
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[Ryukyuan Music] Ryukyuan Folk and Classical Music (11–20)
Hiyamikachi-bushiSeijin Noborikawa
After World War II, Seishin Taira’s Ryuka poem was set to music by Moriaki Yamauchi, who also added lyrics, creating a piece of Okinawan music intended to encourage their war-ravaged homeland after the Battle of Okinawa.
“Hiyamikachi” means something like “Get up! (with a spirited push).” The record jacket looks dandy and cool—almost like a Blue Note label design.
Acchamee Elementary / TakoyamaShōei Kina
Unlike songs that mostly resemble typical Okinawan folk accompaniment and melodies, this piece features a different sung melody layered over the so-called fast-picking melody of the sanshin, requiring very advanced technique.
The listening impression is that various regional styles—such as Tsugaru shamisen or flamenco—seem to blend together, evoking a curious, intriguing sensation.
The sea’s chimbolaRinsho Kadekaru
Originally said to be a slow song sung as a folk tune on Ie Island, this piece had its tempo sped up and came to be performed at banquets and during moe-asobi (evening social gatherings).
“Chinbōra” refers to a pointed spiral shell found in Okinawa.
With its playful lyrics about the red-light district and its catchy rhythm, it’s one of those enjoyable folk songs.
Playmate-like vibeYamazato Yuki
“Nakafu” is one of Okinawan song forms.
While the thirty-syllable Ryūka follows an 8-8-8-6 pattern, Nakafu uses 5-5-8-6 or 7-5-8-6.
“Asobi Nakafu” is a song that modernizes this classical Okinawan Nakafu style.
Yuki Yamazato, who debuted in 1961, is regarded as top-tier in both popularity and skill.
Annual Events KudokiRinsuke Teruya
A boom in a new era of Okinawan music known as “Uchina Pop” arrived in the 1990s, but this song by Rinsuke Teruya, released in 1955, is said to be its origin.
While preserving the color of Okinawan folk music, it interestingly employs a method of singing while playing the melody on an electric guitar as if it were a sanshin, and it also incorporates Cuban musical rhythms.
The song is about Okinawa’s annual events.
Beautiful MoonSadao China
This is an Okinawan folk song that came from the Yaeyama region.
It is mainly sung as a children’s song and was even broadcast on Minna no Uta in 1972, right after Okinawa was returned to Japan.
With its lyrical, gentle melody, it’s a masterpiece that evokes the nearby sea and moon of Okinawa.
Sadao China was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, grew up in Osaka, and later moved to Okinawa, his father’s hometown.
He is one of the leading figures of contemporary Okinawan folk music.
[Ryukyuan Music] Ryukyu Folk Songs and Classical Music (21–30)
Tinsagu FlowersRimi Natsukawa
This is a famous song covered by Rimi Natsukawa, originally a traditional didactic song from Okinawa.
It sings about cherishing and engraving in one’s heart the words received from one’s parents, overlaying that sentiment with the image of dyeing one’s nails with balsam flower petals.
Rimi Natsukawa’s crystal-clear, endlessly pure voice and the simple tones of the sanshin cleanse the heart—this is a tender, deeply moving piece filled with compassion.
The song was included on the album “Okinawa Uta ~Feeling the Ryukyu Breeze~,” released in November 2009, and was also selected as a beloved song of the people of Okinawa Prefecture.
It’s said to be familiar as the station melody for the Yui Rail as well.
The love and wisdom passed down across generations warms the heart before you know it.