[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] Ryukyu Folk Songs and Classical Music (21–30)
Recollection Section
In this song, the word “jukukai” refers to a sense of lingering attachment.
It portrays a woman’s feelings of love: she’s happy when she meets her lover, but after they part and she heads home, she’s overcome by loneliness.
This piece is also considered difficult, but the melody played on the sanshin is beautiful.
Ichubi measures
Ichubi Kobushi is a song about a woman thinking of the man she loves as she goes to pick strawberries.
“Ichubi” means strawberries, and the word itself has a cute ring to it.
In fact, this piece is an Okinawan folk song whose curious lyrics are surprisingly addictive.
It’s said that even locals fluent in the Ryukyuan dialect find the exact meaning hard to interpret.
Despite its enigmatic words, the song has a bright feel with a buoyant rhythm that would pair well with the atmosphere of Eisa dancing.
Katami-bushi
Katami-bushi—sometimes written with the characters meaning “solid/steadfast” (固み節)—is a traditional folk song centered on Okinawa’s main island.
It has been passed down as a celebratory song that expresses the bond between a man and a woman and the vows of marriage, and it is often performed at festive occasions such as weddings.
The lyrics convey congratulatory words for auspicious events and speak of the couple’s ties, offering gentle blessings for their new beginning.
It is also a staple piece for Eisa performances; the steady, unhurried rhythm accompanied by drums conveys the lively atmosphere of a joyous celebration.
Surti East-sai
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.
Tenyo-bushi
There are many traditional Okinawan music pieces used in dances like Eisa, as well as in celebrations and festivals.
“Tenyo-bushi” is also a traditional song that has long been sung, played, and loved by people of all ages.
The lyrics vary slightly by region, which reflects the unique character of each area.
Okinawan folk music features a range of melodic styles, tempos, and themes.
“Tenyo-bushi” is a classic Eisa number performed during the summer Obon season in July and August, when people eagerly await the visit of their ancestors and pray for their families’ health and prosperity.
It has long been danced as a Bon Odori to the light, lively sound of the sanshin.
Nakazun Nagare
There are many standard pieces in Eisa, a traditional folk performing-dance of Okinawa, and “Nakazhoon Nagari” is one of the representative ones.
In the Okinawan dialect, it is pronounced Chunjun Nagari.
Although the lyrics mention Tanabata, this summertime song is often used for Okinawa’s Bon dances.
Dancers offer prayers to the local deities and memorials to their ancestors through the performance, celebrating health, safety, and prosperity.
The celebratory song “Nakazhoon Nagari” is now performed and enjoyed across Japan, even at events like school sports days.
AmakawaTooru Yonaha
Toru Yonaha was born in 1976 in Chatan Town, and under the influence of his father, a folk singer, he grew up from an early age playing with the sanshin as if it were a toy.
He has been performing since childhood and also serves as a director of the Japan Sanba Association.
The lyrics of Amakawa express the feelings of a mutually loving couple, wishing to be together forever like a pair of mandarin ducks, and to be loved as deeply as the Amakawa Pond, which is said to be of great depth.