[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.
- Okinawan folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the heart of our hometown passed down through song.
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[Ryukyuan Music] Ryukyu Folk Songs and Classical Music (21–30)
Thank youMorikata Maekawa
This song was composed by Morikiyo Maekawa, an Okinawan folk singer born as the son of a comic storyteller, and he made his record debut with it in 1983.
His childhood nickname was “Gan-chan” because he was born on New Year’s Day.
He became a big hit and a celebrity in Okinawa after providing a parody of his original song “Yugafuu Deebiru” for Higa Shuzo’s awamori “Zanpa” commercial.
“Kanasandō” means “I love you” in the Okinawan dialect.
Tinsagu FlowersMisako Koja
This song is one of the Okinawan folk songs handed down mainly on the main island of Okinawa.
“Tinsagu” refers to the balsam flower (impatiens).
In Okinawa, it has long been believed that applying the juice of the balsam to one’s nails to dye them would ward off evil.
The lyrics are in the Okinawan dialect and may be hard to understand at first listen, but they convey the importance of following the teachings of parents and elders.
[Ryukyuan Music] Ryukyuan Folk Songs and Classical Music (31–40)
Child GodMisako Koja
This song is by Misako Koja, a singer from Okinawa.
With lyrics by Koja and music by Kazuya Sahara, it was created in 1997.
It is a lullaby filled with hopes for a child’s healthy growth and is one of Koja’s signature songs, though it has also been covered by artists such as Rimi Natsukawa and Hiroko Shimabukuro.
The Okinawan language and distinctive vocal style strongly highlight the characteristics of Okinawan folk music.
Flower: Flowers for everyone's heartRimi Natsukawa
This song is one of the signature works of Shoukichi Kina, a musician from Okinawa who is also a peace activist and politician.
The original version was included on the second album by Shoukichi Kina & Champloose, “BLOOD LINE,” released in 1980, and it has been covered not only by Okinawan singers such as Rimi Natsukawa, but also by a wide range of artists around the world.
Yokatsu Coastal CruiseKojiro Muroi
This piece was composed by Morie Ganeko, who was active during the first boom of folk songs around 1960 and also demonstrated his skill in running a folk music club.
He is also known as the father of Yoriko Ganeko.
The song celebrates the beautiful scenery of the Yokatsu Peninsula on the main island of Okinawa.
The lyrics read like a sightseeing guide song.
It’s a masterpiece that makes you want to visit just by listening to it.
New Family MinorRinko Taira
A new folk song that became a hit in Okinawa, sung by Rinko Taira, born in 1953.
It’s a fun track where, just when you think the singing has started normally, it suddenly switches to seductive spoken lines.
The spoken parts are sometimes ad-libbed.
It’s said that because part of the lyrics were banned from broadcast, the song ended up being sung even more.
Since it depicts the life of a newlywed couple, it’s also sometimes performed at weddings.
Nostalgic Hometown: Uta Sanshin by Mutsumi ArakakiTomoyoshi Fukuhara
Composed in 1947 by Mr.
Choki Fukuhara, known as the father of modern Ryukyuan folk music who lived in Osaka, this piece expresses longing for a homeland devastated by the Battle of Okinawa.
Though it’s a song about wanting to return to a distant home, and was written after the war, its melody resonates like an old, traditional tune.
Ryukyuan folk songs are sometimes created by Okinawans who have left their homeland.