Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Toyama: the enduring heart of our hometown passed down through song
A special feature on folk songs and children’s songs from Toyama.
It includes folk songs related to Gokayama, known as a hidden enclave of the once-glorious Taira clan; folk songs unique to Toyama, famous for its medicines; and not only folk tunes but also well-known pieces like “Moon over the Ruined Castle,” composed by Rentaro Taki, who spent his boyhood in Toyama.
If you live locally, many of these pieces will surely feel familiar.
We also introduce Bon dance songs, so you might even catch a whiff of summer’s atmosphere.
Why not listen to regional folk and children’s songs and let your thoughts wander to Toyama’s natural and cultural landscape?
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Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Toyama: the heart of our hometown passed down in song (1–10)
Fukumitsu Chon-gare
This is a Bon Odori song that has been sung in the southern Tonami region of Toyama Prefecture.
Rich in local color, the repertoire is divided into two types: “hashi-mono,” which skillfully sing about folktales related to everyday life and events that occurred in society, and “dan-mono,” which draw from joruri narrative music, religion, and storytelling traditions.
Meanwhile, the dance itself is very simple in structure and is beloved by the people.
Moon over the Ruined Castle
This is “Moon Over the Ruined Castle,” a representative work by composer Rentarō Taki and a song so famous it appears in school textbooks.
Toyama Castle is said to be one of the castles that inspired “Moon Over the Ruined Castle,” and near the present-day Toyama Castle—at the site of the former Toyama Castle—there is a statue of Rentarō Taki as a child.
Mugiya-bushi
Like Kokiriko-bushi, Mugiya-bushi is a folk song handed down in the Gokayama area of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture.
Because there is also a folk song in Ishikawa Prefecture called Noto Mugiya-bushi, it is also referred to as Etchu Mugiya-bushi.
There are various theories about its origin, but from the content of the lyrics, we can see that Mugiya-bushi has been passed down in connection with the legend of the fallen Heike survivors.
Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Toyama: The heart of our hometown passed down in song (11–20)
Shinkawa Ancient Deity
The folk song Shinkawa Kodai-gami, hugely popular among folk-music enthusiasts, is a song that also influenced Tsugaru Jongara-bushi.
In the area of Shimoniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture, near the border with Niigata Prefecture, it has long been sung and danced as a Bon dance song.
Around Toyama and Gifu Prefectures, there are several folk songs that include the name Kodai-gami.
Hayamugiya-bushi
“Hayamugiya-bushi” is a folk song full of Toyama’s charm that evokes the beautiful nature of Gokayama and the history that lives there.
Its origins trace back to Heike refugees, who are said to have begun singing it while working in the fields, reminiscing about the splendor of the capital.
Carrying on that legacy, the song is performed each September at the Gokayama Mugiya Festival with both power and elegance.
The lively dance set to the brisk tempo of “Hayamugiya-bushi” captivates audiences, and for listeners it offers a precious chance to reflect on Japanese tradition and Toyama’s local character.
With its historical and natural backdrop, this emblematic regional song is well worth hearing at least once!
Wind FestivalYoichi Sugawara
Written and composed by Rei Nakanishi, this is the most famous folk song among Toyama’s popular songs.
Kouhaku singer Yoichi Sugawara sings about the Owara Kaze no Bon with rich emotion.
You can sense the region’s traditions and customs throughout the lyrics.
Please give it a listen.
Nennen-ya ororo wai.
Lullabies vary in dialect and melody from region to region, and Toyama’s lullabies, with their gentle dialectal tones repeated slowly over and over, are very soothing to listen to.
When softly refrained in a tender voice, they calm the heart.
On nights when you’re too tired to sleep, how about a lullaby from your hometown?