[Folk Songs of Yamagata] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies
Among the traditional songs passed down across Japan, Yamagata’s folk music possesses a uniquely moving charm.
In pieces like the Sagae Jinku and the Mogamigawa Boat Song, the daily life and culture of the region are woven into melodies filled with the pride and feelings of those who came before.
In this article, we introduce musical works Yamagata is proud of—from nursery songs sung since ancient times to folk tunes that continue to thrive today.
As you contemplate the tranquil landscapes of Yamagata, why not lend an ear to the world of its folk songs, where nostalgia and freshness coexist?
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[Yamagata Folk Songs] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies (21–30)
Yamagata Tanto-bushiFumio Otsuka
This is “Yamagata Tanto-bushi” sung by Fumio Otsuka.
Tanto-bushi was originally called the “Straw-Beating Song” because it was sung by people beating straw in farmyards.
Not only in Yamagata, but also in various regions—such as Tsugaru Tanto-bushi, Akita Tanto-bushi, and Hokkai Tanto-bushi—slightly different versions of the song are sung.
Miuchi OndoIsao Hayashi, Kyoko Saito
This is “Miyauchi Ondo,” sung by Isao Hayashi and Kyoko Saito.
When Miyauchi Town in Higashiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture, was created in 1955 through the merger of Miyauchi Town, Yoshino Village, Kaneyama Village, and Urushiyama Village, the song “Miyauchi Ondo” was also composed.
The lyrics were written by Issaki Honma, and the music was composed by Toshiro Yamaguchi.
Later, in 1967, Miyauchi Town, Akayu Town, and Wago Village merged to form the city of Nanyo, and as a result, “Miyauchi Ondo” stopped being sung.
[Yamagata Folk Songs] The heart of our homeland passed down through song. Feelings carried in nostalgic melodies (31–40)
secret talkYoshiko Negishi, Keiko Tsutsuki
It’s “Naisho Banashi” (Secret Talk), with lyrics by Yoshio Yuki, a nursery rhyme poet from Nanyo City in Yamagata Prefecture.
Composed in 1939, when Yuki was 19, the music was written by Yasuharu Yamaguchi, who also composed the big hit “Kawaii Sakanaya-san” (The Cute Fishmonger).
It’s a classic that conveys a child’s heartfelt wish for their mother to listen to them.
A town where snow fallsHideo Takashima
This is “Yuki no Furu Machi o” as sung by Takahide Otoko.
The lyrics are by Naoya Uchimura, and the music is by Yoshinao Nakada.
On a snowy night in 1952 (Showa 27), Yoshinao Nakada arrived at Tsuruoka Station in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
He rode a horse-drawn sleigh that had come to meet him and headed to his destination.
It is said that the song was composed from the snowy scenery he saw then and the memories of that journey.
Enya Makkagoe-n
“Enya Makkagoen” is a lullaby (a sleep song) handed down in Anrakujo, Mamurogawa Town, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture, which Yoko Sakano has transcribed into sheet music.
In addition to the Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture has many lullabies that vary by region, such as “Akayu Region Lullaby” from Nanyo City, “Owaiyare” from Yonezawa City, and “Nennekose” from Shirataka Town in Nishiokitama District.
Daikoku Dance
Daikoku-mai is one type of mendicant doorstep performance (monzuke) practiced from the Muromachi through the Edo periods, in which entertainers performed in front of homes and received coins.
Wearing the mask of Daikoku, a red hood, and carrying the lucky mallet, they would come around at New Year.
In Yamagata Prefecture, it survives today as a folk performing art in which auspicious verses are sung.
New Hanagasa Ondo
This is the “Shin Hanagasa Ondo” (New Hanagasa Song) passed down in Yamagata Prefecture.
It’s a song that differs somewhat from the Hanagasa Ondo danced in the Yamagata City area of Yamagata Prefecture, and the “Shin Hanagasa Ondo” is more commonly danced in the Yonezawa City area of Yamagata Prefecture.
There are many folk songs that look like they share the same title but become different pieces with the addition of “Shin” (new), so I think it’s interesting to listen and compare them.