![[Yamagata Songs] Beloved local tunes and classic tracks celebrating majestic nature and hometown pride](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/vFvfbboSKaE/maxresdefault.webp)
[Yamagata Songs] Beloved local tunes and classic tracks celebrating majestic nature and hometown pride
Yamagata Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan and is blessed with rich natural beauty woven by mountains and rivers through the changing seasons.
This environment has given rise to heartfelt folk songs and hometown melodies.
The masterpieces born from people who love their homeland have captured the hearts of many, not just the prefecture’s residents.
This time, we’re spotlighting songs connected to Yamagata! From folk tunes rooted in the region to soul-stirring enka and cheerful local songs that lift your spirits, we’ll introduce a wide range.
Please enjoy these songs brimming with the charms of Yamagata.
[Yamagata Songs] Masterpieces and Local Tunes Celebrating Majestic Nature and Hometown Love (1–10)
Tokyo (Yamagata dialect)Saya Asakura
Amid the unfamiliar bustle of city life, they sometimes find themselves longing for home, yet resolve to do their best right here.
This debut song by Saya Asakura warmly voices the earnest feelings of such a young person in the Yamagata dialect.
Her clear, expansive vocals, forged through folk singing, together with the shamisen’s tones, gently seep into the listener’s heart.
Released in April 2013, the song was also chosen as an ending theme for a YBC Yamagata Broadcasting program.
For those who have left their hometowns to start a new life, or who feel a touch of loneliness in the city, her simple yet powerful singing may feel as if it’s speaking directly on their behalf.
Stranger to the cityKu-Wa de MOMPE
Amid the hustle of the big city after leaving his hometown of Yamagata, he feels impatience and loneliness—yet never loses his pride in where he’s from.
Ku-Wa de MOMPE’s song vividly captures the protagonist’s state of mind.
At the heart of the story is MOMPE’s burning resolve: he picked up the mic again to reclaim what he left behind in his youth.
Released in October 2020, it resonated with dreamers everywhere.
If you’re a bit worn out by city life or feeling nostalgic for home, this track might just give you the energy to face tomorrow.
River Boat Song ft.GOMESSSaya Asakura
This is an adventurous track by Saya Asakura that pays homage to Mogamigawa Funauta, a folk song emblematic of Yamagata, while fusing it with the contemporary sound of rap.
Many listeners may find themselves relating to the lyrics, which portray the anxious heart of someone setting off by boat and the warm feelings of those wishing for their safe return.
The classic album featuring this song, “River Boat Song – Future Trax –,” was released in September 2015 and won the Planning Award at the 57th Japan Record Awards.
It’s a compelling piece for anyone who wants to enjoy the meeting of a hometown’s original landscape and new musical expression.
Hanagasa OndoSaya Asakura
This is a track in which Saya Asakura turns the familiar Hanagasa Ondo from Yamagata’s summer festival into a passionate rock sound.
Her vocals—backed by the skill that made her Japan’s top folk singer—and a shamisen strummed with the ferocity of a rock guitar shake the listener to the core.
The way traditional calls intertwine with Western strings embodies a new face of folk music, where respect for one’s hometown intersects with a challenge toward the future.
The intense energy packed into this song may just spark a fire in the hearts of those who feel something is missing in their everyday lives.
MemoriesYuya Egashira
This is a song by Yuya Egashira that portrays him sending encouragement to his past self with a powerful yet warm voice.
Its lyrics awaken precious memories in the heart—like roads once sped down on a bicycle and familiar, nostalgic smiles—so much so that you may feel as if it’s singing about your own experiences.
The track was released in November 2019 as a PR song for Iide Town in Yamagata Prefecture, known as one of “the most beautiful villages in Japan.” Many listeners will surely find courage in its gentle message, like a reassuring “You’ll be okay” from your future self.
All of YamagataAyane Seino
It’s a heart-lifting local song that feels like traveling through every corner of Yamagata Prefecture.
Carried by Ayane Seino’s gentle voice, the charms of her hometown—its majestic nature and the warmth of its people—are sung straight from the heart.
Released in June 2023, the song became the ending theme for Sakuranbo TV’s “Yamagata Choice” starting in December of the same year.
The story that the artist herself visited all 35 municipalities in the prefecture to create it conveys a deep love for her home.
It’s perfect for a drive to Yamagata, and will surely resonate warmly with those striving far from their hometowns as well.
Snow on the Mogami RiverItsuro Oizumi
This is a song by Itsuro Oizumi that conveys his feelings for his hometown, with winter scenery that deeply touches the heart.
It depicts traveling by boat along the snowy Mogami River, and within the beautiful, silence-filled landscape, a strong sense of wistfulness for his hometown and a past lover is vividly portrayed.
Released as a single in May 2002, the piece is also a commemorative work composed by Oizumi himself upon reaching his 60th birthday.
For those living away from their hometown, listening to it when reminiscing about the past may truly resonate.