[Yamagata Songs] Beloved local tunes and classic tracks celebrating majestic nature and hometown pride

Shonai PlainKeiko Tachibana

Shonai Plain

This is a melancholic travel-themed enka that evokes the image of the sun setting into the Sea of Japan.

Its single-minded love—so deep the singer declares there would be no regrets even if life were on the line—is rendered through Keiko Tachibana’s richly expressive voice.

The Shonai landscapes, such as the Mogami River and the Atsumi Morning Market, may in fact heighten the protagonist’s helpless, aching sorrow.

Released as a single in September 2024, this song will resonate deeply with those who wish to reminisce about their hometown scenery or immerse themselves in a mature love story.

In the Wind of the Shonai PlainKaori Mizumori

Kaori Mizumori - In the Winds of the Shonai Plain

Enka singer Kaori Mizumori, who has secured an unshakable position as the queen of regional songs.

“Shonai Heiya Kaze no Naka” is a piece that overlays a bittersweet love with scenes of the Shonai Plain—famous as a rice-producing area on the Sea of Japan side in the northwestern part of Yamagata Prefecture.

Although it’s a song about an unfulfilled love, the majestic scenery of Mount Chokai, the Three Mountains of Dewa, and the Shonai Plain in Yamagata Prefecture springs to mind, leaving you involuntarily entranced.

Mogami River Love SongShinobu Otowa

"Mogamigawa Love Song" by Shinobu Otowa — female enka singer — karaoke

This is a song by Shinobu Otowa, who made her debut while still a high school student.

The Mogami River is a first-class river that boasts the longest length in Japan among rivers whose watershed lies almost entirely within a single prefecture.

The image of traveling downstream overlaps with the resolve, “No matter what happens, I will live with you,” expressing a single-minded and powerful love for someone special.

Yamagata Prefecture Sports Prefectural Anthem (Snow of Mount Gassan)Ichiro Fujiyama

Yamagata Prefecture Sports Prefectural Anthem

This piece was created in Yamagata Prefecture, the host site of the 32nd Track and Field Championships held in 1948 (Showa 23), to inspire enthusiasm for sports.

It is said to be a standard song played at elementary school sports days in Yamagata.

It is beloved by residents under titles such as “Yamagata Sports Prefectural Anthem,” “Prefectural Song,” and “Snow of Mt.

Gassan.”

Yamagata Soba OndoEiko Hoshikawa

Yamagata Soba Ondo

Yamagata Soba Ondo, sung by folk singer Eiko Hoshikawa.

It’s a relatively new song created in the Heisei era.

Noticing there was no local song about soba, Ichiro Otaki wrote the lyrics, and Yoko Nagayama and Toshihide Hayabusa were commissioned to compose the music, resulting in its completion.

They say that if you visit soba shops in Yamagata Prefecture, you can find Eiko Hoshikawa’s CDs and posters in almost every store.

Yamagata Lumberjack Song

Yamagata Lumberjack Song

This is a Yamagata work song that extols the pride and vibrant spirit of sawyers sweating through their mountain labor.

You can almost picture the cheerful scene of reporting to the boss that they’ve harvested high-quality timber and sharing the joy with their comrades.

The song has a background of having been formed in 1931, when the Yamagata Shimbun held a public contest for lyrics and fused the winning words with a locally handed-down melody.

For those who wish to reflect on nostalgic hometown landscapes or seek a boost of energy for daily life, its simple yet powerful tune will serve as fuel for tomorrow.

Mogami River

Yamagata Prefectural Anthem: Mogami River

This is a solemn, moving piece that symbolizes the majestic nature of Yamagata Prefecture.

Its pure yet powerful melody was composed based on an imperial poem by Emperor Showa, inspired by the scenery of the Mogami River.

The lyrics express the river’s eternal flow, the beauty of the changing seasons, and a deep affection for one’s hometown.

Completed in 1930 and designated the prefectural anthem the following year, the song continues to be cherished and sung at official occasions.

Since its adoption, it has been performed in schools and at community ceremonies, becoming deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of Yamagata.

For those living away from home, hearing it may evoke gentle images of Yamagata’s tranquil landscapes and stir a sense of nostalgia.