[Folk Songs and Children's Songs of Akita] A curated selection of local masterpieces that evoke love for one’s hometown

A wealth of folk songs and children’s songs that have long been close to the lives of the people of Akita.

Nurtured amid abundant nature and a harsh climate, Akita’s folk songs are imbued with people’s joys and sorrows, and with hearts of prayer.

Still sung at local festivals and traditional events and passed down to children, these songs are, quite literally, the very heart of Akita.

In this article, we introduce the musical world that Akita proudly offers—a region renowned nationwide for its vibrant folk song culture—from well-known folk and children’s songs everyone has heard at least once, to hidden gems known only to the initiated.

Playlist

[Folk Songs and Children's Songs of Akita] A curated selection of local masterpieces that evoke love for one’s hometown
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Akita Oiwake		A famous Oiwake folk song that developed in Akita’s cultural climate
2	Kubota-bushi		A masterpiece that expresses the scenery of Akita and the moving moments of everyday life
3	Nangai Kouta		A folk song set against the rich natural scenery of Daisen City
4	Little loaches and little crucian carp		A classic Akita-dialect song about the pond ice melting and creatures awakening
5	Senboku Nikata-bushi		Celebratory songs of Akita, rural culture sung with the shamisen
6	Minamikayabe Cod-Fishing Kudoki-bushi		The joys and sorrows of people living with harsh nature
7	Akita Sake Brewer’s Work Song		Akita’s sake brewery work song conveys the bond of the craftsmen
8	Akita Sake Brewers’ Moto-Suri Song		The history and culture of work songs sung in Akita’s sake brewing
9	Song by Kazunaga Tsuna		A work song from the Kazuno area of Akita Prefecture. Characterized by shamisen rhythms and call-and-response shouts.
10	Song of the Seashore		Tamezō Narita’s nostalgic songs awaken the hometown of the heart
11	Miyokichi-bushi		A dedication song handed down and sung at Akita’s Bonten Festival
12	Niida-bushi		The phantom folk song of the Akita Ani region is revived
13	Fukikko Song		A song about the revival of Akita folk songs and the joy of the people
14	Come, firefly		Hotaru Koi is a children's song from the Akita region.
15	Akita Obako		History and Characteristics of Akita Obako
16	Akita-bushi		A soothing folk song singing of Akita specialties
17	Donpan-bushi		History and Characteristics of the Akita Folk Song “Donpan-bushi”
18	Look up		A children’s song from Akita that likens falling snow to gossamer moth-silk snow
19	Akita Ondo		Akita Ondo is a folk song with cheerful accompaniment and dance
20	Aikawa Ondo		Heike Monogatari Bon Dance Song of Sado
21	Akita Nikata-bushi		The Niigata-bushi became accented in Akita and turned into Nikata-bushi.
22	Akita Jinku		A lively jinku that evolved in Akita from a southern Bon Odori song
23	Akita Nagamochi Song		A folk song sung during the carrying of a bride’s trousseau.
24	Akita Ningyo Jinku		A lively song that expresses a doll’s dance and budding love
25	Okosa-bushi		Akita’s sake-drinking song, noted for its unique lyrics
26	Oyama Kozasato		A folk song depicting the mountain’s natural scenery
27	Nennyako Koro Chako		Akita Lullaby, A White Dog, and Nostalgia
28	Hideko-bushi		The celebratory song of the mountain god evolved into a zashiki song.
29	Kiyobushi		Festive folk song of Akita, auspicious lyrics and shamisen
30	Big sister too		A celebratory song that extols a miner’s romantic feelings
31	Honjo Oiwake		The Honjo Oiwake thrived as a rowdy song of the pleasure quarters.
32	Namahage Ondo		Namahage is a folk song that prays for bountiful harvests and catches.
33	Akita Tanto-bushi		The bangaku song sung during the straw-threshing dance
34	Akita Daikoku Dance		An auspicious New Year song of the Daikoku dance
35	Akita Rice-Washing Song		Explanation of the sake brewer’s work song sung while washing rice
36	Akita Funakata-bushi		A folk song with wavering waves, passed down in the world of the geisha
37	Akita Grass-Cutting Song		Grass-cutting work song of the Semboku region
38	Akita Sake Brewer’s Song		There are songs with different tempos for each step of the sake-brewing process.
39	Akita Horse-Driver’s Song		A song about leading home the horse bought at the horse market
40	Kakumagawa Bonten Song		A folk song from Akita Prefecture sung at the Bonten Festival
41	Mount Choja		It originated as a song envying the discovery of a gold mine.
42	Akita Kobara-bushiMuraoka Hifumi		A poignant folk song depicting hunting and nature
43	Millstone Grinding Song		Work song for grinding rice and wheat with a stone mill
44	The Candy Seller’s Song		A lively song sung by a candy peddler to attract customers.
45	Song of Akita PortKaneko Hirofumi		An Akita folk song themed around the sea and fishermen