[Akita Songs] A Collection of Gem-Like Local Tunes Filled with Love for Hometowns
Akita Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan and is alive with abundant nature and traditional culture.
In this land, countless folk songs, enka, and local tunes filled with love for Akita have been born.
In this article, we’ve gathered masterpieces that possess a uniquely Akita quality—an enigmatic charm that stirs nostalgia.
Whether you’re from Akita or simply cherish it deeply, just hearing these songs will surely bring back memories as if the places themselves are appearing before your eyes.
Please enjoy these many classics that convey the very atmosphere and emotion of the land to your heart’s content.
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[Akita Songs] A Collection of Gemlike Local Anthems Filled with Love for Our Hometown (1–10)
Akita Ponpon-bushiKouzai Kaori
Set in a fishing village in Akita, this folk-style song celebrates the rugged spirit of a man who lives by the sea and his deep love for his family.
The catchy, repeated “pon-pon” rhythm evokes the sound of a fishing boat’s engine and brings to mind the bustle of a busy harbor.
Released in August 2007 to commemorate Kaori Kozai’s 20th debut anniversary, the track was later included in the CD box set “20th Anniversary: Single Collection.” For those living away from their hometown, listening to it may conjure up local scenery and the faces of loved ones.
Akita Events (feat. Toshirō Yanagiba, Ayako Fuji, Nozomi Sasaki & Akita Prefectural Association)Takahashi Yuu
A number brimming with love for Akita and bursting with festival-like energy.
Crafted by Yu Takahashi, this pure Japanese-style pop tune blends J-pop with folk-song phrasing and the sounds of traditional instruments, setting listeners’ hearts dancing.
It also features a star-studded lineup of Akita-born artists, including Toshiro Yanagiba, Aya Shimazu, and Nozomi Sasaki.
The song was produced in September 2022 as the official theme for the Akita CARAVAN MUSIC FES.
Why not raise your voices together and sing it with friends who love Akita?
Obako Pilgrimage SongFuji Ayako
This song, inspired by Akita’s place names and scenery, sings of lingering feelings for a lost love and a heartfelt yearning for one’s hometown.
The protagonist, chasing the traces of a beloved, travels through places of memories as if on a pilgrimage.
The images of the Oga Peninsula at sunset and the narrator’s heart mirrored in the seagulls may tug at listeners’ hearts as well.
Released as a single by Aya Fuj i in May 1996, it beautifully blends a melody rich in Tohoku sentiment crafted by Ikuzo Yoshi and Aya Fuj i’s gently resonant vocals.
It’s a classic that vividly evokes Akita’s landscapes—perfect for moments of nostalgia for home.
[Songs of Akita] A Treasury of Local Classics Filled with Love for Our Hometown (11–20)
The Unwearying SongYanagiba Toshirō
This is a PR song for Akita, featuring the powerful singing voice of actor Toshiro Yanagiba, who hails from Akita.
Just listening to it brings to mind the lush greenery of Akita and the delicious rice from this famed rice-growing region.
If you were born and raised in Akita, it might make you long to return home and think, “I want to go back to Akita.”
Words of OigataMating Rhythm feat. Neji
A single overflowing with hometown love where the warmth of the Akita dialect blends comfortably with ska’s cheerful rhythm.
It’s a collaborative track by the Akita-based ska band Mating Rhythm and the comedy duo Neji, who are also from the prefecture.
The creators’ gentle wish to cherish and pass on a fading hometown tongue comes through vividly in the bright sound.
Released in April 2017 as one of the tracks on the single “Tooku Hand Clap,” it may resonate with listeners who feel a special kind of affection in dialect speech.
For those who’ve left Akita and are doing their best elsewhere, this song will surely lift your spirits.
Wonderful Hachi-kunInaba Akira
It’s a heartwarming local song filled with love for the city of Ōdate.
Akira Inaba, a native of Ōdate, wrote both the lyrics and music himself, using humorous words to portray the city’s adorable mascot, as well as local specialties like kiritanpo hot pot and Hinai-jidori chicken.
The lively chorus sung by local kindergarteners adds a sense of warmth that feels like the whole community coming together.
This piece is included on the concept album “Minna Issho ni! Gotōchi Character Taisō,” released in July 2016, and it’s also cherished as a tourism PR song for Ōdate City.
Brimming with charm that brings a smile to every listener, it vividly conjures up the tranquil scenery of Akita.
HachirogataOWL-E
OWL-E is a reggae and hip-hop singer from Hachirōgata in Akita Prefecture.
This song is a cheering anthem for those who have left their hometown of Hachirōgata.
The lyrics feature numerous local spots that every local would recognize, and weave in a warm message: “If life in the big city wears you out, you can always come back.” It’s a track that gently embraces not only people from Hachirōgata, but anyone who longs for their hometown.