![[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs—perfect for sports day!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/iUSnjRuueJY/maxresdefault.webp)
[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs—perfect for sports day!
Eisa is sometimes performed as one of the group events at elementary and junior high school sports festivals.
Originally a traditional performing art of Okinawa, the powerful sight of performers beating drums of various sizes and dancing is truly breathtaking!
The music used traditionally includes folk songs passed down through the ages, and in recent years, pop music has also been adopted.
In this article, we’ll introduce a comprehensive selection of songs perfect for Eisa—from classic staples and popular tracks in Okinawa itself to J-pop numbers that are sometimes used for Eisa performances at sports festivals.
We hope this helps you choose music for your sports day!
[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs perfect for sports day! (1–10)
Hiyamikachi-bushiNEW!
Hiyamikachi-bushi is a beloved staple of Okinawa’s traditional performing art, Eisa.
Created in postwar Okinawa to rally people’s spirits, the piece is characterized by its powerful calls and the lively tones of the sanshin.
It carries an encouraging message of “Now, stand up,” making it a perfect cheer song to unite everyone at school sports days.
In addition to being included on Seijin Noborikawa’s March 1998 album Howling Wolf, it has been passed down through performances by various artists, such as Vanesa Oshiro’s single Aitai Shima.
Because it is frequently performed at local events and stage productions, many people may have heard it before.
It’s highly recommended as a song that further heightens the energy of Eisa’s dynamic dances!
Eisa leaderNEW!
This is a vigorous Eisa piece that lets you feel the summer air of Okinawa and the heat of the old Bon festival on your skin.
Its valiant calls, driving drums, and the sanshin’s melodic turns come together as one to instantly raise the listener’s excitement.
Included on the album “Yonaha Toru Presents: Eisa de Surisaasaa,” released in June 2006, the track features electrifying performances by Kazutoshi Matsuda, Koichi Matsuda, and the Jaagaru Youth Association.
It has since appeared on multiple compilations and remains beloved.
Although it has no tie-ins with television or similar media, this work truly shines in traditional performance settings.
It’s perfect as a group routine for sports days, where everyone forms ranks and dances in unison with powerful energy.
Acchame Elementary SchoolNEW!
When it comes to classic Okinawan folk songs that send banquets and festivals in Okinawa into an explosive frenzy, this is the one! Its appeal lies in the torrent of groove created by rapid sanshin picking, drums, and finger whistling in perfect unison.
Said to be named after the way it’s danced while walking, it celebrates the joy of people gathering to sing and dance.
Seijin Noborikawa’s bold, masterful rendition is famous, leaving a strong impression when performed in the final wedding reception scene of the film “Nabbie’s Love.” It is also included on the album “Seijin Noborikawa & Sadao China,” released in April 2004.
Brimming with heat and energy, this piece is perfect for wrapping up Eisa or Kachāshī at a school sports day.
It’s highly recommended when you want everyone moving with smiles and to instantly lift the venue’s energy!
Irayoi Tsukiyo BeachNEW!BEGIN
BEGIN is a band that beautifully fuses Okinawa’s traditional rhythms with pop, beloved across generations.
First included on the album “USED,” released in October 1995, and re-recorded for the July 2000 album “Begin no Shimauta ~Omoto Takeo~,” this song remains enduringly popular.
It paints a beautiful scene of waves and moonlight, inviting listeners to a warm island festival.
With a mantra-like repeating rhythm that feels good and gets your body moving naturally, the track carries an uplifting energy that makes you want to dance in a circle with everyone.
It’s perfect for Eisa performances at school sports days and athletic festivals.
How about clapping along and having a great time together?
Golden FlowerNEW!Nēnēzu
Golden Flower, a single released in August 1994 by NENEZ, a female chorus group representing Okinawan music, was widely loved nationwide after being chosen as the ending theme for TBS’s news program Tetsuya Chikushi NEWS23.
With lyrics by Osami Okamoto and music by Sadao China, the song carries a quiet message that portrays people leaving their hometowns in search of a better life and questions what true prosperity means.
Its gentle, full-bodied vocals and the soothing melodies of Okinawan folk music make it perfect for calming moments, such as the unhurried Eisa performances or a school sports day closing ceremony.
Why not let its profound lyrics and beautiful harmonies envelop you and feel the breeze of Okinawa?
Ase-mizu FestivalNEW!
This song has long been cherished as a classic that brightens Okinawa’s traditional Eisa.
With lyrics by Minoru Nakamoto and music by Chōhō Miyara, it also serves as a didactic song that extols the joy of working and the importance of learning.
Its gentle melody and rhythmic interjections are soothing, and each listen lifts your spirits.
Selected through a public competition in 1928, this historic piece has been loved ever since and has been passed down by many artists, including a recording released under the Ryukyu folk song name in October 2002.
It is also familiar as the theme song for Ryukyu Mura’s performance “Mamidōmā.” With its rhythmic, upbeat tempo, it’s perfect for group performances at sports days and dance competitions.
It’s a highly recommended track for situations where everyone dances in unison.
Dynamic RyukyuIkuma Akira
Akira Ikuma from Fukuoka made his CD debut in 1990 as the vocalist of the funk band E-ZEE BAND.
After the band disbanded, he released “Dynamic Ryukyu” in 2008 exclusively in Okinawa.
Issued as a single, the song became a hit in Okinawa and gained widespread popularity, being frequently used in Eisa performances.
It drew renewed attention in 2017 when Sendai Ikuei High School used the track as a cheer song at the Summer Koshien tournament, and it remains a staple cheer song for high school baseball today.
This song, which expresses gratitude for nature such as the earth and the sea, continues to be covered by a variety of artists.
