Fukuoka’s folk songs and children’s rhymes: History and sentiments conveyed by the nostalgic melodies of home

In Fukuoka, where rich history and culture thrive, the moving strains of folk songs still flow.

From the current of the Ongagawa River and the canals of Yanagawa to the bustle of Nakasu, the stories woven in this land live on in folk songs passed down through generations.

In this article, we have gathered folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes born in Fukuoka.

From Tankō-bushi, the soul of coal miners, to Kuroda-bushi, which conveys the pride of samurai—timeless classics that many have heard, even if they weren’t born in Fukuoka.

Wrapped in warm, nostalgic melodies, why not experience the spirit of Fukuoka as painted through music?

Playlist

Fukuoka’s folk songs and children’s rhymes: History and sentiments conveyed by the nostalgic melodies of home
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Iwai Medeta		A folk song sung at banquets in Hakata
2	Yame Tea Mountain Song		The National Yame Tea Mountain Song Contest will be held in Kuroki.
3	Tankō-bushi (Coal Miner’s Song)		Tankō-bushi is a folk song originating in Tagawa that became a Bon dance tune.
4	Lullaby of Hakata		A folk song that cheerfully sings of feelings toward astringent persimmons
5	Chikugo Sake Brewing Song		Chikugo is a town of sake brewing that has adopted Nada’s techniques.
6	Hakata-bushi		Folk songs are passed down while changing across regions.
7	Maganko		A children’s song from Fukuoka Prefecture that parents sing while rubbing their child’s cold fingers
8	Hakata Dontaku		Hakata Dontaku is a festival whose name originates from Dutch.
9	Tsun-nan-go		A children’s song imbued with Fukuoka’s spirit of mutual help
10	Dontaku-bayashi		Celebrating children's growth and the warmth of festivals with Hakata's traditional hayashi music
11	Kurume Soroban Odori Uta (Kurume Abacus Dance Song)		The abacus dance, a parlor song originating in Kurume
12	Kitakyushu Ondo (Kitakyushu Folk Dance Song)		A chant-style song celebrating the birth of Kitakyushu City
13	Hakata Oiwake		A song that expresses the poignant feelings of someone leaving the port of Hakata
14	Chikuzen Imayō		A folk song depicting the spirit of the samurai of the Fukuoka Domain
15	Lullaby of Itoshima		A gentle lullaby from the Itoshima region of Fukuoka Prefecture
16	Kurume Kouta		A musical piece that expresses the scenery and nostalgia of Kurume
17	Peach shop, peach shop		A children's song depicting scenes of doing laundry in the river.
18	Bonchi is cute.		A song beloved as the dance tune of Hakata Dontaku
19	mottsukibō		Play songs for children in Fukuoka’s Jōnan Ward
20	abacus dance		A Kurume folk song sung in the role of a weaving girl
21	Hakata Kacchiri-bushi		The origins and characteristics of the Hakata Kacchiri-bushi
22	Light of hopeKimura Masaaki		The Fukuoka Prefecture Prefectural Anthem “Light of Hope”
23	The Four Seasons of Hakata		A song of the flower-and-willow world depicting the four seasons of Hakata
24	Kuroda-bushiAkasaka Koume		The Kuroda-bushi is a folk song originating in Fukuoka; it is a gagaku-style folk song whose lyrics depict a samurai drinking feast.
25	Chikugo Ise Ondo		A type of Ise Ondo, a folk song that was popular in Ise during the Edo period
26	Hakata Lullaby		A cheerful lullaby is being sung at the recital.
27	Kanno-gaku		The Taiko Dance of Buzen City: Preserving Prayer and Tradition
28	Authentic Hakata Song		Hakata-bushi is a difficult folk song that was sung in the pleasure quarters.