A famous song about Fukuoka. The heart of the hometown passed down through song.
There are plenty of songs themed around different places, but have you ever felt there are especially many about Fukuoka?
There are lots of famous artists from Fukuoka, aren’t there?
They pour their hometown pride into their music and release it into the world.
Here are some recommended masterpieces and popular tracks from among the many songs themed around Fukuoka.
Enjoy this gem-filled playlist by wonderful artists brimming with love for their hometown!
- Songs in Hakata Dialect That Resonate With the Heart | A Complete Introduction to Local Hakata Songs and Fukuoka-Related Tunes
- Fukuoka’s folk songs and children’s rhymes: History and sentiments conveyed by the nostalgic melodies of home
- [Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
- A classic song about Kumamoto. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- A classic song that sings of Nagasaki: the enduring heart of our hometown
- [2026] A compilation of bands, artists, and singers from Kyushu
- [Songs of Kagoshima] The heart of our hometown carried on in song | A curated selection of classic tracks that embody Kagoshima
- [2026] A Collection of Classic Enka and Kayōkyoku Songs About Nagasaki [Local Songs]
- A classic song celebrating Oita. The enduring spirit of our hometown [2026]
- Classic songs about Saga. A number of tracks related to Saga Prefecture.
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- A lineup of timeless masterpieces to pass down to future generations! Ballad songs born in the Reiwa era
- A roundup of regional enka songs: classic hits that feature places from all across Japan in their lyrics.
Masterpieces that sing of Fukuoka: the enduring hometown spirit (11–20)
Beat goes on
This song, “Beat goes on,” was created by musicians from Fukuoka who came together to face the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the subtitle “Fukuoka’s beat never stops!”, it was produced by Music Action Fukuoka, a collective formed by local live music venues and musicians.
The sound production is by Kenta Matsukuma, known for producing BiSH, and a total of 100 musicians took part, resulting in a track packed with an impressive lineup.
Above all, it’s a song that fills you with energy and power.
Hakata à la modeItsuki Hiroshi
Hiroshi Itsuki’s single “Hakata à la Mode,” released in 2013, is—as the title suggests—a love song about Hakata, set in Hakata.
Judging from the lyrics, it depicts a man who falls in love with a woman living in Hakata, travels there to see her, and dreams of the two of them living together—expressing his feelings from a male perspective for the one he loves.
Place and river names famous in the area appear, such as Hakata, Nakasu, Tenjin-Nishi, and the Naka River, and the lively, glittering atmosphere of Hakata at night vividly comes to mind.
Hakata WomanKitajima Saburō
One of Saburo Kitajima’s “Woman Series,” Hakata no Onna (The Woman of Hakata).
It tells of a man who, unaware that the woman he loves is married, goes to Hakata to see her and pours out his pain.
Hakata seems to be a city where many come seeking someone and then move on, as so often sung.
It’s a song that expresses a pure, earnest feeling, different from Kitajima’s usual rugged, masculine image.
Song in Hakata dialectŌru 1 Burazāzu + Hinata Shion
Among the many dialects across Japan, Hakata-ben—especially when spoken by women—is often said to be cute.
This song features a girl showing off Hakata-ben to the fullest, and its title is “The Hakata Dialect Song.” As you’d expect, it’s sung in Hakata-ben, but it also feels like a guide to recommended Hakata events and spots throughout the four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter.
You can enjoy that quintessentially Hakata-style cute tsundere vibe, like a girl inviting you on a date while saying, “Well, I guess I’ll go with you since there’s no helping it.”
I am rain.Shido
I hear that Mao, the vocalist, is from Kurume City.
Place names like Tenjin and Momochihama appear here, and it seems that whole area is a familiar, cherished place that Mao has long been attached to.
The tune feels sentimental rather than rock, but it’s a number whose aching pursuit of a lover quietly seeps into you.
Light of hopeKimura Masaaki
Released in 1970, the song “Light of Hope” was designated as the prefectural anthem of Fukuoka.
The lyrics were created by selecting entries from a public submission.
True to the spirit of a prefectural song, it’s simple and easy for anyone to remember, and the title “Light of Hope” fits perfectly—an upbeat, bright piece.
It features familiar place names for Fukuoka residents, such as Genkai, Mount Hikosan, and Chikushino, and it’s a song that suits the morning wonderfully.
The song was released on vinyl, and the B-side track, “Fukuoka Ondo,” was established as the prefectural folk dance song.
A classic song about Fukuoka. The enduring heart of our hometown (21–30)
Genkai Boat SongHikawa Kiyoshi
This is a song by a young fisherman, fired up to head out to sea and bring in a big catch.
In his powerful performance, the still youthful and fresh Hikawa shows the strength of a Kyushu man.
Even though it sings of the rough Genkai Sea and manliness, it also reveals the softer side of a Kyushu man when it comes to his mother and his lover—that’s part of his charm.