[Hiroshima Songs] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song | A Curated Selection of Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations

The sky of Hiroshimasadamasashi

Hiroshima Sky by Masashi Sada

This song centers on the theme of the atomic bombing—an event that remains unforgettable for the people living in Hiroshima.

It is an anti-war song that Sada sings gently yet powerfully, to pass on to the next generation the folly of repeating war.

It ensures we do not forget the fact that this country was indeed engulfed in the flames of war.

Hiroshima HeavenMinami Issei

Hiroshima Heaven

This is Minami’s signature song released in 1980, with activities centered in Hiroshima.

He later became well known for singing the Hiroshima Toyo Carp team song “Sore Ike Carp,” and in recognition of these accomplishments, he received the Hiroshima Citizens’ Award in 2010.

For the people of the prefecture, it could be called a song of the heart.

Ferry to MatsuyamaMurashita Kōzō

Kozo Murashita - Ferry to Matsuyama

The late Kozo Murashita, known for his song “First Love,” also has a hidden gem called “The Ferry to Matsuyama,” which poignantly sings of a heartbreaking farewell between lovers.

Although Hiroshima and Ehime are only about 60 km apart across the Seto Inland Sea—not a great distance—crossing the water makes it feel far away, which, I think, lends even greater depth to the lyrics’ sense of sorrow.

Winds of the Aki-nadaReemondo Matsuya

Raymond Matsuya / The Wind of Akinada

After releasing this song independently in 2008, Raymond Matsuya made his major-label debut at the astonishing age of 59—a true late-blooming singer-songwriter.

The lyrics are lovely, portraying with purity a woman waiting for her loved one who is expected to come from Hiroshima.

Hiroshima StoryKadokawa Hiroshi

Hiroshi Kadokawa “Hiroshima Story”

A mature, emotionally rich number that serenely sings of Hiroshima nights, it evokes a moody memory of a man and woman’s encounter.

Kadokawa is a veteran enka singer who debuted in 1976, but it’s said that in high school he was a member of the baseball team at Koryo High School.

Hiroshima, River of LoveKatō Tokiko

"Hiroshima: River of Love" Massive Riverside Chorus on August 6 — First Event — Filmed in 2015 (70 years after the bombing)

This is a message song praying for everlasting peace, with lyrics written by the late Keiji Nakazawa, author of Barefoot Gen, set in Hiroshima, which was devastated by the atomic bomb.

Ms.

Kato, known for the classic Shiretoko Ryojo and for voicing Gina in the Studio Ghibli film Porco Rosso, delivers a powerful performance.

HiroshimaNakamura Takamichi

09_Hiroshima

Nakamura’s “Hiroshima,” whose lyrics capture a brief return to their hometown.

Prompted by a sudden feeling amid life in Tokyo, they go back to Hiroshima and sing lyrically, as if recalling those days.

That image resonates with our own lives, leaving us feeling sentimental yet warmly comforted.