[Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido] Songs of Hokkaido that continue to be loved across generations
The folk songs and children’s songs that resound across Hokkaido’s land carry the lives, joys, and prayers of people who have long faced its harsh nature.
Traditional music such as Esashi Oiwake and Soran Bushi has been passed down across generations and remains deeply rooted in many hearts today.
In this article, we introduce beloved classics—folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes—that have been handed down in Hokkaido and are still cherished today.
Why not lend an ear to these nostalgic melodies and feel the allure of music nurtured by the northern land?
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[Folk Songs and Children’s Songs of Hokkaido] Hokkaido Songs Loved Across the Ages (11–20)
Hamashack Okeza
It is an original folk song steeped in melancholy, as if you can hear the sound of waves rolling onto the beaches of Hokkaido.
Against the backdrop of Kamome Island bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun, the helpless longing of a woman still waiting for her husband who will not return is sung with heartbreaking intensity.
The lush timbre of the shamisen, resonating over a relaxed Okesa-style rhythm, and the nostalgic strains of the shakuhachi seem to paint the protagonist’s lonely inner landscape.
The piece is said to have been composed during the Showa era.
It’s a song to savor on nights when you want to reflect on the desolate yet beautiful scenes of the northern provinces.
Kurikai Festival
With the arrival of spring, one can picture the majestic scene of the northern seas as vast shoals of herring surge in—this is a celebrated song that brings such images to mind.
Created in 1965 by lyricist Keizo Ohno and composer Kojiro Horii, it evokes the excitement and vitality of fishermen rejoicing in a bountiful catch amid harsh nature, with gulls clamoring and rough waves crashing.
The shamisen, drums, and spirited chants vividly convey their energy.
While preserving the robust power of traditional work songs, the melody is arranged to be accessible to all, reflecting the creators’ deep respect.
Listening to this piece fills the heart with the joy and vibrancy of people who have endured and emerged from a severe winter.
Boat-Rowing Drifting Song
A folk song based on the work chants of fishermen from the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.
It opens with the powerful shout of “Yāse-no,” vividly conveying the resilience of people who face the harsh forces of nature.
The lyrics weave in everyday life aboard the boat and scenes of the sea, and the melodic turns seem to bear deeply the pathos and warmth of those who live by the northern waters.
This work was completed by shaping the original song—personally researched by its author, Mr.
Matsumoto—into a more musical form.
It was included in the 1990s album The Complete Collection of Hokkaido Folk Songs, and in 2022 it was also recorded as a cover by Kohei Fukuda.
Soran Bushi
The powerful folk song Soran Bushi, born from Hokkaido’s landscape and still alive today.
Echoing the voices of fishermen at work, this piece gained nationwide popularity after being featured in the TV drama Mr.
Kinpachi in Class 3B.
It has been performed twice on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, helping to spread the appeal of folk music.
Today, it’s a staple for livening up school events like sports days and field festivals—a perfect song for making memories with family and friends.
Pechka (a type of Russian masonry stove)
A pechka is a fireplace made of materials like brick.
The children’s song “Pechka” originated in Northern Europe, then traveled to Russia, and is said to have reached Hokkaido around 1880.
Chatting in front of a pechka feels homey, warming both body and soul to the core, doesn’t it? It’s truly a song that seems perfectly suited to Hokkaido.
Hokkai-hama-bushi
Hokkai Hamabushi is a Hokkaido folk song that depicts the lively shores of Otaru and its fishermen during the prosperous herring fishing days.
It is said to have originally derived from Akita’s Hachiro-bushi.
The lyrics, filled with dreams wishing for bountiful catches on the majestic sea, and the vigorous tones of the shamisen leave a strong impression.
At the Hokkai Hamabushi National Competition, this piece is performed every year by folk song enthusiasts.
Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido: Beloved Hokkaido Songs Across the Ages (21–30)
This roadOhnuki Taeko
I used to think this song evoked the image of Yanagawa, Hakushu’s hometown, but it seems he also had Hokkaido in mind.
I see—there’s a white clock tower in the lyrics, and it depicts Hokkaido, which Hakushu is said to have visited in his later years.
So it was the journey from Hokkaido to Yanagawa, then.