[2026] Masterpieces that sing of Hokkaido: the heart of a beloved homeland passed down in song

Hakodate Night ViewMori Konomi

Hakodate Night View Song: Konomi Mori

This moving ballad, with a grand sense of scale and the night view of Hakodate, Hokkaido as its main theme, expresses traditional enka elements through a contemporary sensibility.

Konomi Mori’s powerful yet delicate vocals vividly depict the scenery of the port town, leaving a deep resonance in listeners’ hearts.

Released as a single in May 2019, the song has also been used as a tourism PR piece for Hakodate City, Hokkaido.

It’s featured at events and campaigns hosted by the city and the tourism association, and frequently spotlighted by local radio stations and TV programs.

Highly recommended for those who want to savor the charm of Hakodate with all five senses, or for anyone who feels nostalgic for their hometown.

It’s a gem of a track that lets you fully experience the atmosphere of this beautiful port city.

Traveler of the NorthIshihara Yūjirō

Ishihara Yujiro "Traveler of the North"

A poignant love story set in Japan’s northern lands that graced Yujiro Ishihara’s final years.

Released in 1987, this song vividly portrays the scenery of Hakodate and Otaru in Hokkaido, and stands as a masterpiece that deeply evokes lost love and loneliness.

Yoko Yamaguchi’s woven lyrics and Tetsuya Gen’s flowing melody blend beautifully, and together with Ishihara’s wistful voice, they move the hearts of many listeners.

A song befitting the end of the Showa era, it sold 1.25 million copies and reached No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It’s a gem that you’ll want to savor on long winter nights—irresistible even to those who aren’t fans of enka.

Becoming a Thousand WindsAkiyama Masashi

Masafumi Akikawa / A Thousand Winds (short ver.)

“A Thousand Winds” is a work in which lyricist-composer and singer Man Arai translated the poem “Do not stand at my grave and weep,” which became known in the United States, into Japanese and set it to music in 2001.

After purchasing a vacation home in Nanae, Hokkaido, Arai is said to have worked on his translation of “A Thousand Winds” surrounded by the area’s tranquility and beautiful nature.

With the single character for “wind,” one can connect to the vast landscapes of Hokkaido.

The masterpiece became widely beloved when Masafumi Akikawa covered it in 2006.

It makes you want to spread your arms wide and sing amid Hokkaido’s magnificent natural scenery.

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Kado(guchi) Shichigatsu

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Fighters’ AnthemUesugi Shudai

[MV] Fighters Anthem / Shudai Uesugi

This is the official cheer song of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Although the song has been used since the team was based in Tokyo, it has continued to be used after the move to Hokkaido.

The video features a version sung by Shudai Uesugi, a local celebrity from Sapporo.

Melancholy SapporoMatsuzaka Keiko & Hama Keisuke

Melancholy Sapporo / Keiko Matsuzaka & Keisuke Hama

It’s a duet song by actress Keiko Matsuzaka and composer Keisuke Hama.

Set in Sapporo, it’s a love song with a sophisticated, mature mood.

It truly feels like a song for grown men and women, and it would likely be a big hit at karaoke.

Night in KushiroMikawa Ken’ichi

Kushiro Night ... Kenichi Mikawa

Released in 1968, this is Kenichi Mikawa’s 11th single.

The setting is Nusamai Bridge in Kushiro City, Hokkaido, spanning the Kushiro River.

Later, a film with the same title was produced, inspired by this song.

It’s a mood-rich piece that showcases Kenichi Mikawa’s wistful, melancholic vocals.

Ah, SusukinoSumairēji

S/mileage 'Ah, Susukino' (Promotion Edit)

This is a 2014 song released as S/mileage’s final single before they renamed themselves ANGERME.

It portrays the feelings of a woman who, while traveling, ends up arguing with her lover in Susukino.

The poignant melody, overflowing with Tsunku’s distinctive style, leaves a strong impression.