The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies that Carry On the Spirit of the Hometown
Folk songs and children’s songs rooted in the land of Kagoshima vividly reflect the spirit and daily life of the region.
Masterpieces that capture a range of emotions—such as the toil of land-reclamation work, the prayers and joys of islanders, and the pure romantic feelings of young people—have been passed down across generations and are still cherished today by locals and by those living away from their hometown.
In this article, we’ve gathered folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes brimming with love for Kagoshima.
Please enjoy the moving world of Kagoshima’s folk music.
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The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies Passing Down the Heart of Our Homeland (11–20)
The Chawanmushi Songogojōzu
This is a song that everyone from Kagoshima Prefecture is said to know.
Long ago, when a customer entered a shop and ordered chawanmushi, the clerk and the owner didn’t know the dish.
The owner questioned the clerk, thinking there might have been bugs on the rice bowls, and the clerk supposedly replied that they washed them three times a day.
It’s a comical piece that turns that story into a song.
Although it can sound like a children’s song, it is also presented as a folk song.
Kuninao Yone Ane-bushiShimauta
A single track that sinks deep into the heart, evoking the beautiful seas and greenery of Amami.
It richly sings, to the sound of the sanshin, the tale of the beautiful sisters known as “Kome-nee,” said to have once truly lived there.
For those who listen, it may gently bring to mind the landscapes of a distant homeland and the warm feelings of the people who live there.
Carefully handed down by artists such as Takashige Nakama and Minami Kizuki, this work is one to savor when you feel nostalgic for home or want to immerse yourself in the island’s unhurried flow of time.
Watasya BushiShimauta
A traditional island song that vividly evokes a sea voyage around the Amami Islands.
With a lively yet wistful melody, it sings of the feelings of those who travel by boat from island to island—partings, longing, and love.
Revitalized by a new generation of artists, including collaborations between Chitose Hajime and Kousuke Atari and remixes by Ryuichi Sakamoto, its allure continues to reach contemporary audiences.
Adopted by Kagoshima Prefecture’s cultural preservation initiatives, it is cherished and carefully protected by local communities.
When you want to experience heartwarming island music, why not take the time to listen closely?
Kurudando-bushiHajime Chitose
This is a classic folk song from Kagoshima Prefecture that is sung on Amami Oshima, Kikaijima, and Tokunoshima.
It originally began as a song for praying for rain, but it features improvised lyrics describing everyday life on the islands.
The words are sometimes adapted into celebratory messages or love lyrics, and it remains beloved by island residents to this day.
Morning Flower FestivalJonan
It is a representative folk song of the Amami Islands.
The lyrics are written in the local dialect, and in the first verse it sings, “It’s been a long time since we met.
Through the guidance of the gods we were able to see each other, but when will we meet again?” In the Amami region, it is said to be sung first as both a vocal warm-up and a greeting to the gathering.
Kushinoki SanosaSeikou
It is said that in the Meiji era, when fishermen from Kushinoki went out to fish off the coast of Korea, they sang while thinking of their hometown.
The Sanosa-bushi originated in Goto, Nagasaki Prefecture, but fishing on sailing ships in those days was a life-risking endeavor, and many boats reportedly never made it back.
The fishermen’s longing for home turned into a folk song tinged with sorrow, and it is said that there are over 120 verses to the lyrics.
The World of Kagoshima Folk Songs: Traditional Melodies Carrying on the Spirit of the Hometown (21–30)
mailmanKubo Ken’o
The song “The Postman” is sung all over the country, so I wondered if there was anything different about it as a song from Kagoshima Prefecture, but it seems there isn’t much of a difference.
It’s also commonly used as a jump-rope song where the number of turns increases in time with the lyrics counting up—one sheet, two sheets, and so on.