[Songs of Kagoshima] The heart of our hometown carried on in song | A curated selection of classic tracks that embody Kagoshima

Island-raisedTabata Yoshio

Yoshio Tabata “Island-raised”

This song had been sung as a new folk song of Amami since before the war, but after Tabata heard it, it was recorded in 1962.

It became a big hit and is said to be widely loved and sung in Amami by everyone from children to the elderly.

It is a song that conveys the passionate feelings of a young woman raised on the islands.

Saigō Takamori: Ah, Satsuma Samurai of the Late Edo PeriodAkioka Hideharu

Hideharu Akioka - Saigō Takamori ~Ah, Samurai of Satsuma in the Late Edo Period~ (Music Video)

An epic work that sings of the life of Takamori Saigo, a hero of the late Edo period.

Released in December 2024, this song features Hideharu Akioka’s powerful vocals, which superbly capture the spirit of the Satsuma samurai.

While following a traditional enka style, the song’s richly layered arrangement is also compelling.

It’s a track that history enthusiasts will enjoy, and one that offers lessons for those of us living today.

Why not immerse yourself in the moving vocals while reflecting on Saigo Takamori’s life?

My beloved flowerroddy

My beloved flower

“Kagoshima Monogatari” is a web drama, and this song is its image song.

It also seems to feature content like introductions to hot springs as part of “Kagoshima Adult Time.” A gentle, relaxed warmth flows through it, carrying the atmosphere of a series of island songs.

Roddy is a duo from Kagoshima and Okinawa, and they made their major debut in 2010.

Bamboo rake from Terukuni ShrineKingu Kurīmusōda

King Cream Soda / Kumade of Terukuni Shrine

It’s the new theme song for Yo-kai Watch.

Using a rake as the motif is pretty interesting.

The lyrics are deeper than I expected and sing about the joy of sharing.

I hear King Cream Soda is a unit formed to perform the Yo-kai Watch theme songs.

They sing about a mysterious world in a fun way.

Island BluesMisawa Akemi

Island Blues - Misawa Akemi

This piece is from 1963.

The finger whistling in the intro is said to be by the lyricist Masanobu Toguchi himself, who spent time on Amami Ōshima.

The song expresses the fervent, heartrending feelings of a young woman longing for her lover, weaving in the Amami dialect.

Women of Amami are passionate, aren’t they?

Satsuma WomanKitajima Saburō

Satsuma Woman by Saburo Kitajima — Turning her back on someone to whom she owes a duty...

This is a song from the “Woman” series.

It turns out this series has 15 songs.

You can sense a joy, tinged with bewilderment, in the man who accepts the touching devotion of a woman who has followed him all the way to Kagoshima.

The town, Sakurajima, and the harbor are vividly brought to life, easy to picture as a painting.

Kagoshima is a city that makes for a beautiful picture.

A Petal of a DreamJonan

Kagoshima Welfare Theme Song “A Petal of Dreams”

This is Kagoshima’s welfare theme song.

It was created by composing “words to give to loved ones” submitted by people from Kagoshima.

Many people from Kagoshima appear in it.

It’s a heartwarming song that shows how compassion leads to everyone’s small everyday happiness.

Minami Kizuki’s gentle singing voice is wonderful, too.