A showcase of Japanese folk songs, all in one go!
We’ve picked out folk songs you might want to try singing at karaoke!
From timeless classics to slightly lesser-known gems, we’ve curated a wide range.
These days, folk songs no longer sit at the forefront of the scene.
They’re part of Japan’s traditional music, but they don’t usually get a great reaction from the general public.
To share what makes these folk songs so wonderful, we’ve selected some of Japan’s most popular folk numbers this time.
Even if you’re not familiar with enka or folk music, you’ll enjoy this!
Be sure to read through to the end!
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Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy (1–10)
Tsugaru Jongara-bushiKanazawa Akiko
Tsugaru Jongara Bushi is known as one of the most famous Japanese folk songs.
The fast, intricate playing of the Tsugaru shamisen has worldwide appeal, making it a traditional folk piece that Japan can proudly present to the world.
However, the content of this song has a surprisingly deep backstory that traces back to the Sengoku period, specifically the second year of Keicho (1597).
According to one theory, it was composed in memory of a monk named Jōen who lived in Aomori, the region referenced in the song’s title.
It might be enjoyable to appreciate not only the music but also its story.
Hanagasa OndoMiyako Harumi
The Hanagasa Ondo, famous for being sung at the vibrant Yamagata Hanagasa Festival held every August in Yamagata Prefecture, is still widely known today as a traditional folk song heard throughout Japan.
It originated from the “tsuchizuki-uta,” songs sung during the “dotsuki” process of compacting the foundation of buildings such as houses.
Over time, various arrangements were added, and it spread as a festival chant.
The lyrics vary by region, but many reference Yamagata Prefecture, which explains its enduring popularity.
Nanbu Cattle Drover’s SongFukuda Kouhei
Japan has preserved many folk songs rooted in everyday life and local climates, such as boat songs and lullabies.
This piece, “Nanbu Ushioi-uta” (Nanbu Cattle Driver’s Song), is a folk song once sung by cattle herders as they drove pack-laden oxen along transport routes.
During the Azuchi–Momoyama period, the areas now known as Iwate, Aomori, and Akita Prefectures were called the Nanbu Domain.
The cattle raised there, known as Nanbu-ushi and commonly called “Akabeko,” were famous throughout the country.
This folk song, handed down in the Nanbu region, is a tasteful tune that enlivened long journeys as people drove their cattle—the transport technology of the time.
Its lyrics offer a glimpse into the specialties and culture of the Nanbu Domain.
Takeda LullabyYamamoto Junko
Takeda Lullaby is a “lullaby” that was sung to children facing buraku discrimination in Kyoto Prefecture—not to put babies to sleep, but to express the feelings of children who were subjected to discrimination.
Although it is a folk song handed down in Kyoto, its deep, painful story led many folk singers to cover it and convey its message.
It became widely known as a hit song, appeared in textbooks, and can be described as a folk song that cast a stone into society.
It remains a piece that is tenaciously preserved as part of Kyoto’s folklore.
Tsugaru Mountain SongHosokawa Takashi
As its name suggests, “Tsugaru Yama-uta” is a traditional folk song handed down in the three prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita.
It was sung to ask the mountain gods for guidance, safety, and protection.
It is often performed to the accompaniment of the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese flute, and its powerful melodic lines are striking.
In Aomori Prefecture, the Iwaki River, which runs north–south, serves as a boundary between two styles—Higashi-dōri (eastern style) and Nishi-dōri (western style).
It can be fun to distinguish the differences between the two: the more popular western style and the now-rare eastern style.
rice sectionsatou mieko
Yone-bushi (Rice Song) belongs to the category of “new folk songs” that emerged from the Taisho era onward.
As its name suggests, it’s a folk song about rice.
Composed in the Showa period, it features relatively easy-to-understand and humorous lyrics that add to its appeal.
This piece is a parody of the 1935 song Hakata Kojoro Namamakura, keeping the original melody while changing only the lyrics.
It has been passed down in Miyagi Prefecture, a major rice-producing region, and lovingly portrays the labor, care, and feelings involved in cultivating rice—an affectionate rice song from rice farmers.
Tokyo OndoHikawa Kiyoshi
Tokyo Ondo is a relatively new folk song born in 1932.
It was originally composed and written under the name “Marunouchi Ondo” to boost morale and aid the recovery from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
The song was later renamed “Tokyo Ondo” and became a huge hit.
As intended, it encouraged the people of Tokyo and gave rise to many stories.
Even today, it continues to be sung as a supporters’ song for the baseball team Yakult Swallows and the J.League club FC Tokyo.
It is a folk song that represents modern Tokyo.