[2026] Classic songs themed on Kochi: A roundup of local songs and municipal anthems

Traditional Ashizuri DanceSakushi: Hirano Koichi / Sakkyoku: Izumiya Ken

Authentic Ashizuri Ondo

A song born to commemorate the establishment of city status in 1954, it is considered the very soul of Tosashimizu City.

With lyrics by Koichi Hirano and music by Ken Izumiya, this is a traditional hometown ondo.

Its lively melody, carried by shamisen and drums, is layered with the spirited shout of “Sore honni,” making you feel as if you’ve joined the festival circle just by listening.

The lyric “If I’m going with you, then to Cape Ashizuri” vividly portrays the grand rainbow born from sea spray, capturing the hearts of many.

Why not listen to this piece—where the force of the Pacific’s nature blends with the strength of its people—and savor the atmosphere of Tosa?

Kochi City SongSakushi: Shigematsu Fuji / Sakkyoku: Hirai Yasuki

Kochi City Song with subtitles and furigana (Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture) 4K

With lyrics by Fuji Shigematsu and music by Yasuki Hirai—known for “Tonbo no Megane”—this piece is the city song of Kochi, born during Japan’s postwar reconstruction.

Remarkably, the lyrics were written by Shigematsu when he was a high school student, and his work was chosen from nearly a thousand submissions.

Phrases like “the seething rocky shores of the Kuroshio” and “the great phoenix soaring across the heavens” evoke Kochi’s majestic nature and an indomitable spirit looking to the future.

You can feel the citizens’ fervent wish to rise powerfully from the scorched ruins as the “heart of Tosa,” a feeling that surges together with the heroic melody.

Even now, more than 75 years later, it is still played at City Hall and sustains people’s hearts—a reminder of the profound power a song can hold.

Happy to be born in KamiSakushi: Kōchi-shi no kodomo-tachi / Sakkyoku: Horiuchi Kei

Happy to be born in Kami

This song sets gentle melodies by singer-songwriter Kei Horiuchi, a native of Kochi Prefecture, to words woven by the children of Kami City.

Created to commemorate the 10th anniversary of cityhood, its pure lyrics conjure vivid images of the hometown’s beautiful scenery as seen through children’s eyes.

The chorus phrase is truly the crystallization of local pride, and the straightforward sentiment—“I’m happy to have been born in Kami City”—rides on Horiuchi’s uniquely warm, pop sound to resonate deeply with listeners.

It is a local song brimming with the pride of the children who will shape the future—a true treasure.

Tosa manKagami Goro

Tosa man

Veteran enka singer Goro Kagami’s “Tosa no Otoko,” released in 2009, is a quintessential local enka piece that vividly conjures up scenes of Kochi.

Phrases like “the moonlit Yosakoi at Katsurahama” and “holding a red camellia blossom” invite you into the beautiful landscapes of southern Tosa.

Above all, what stirs the heart is the rugged spirit of the Tosa man, belted out in the line “Let the spray and rough waves come crashing!” Kagami’s resonant voice and distinctive phrasing brilliantly embody that indomitable soul.

With pride in his homeland, he faces any hardship with guts.

Just by listening, you can feel the grandeur of Tosa’s nature and the passion of its people rushing into your heart—an empowering song brimming with strength.

TOSA, a city where everyone meets their dreams.Lyrics: Anjo Wada・Chiayu / Composition: Kei Horiuchi

This is the official image song produced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tosashi’s incorporation as a city.

The composition and vocals are by singer-songwriter Kei Horiuchi, who also has deep ties to Tosashi.

From the very first lines, you can almost picture the majestic, beautiful nature of Kochi unfolding before your eyes.

The catchy chorus carries a powerful message about passing the spirit of our predecessors on to the future.

Many listeners have likely found courage in this song, which gently encourages us to join hands and move toward a brighter tomorrow.

Lyrics gathered from citizens and the clear voices of elementary school students come together to create a warm piece filled with hometown pride and hope.

KatsurahamaMizumori Kaori

Katsurahama - Kaori Mizumori

This is a song by Kaori Mizumori, who is sometimes called the “Queen of Local Songs,” included on her 2006 single Kumano Kodo.

Katsurahama is a beach in Kochi City with a statue of Ryoma Sakamoto.

The CD reached No.

5 on the Oricon chart.

Ryoma Sakamoto: Dreaming of Japan’s DawnAkioka Hideharu

Hideharu Akioka “Sakamoto Ryoma ~Dreaming of Japan’s Dawn~” MUSIC VIDEO

Since his debut in 1991, Shuji Akioka has centered his career on barroom enka and songs about life.

Beginning in 2024, he embarked on a new series themed around heroes of the late Edo period.

This work, released in November 2025 as the second installment following the previous song about Takamori Saigo, is a historical romance enka portraying the life of Sakamoto Ryoma.

From the arrival of the Black Ships to the Satsuma–Choshu Alliance and the “Eight Policies on Board,” it powerfully sings of Ryoma’s dream of a “dawn of Japan.” A robust melody and Akioka’s characteristically rich, mature vocals are a perfect match, making this a remarkably satisfying track to hear.