Folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes of Kumamoto: the enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
Kumamoto has served as the setting for folk songs and children’s songs known throughout Japan, such as Otemoyan and Itsuki no Komoriuta.
These works vividly portray the grandeur of Aso’s natural landscape, the majestic figure of Kumamoto Castle, and the rhythms of everyday life.
From Taharabanzaka, which conveys the sorrow of the Satsuma Rebellion, to Higo Kome Ondo, which celebrates a bountiful harvest, each folk song passed down through the generations is deeply etched with Kumamoto’s history and culture.
In this article, we have gathered folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes from Kumamoto, imbued with love for the homeland and the joys of daily life.
Let us lend an ear to the world of song where the spirit of Kumamoto resides.
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Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Kumamoto: The heart of our hometown passed down in song (11–20)
Yatsushiro Ozaya-bushi
This folk song, handed down in the Yatsushiro area of Kumamoto, is said to have its roots in the work songs of people engaged in land reclamation.
The lively tones woven by shamisen, flute, and drums convey the robust breath of life of those times to the present day.
A cassette tape version featuring Ryoko Soga’s vocals was released in February 2006, and in October 2019 impressionist singer Yoko Aramaki released a cover on her album “Kumamoto Folk Songs Vol.
1 (Hometown of the Heart: Japanese Folk Songs).” The piece remains beloved at regional cultural events today.
The soulful voices of those who survived difficult times will surely resonate in your heart.
Gyokan Grass-Cutting Song
During the roughly two-month mullet net fishing season held in the waters off Onigasaki in the Amakusa Islands of Kumamoto Prefecture, there were fishermen who came from Nagasaki to live temporarily.
A folk song that sings of the fleeting love between a village girl and a fisherman from Nagasaki has been passed down in Ushibuka City, Kumamoto Prefecture (now Amakusa City) as the “Onigi Kusakari Uta.”
Lullaby of Aso ShrineYamamoto Tokio
This is the lullaby “Aso Shrine Lullaby,” passed down in the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is also known as “The Feathered Robe Mother” and “Aso Feathered Robe Lullaby.” As the title may suggest to some, the song is based on the hagoromo (feathered robe) legend preserved at Tazuruhara Shrine in Aso.
Kuma RokuchōshiTanaka Shōko
Kuma no Rokuchoshi is a folk song that has been sung both as a celebratory song and a drinking song in Hitoyoshi City in southern Kumamoto Prefecture and in Kuma District, which occupies the Kuma River basin.
As for the song’s title, “Rokuchoshi,” there are various theories: that it refers to six types of songs and dances; that it derives from the six modes of gagaku (ancient court music); or that it comes from a shamisen technique in which the three strings are moved up and down back and forth.
Aso Lumberjack SongIwanaga Seiryū
“Aso no Kobiki-uta” is a folk song handed down in the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture.
It was a work song for mountain laborers who felled trees and sawed lumber.
In it, an older brother worries about his coming-of-age younger sister and warns her not to marry a sawyer.
Cleverly crafted with witty wordplay, it’s an amusing song that plays on the idea of trees growing together in harmony and the harmony between husband and wife.
Pompoko-nya
The folk song “Ponpoko-nya,” passed down in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Long ago, there was an entertainment district in the city, and it is said the song was performed in tatami rooms.
It’s a lively folk tune that weaves in Kumamoto’s famous sightseeing spots, a charming piece that makes you want to actually tour Kumamoto as you listen.
Kumamoto folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes: The heart of our hometown passed down through song (21–30)
OtemoyanAkasaka Koume
The folk song Otemoyan, which represents Kumamoto, is said to have originated from the Kumamoto Jinku, a parlor song sung in the geisha districts of Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is characterized by its cheerful lyrics with a strong Kumamoto dialect.
Even today, Otemoyan—and Otemoyan Samba, a samba-style arrangement—are often danced at festivals in Kumamoto.