Kyoto’s folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.

A special feature on folk songs and nursery rhymes from Kyoto Prefecture, one of Japan’s premier tourist destinations and home to countless historic sites.

Kyoto has long been a stage for history and is rich in diverse cultures.

Even within the category of “folk songs,” the periods in which they were created vary widely, and there are many genres of songs that reflect local lands and customs.

If you’re a local, many of these may ring a bell.

And if you live in the Kansai region, you might even encounter songs whose melodies are the same but whose lyrics differ.

Shall we unravel Kyoto’s history through its songs?

Playlist

Kyoto’s folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	geta-kakushi (hiding wooden clogs); literally “geta hiding.” Often refers to a niche or cupboard for storing geta sandals, or to the act/design of concealing geta.		Hide-and-seek by hiding and searching for shoes
2	Marutake Ebisu		It’s a song about Kyoto’s grid-patterned streets that many people learned as children.
3	Tango Chirimen Folk Song		A promotional song for Tango chirimen that is also danced to at festivals.
4	Gion Little Song		The Gion Kouta depicts scenes of Gion in Kyoto across the four seasons.
5	The Great Buddha of Kyoto		A children’s song that tells of the Great Buddha of Hoko-ji in Kyoto being lost to a fire.
6	Ushiwakamaru		The Encounter of Ushiwakamaru and Benkei at Gojo Bridge
7	Children’s Song of the Candle Sellers of Minami-Kannon-yama		Children's songs at the Minami-Kannon-Yama of the Gion Festival
8	Scenery in all directions		A children's song that sings of Kyoto's spring scenery
9	The monk’s head is Marutamachi.		Introducing a song to memorize Kyoto’s east–west streets
10	graceful woman		A gentle woman expresses a mother's love through a lullaby
11	Takeda Lullaby		The poignant lyrics of the Takeda lullaby
12	staring contest		A nursery rhyme sung with puffed cheeks. A face-to-face game where you make funny faces to make each other laugh.
13	Bitterly cold, bone-chilling cold		A children’s song about brothers who personify winter’s cold descending from the mountains.
14	Miyazu Bushi		Miyazu-bushi is a folk cultural asset dating back to the Edo period and a staple song for Bon dances.
15	One glance, then another.		A Kyoto battledore song, a children’s rhyme used to count the number of hits in hanetsuki.
16	Temple Gokō Fuya Tomi		An introduction to a song that makes it easier to remember the north–south street names of Kyoto.
17	Fuchu Tairyobushi		Miyazu Fishermen’s Song for Praying a Good Catch
18	The black cat behind our house		A handball (temari) song from Kyoto about a black cat behind the house putting on makeup and dressing up.
19	How many moons are there?		Kyoto Version of the Children's Song “How Many Moons?”
20	Later, jori-kojori.		A Kyoto lullaby that encourages a baby to crawl backward
21	Smitten with Atago-san		Play songs of Kyoto to interact with children
22	Fukuchiyama Ondo		A folk song passed down since the time of Akechi Mitsuhide, the lord of Fukuchiyama Castle.
23	I sliced the daikon and ended up slicing too much.		A hand play song from Kyoto that likens arms to daikon radishes
24	Night cherry blossoms in Gion		Gion no yozakura is a Yamato-gaku piece used as accompaniment for Japanese dance.
25	over the hump		Fox and Raccoon Dog Hand-Play Song
26	Snow, Konkon / Snowflake		Snow is rare in southern Kyoto.