[Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
Across Japan, there are many “local songs” created around themes like regional climate and traditions, long-standing customs, hometown pride, and specialty foods.
However, few people are likely familiar with songs from places far from their own living area or hometown.
Some might even have spent years in a region without knowing its local songs at all.
In this article, we’ll introduce some highly impactful, must-hear local songs from across Japan that we hope many of you will get to know.
If it’s a place you’ve visited, try listening while picturing the local scenery.
If it’s somewhere you’ve never been, let the song help you imagine the land and the lives of the people who live there.
- A roundup of regional enka songs: classic hits that feature places from all across Japan in their lyrics.
- [Song of Osaka] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes
- [2026] Masterpieces that sing of Hokkaido: the heart of a beloved homeland passed down in song
- Introducing famous songs about Shizuoka: Local anthems and popular tracks [2026]
- [Songs of Saitama] A Wealth of Humor-Filled Classics! Local Anthems Packed with Love for Saitama
- Songs related to Mie Prefecture. Beloved local tunes of Mie that continue to be cherished.
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- [Kyoto Songs] Masterpieces that sing about Kyoto — songs themed on the ancient capital. The enduring heart of our hometown passed down in song.
- A famous song about Fukuoka. The heart of the hometown passed down through song.
- A classic song that celebrates Niigata. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- Songs about Tokyo: A collection of popular J‑Pop classics [2026]
- Masterpieces that sing of love. Recommended popular songs.
- [Songs of Kagoshima] The heart of our hometown carried on in song | A curated selection of classic tracks that embody Kagoshima
[Local Songs] Must-Listen Tracks Filled with Hometown Pride from Across Japan (91–100)
The City of Love, SapporoIshihara Yūjirō
I can imagine walking with my lover from the Clock Tower to Odori Park.
It puts me in a romantic mood.
Hearing Yujiro sing a woman’s song, I realized again how well it suits him.
I also think the melody perfectly matches the city of Sapporo.
Honmoku MärchenShikanai Takashi
I felt it was a sad song, like watching a movie.
To be frank, Honmoku gives me a rather seedy impression, and that might be why.
It feels dramatic, and you can sense that the people around were quite fond of him, which only deepens the sorrow.
Mr.
Shikanai’s voice is unexpectedly soft and gentle, as if he were telling a fairy tale.
[Local/Regional Songs] Must-listen tracks brimming with hometown pride from across Japan (101–110)
Hell EstheticianKatte ni Kankō Kyōkai
This is a playful local song about Oita Prefecture by the duo Miura Jun and Hazama Hajime, known as the Self-Styled Tourism Association.
The striking title, “Hell’s Esthetician,” is said to be inspired by Beppu Onsen’s famous ‘Hell Tour.’ The lyrics parade the names of the various ‘hells,’ delivered in an irresistibly upbeat, festival-like tune.
In between, it also slips in local specialties like Bungo beef and dango-jiru, which might surprise some listeners with the sheer density of information.
Give it a listen as a companion for your trip to Oita, and your journey might become even more enjoyable.
Miyazaki Bluestsukamoto kenzō
This is a song for which Kenzo Tsukamoto himself wrote the lyrics and composed the music, filled with his unending love for his hometown of Miyazaki.
It is said to be a song of resolve, marking his pledge to make a fresh start as a singer at the milestone of his sixtieth birthday.
The lyrics depict a forlorn man wandering through places of memories—such as the Oyodo River and Nichinan—in search of someone he parted with.
Some listeners may find themselves overlaying their own unfulfilled love onto his wistful, retreating figure.
The arrangement beautifully conveys the world of Showa-era mood kayō, woven together with the soul-stirring tones of the guitar.
Tsukamoto’s rugged, seasoned voice seems to deepen the portrayal of Miyazaki’s scenery and the protagonist’s emotions even further.
Takachiho GorgeOka Yuuko
This is a lyrical enka song by Yuko Oka—also known as the “Singing Map of Japan”—set against Miyazaki Prefecture’s famed scenic spot, Takachiho Gorge.
You can almost picture the view of Manai Falls from a boat and the myth-steeped landscape of the gorge.
Though the lyrics tell of parting from a loved one, Oka’s gentle, tender vocals interweave with the grand depictions of nature, as if to softly cradle a wounded heart.
In fact, this piece is said to be a landmark song in which Oka completed her series of local songs for all 47 prefectures.
Perhaps that’s why it carries an especially deep affection for Miyazaki’s beautiful scenery.
Takachiho Travel Sentimentkawanaka miyuki
A lyrical song set in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, where the breath of myth can be felt, depicting the inner feelings of a woman.
It portrays the heartrending journey of someone who travels through places filled with memories, unable to forget a past love.
Throughout the lyrics, landmarks and traditions such as Kunimigaoka, Takachiho Gorge, and the Night Kagura appear.
Miyuki Kawanaka’s emotionally rich voice beautifully expresses both the majesty of Takachiho’s scenery and the protagonist’s loneliness.
Listening to this song may make you feel as if you yourself are standing amidst Takachiho’s deep natural surroundings.
It is a travel-inspired piece that vividly evokes the landscapes of Miyazaki.
Port Town Love SongKawano Natsumi
This song by Natsumi Kawano, who hails from Tsukumi City in Oita Prefecture, portrays the bittersweet heart of a woman against the backdrop of her hometown port—her original landscape.
Place names such as the Bungo Channel appear in the lyrics, painting vivid scenes in the listener’s mind.
Kawano’s clear, resonant voice is like the sea breeze blowing through the port of Tsukumi.
As you listen, you may feel her warm love for her hometown conveyed deeply through the song.
If you’re from the same area as Kawano, be sure to give it a listen.