[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 from Across Japan Filled with Beloved Classics and Hometown Pride (161–170)
Cape Tappi of the WindFukumoto Masaru
Featuring the distinctive sound of the Tsugaru shamisen, this work is a soul-stirring Tohoku enka set against the windswept backdrop of Cape Tappi.
Released in January 2024, it marks Masaru Fukumoto’s third single and his first in five years.
The lyrics, which capture a heart wavering between parting and reunion, are sure to resonate with many.
They tell a sad yet beautiful story of lost love and hope, set alongside the scenic vistas of Cape Tappi.
It’s a recommended track for those who long for their hometown or wish to reflect on the past.
When you listen, don’t you feel you might touch the power of nature and the beautiful moments preserved in memory—and find a renewed sense of hope to move forward?
Rainy MidosujiŌyō Fifi with Za Benchāzu
I can picture a woman walking sadly through the streets of Osaka.
It might actually be a quietly sorrowful song, but Fifi’s accented Japanese and powerful vocals take away the damp melancholy.
Straight-up enka Osaka is great too, but this song made me feel that Osaka also suits pop music.
[Local Songs] Must-listen tracks filled with hometown pride from all over Japan (171–180)
Woman of ShinjukuFuji Keiko
Unlike the song’s dark image, I’ve heard she herself is a very cheerful person—just what you’d expect from Hikaru-chan’s mother.
It would have been a waste to confine her remarkable vocal ability to enka alone.
Singing about a woman of the night city, like in this song, carries its own persuasiveness, and she really knows where to showcase her voice.
Leaving sunny Tosa behindPegī Hayama
It’s a song I’ve been listening to since childhood, but when I later took a closer look at the lyrics, I realized they include the names of many places.
Because it’s a song about one’s hometown, I think it’s stylish and deeply moving.
I remember being impressed when I later realized, “Oh, that’s a place name too, and so is that one.”