Mie Prefecture is a place where the tradition of pouring feelings for one’s hometown and its landscapes into song still remains strong.
From the historic Ise Grand Shrine and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, to Ago Bay famed for its pearls, and the majestic Suzuka Mountains, Mie’s songs have been nurtured by its rich nature and culture.
From nostalgic children’s songs and moving folk tunes to contemporary local anthems, we bring you music that carries a variety of sentiments.
Are there any songs you know that are connected to Mie Prefecture? Songs rooted in a place are filled with a charm that makes you want to hum along.
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Songs related to Mie Prefecture. Beloved local songs of Mie (1–10)
The flower that blooms in KuwanaMummy-D(RHYMESTER)
This piece unfurls like the river breeze and festival music suddenly opening up before your eyes.
Mummy-D’s supple narration weaves rhymes with Shichiri no Watashi, the Ishidori Festival, and even grilled clams, vividly reflecting the gaze and pride of a local guide.
Sway along to the warm beat.
Released in August 2019, it was produced as a tie-in connected to tourism initiatives in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture.
While he released the solo album “Bars of My Life” in March 2024, this work stands independently as a freshly commissioned piece by the municipality.
It’s perfect prep before a trip to Kuwana, company for a homebound drive, or a companion to a historical stroll.
You might enjoy opening a map and tracing the place names that linger in your ears.
Mie Prefectural AnthemNEW!Mie-ken
This prefectural anthem was released in April 1964 to coincide with the completion of the new government building and the adoption of the prefectural emblem.
The lyrics were written by Kiyoko Tsujihashi, selected through a public contest, and the music was composed by Nobuo Iida, known for his film scores.
The lyrics weave in landscapes such as the Ise Sea, the Suzuka Mountains, the Isuzu River, and places like Kumano and Ise, encapsulating the charm of the hometown.
Its bright, dignified melody evokes the energy of Japan’s period of rapid economic growth.
It’s a song that has long been loved by residents—truly a regional treasure.
Sea of the BoyYamaguchi Momoe
A song where the scent of the sea and the brilliance of youth surge together as one.
A boy heading out to fish and a young ama diver’s gaze are portrayed over a gentle cantabile.
Woven with tactile words that capture the roar of the tide, the wind, and the sparkle of the waves, it leaves the freshness of vows and hesitation lingering in your heart.
This track appears on the May 1975 album “Theme of a Sixteen-Year-Old” and serves as the theme song for the film “Shiosai” (The Sound of Waves).
The setting is Kamishima in Toba City, Mie Prefecture.
Momoe Yamaguchi’s spoken passages deepen the storytelling, and with each listen the island’s scenery rises before your eyes.
Kazuya Senke’s lyrics, Shunichi Tokura’s melody, and Yuyu Hoshiguchi’s delicate arrangement bring together Kamishima’s everyday life and pure love with a lucid touch.
As a local song rooted in Mie, its charm lies in how it evokes both wanderlust and nostalgia at once.
It’s perfect for seaside travels or nights when you want to think of home.
Shima PeninsulaToba Ichirō
A locally rooted enka that rises with the scent of the tide and the shimmer of pearl rafts.
Born and raised by the sea, Ichiro Toba’s voice vividly portrays Wagu, Oshima, Maehama Fishing Port, and the “Shiokake Festival,” powerfully conveying pride and human warmth.
The weight of someone from Toba City in Mie Prefecture with experience in deep-sea fishing resonates, letting you feel, almost on your skin, the heat of the port’s labor and festivities.
In some years the event draws around 10,000 visitors, and there is a monument inscribed with the song at Shima Fureai Park.
Released as a single in August 2001, with lyrics by Ryuichi Satomura, composition by Katsuhiko Miki, and arrangement by Masakane Tsuta.
It was included on the October 2001 album “Ichiro Toba: Complete Collection,” and later on the album “Kono Michi.” The B-side is “Daio no Shippu” (Gale of Daio).
It was performed at the 52nd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2001.
This track is recommended for coastal drives or nights when you’re thinking of your hometown.
Its surging rhythm stirs your memories.
Ise-Shima BluesSuzuhara Shima
Her voice somehow resembles Mina Aoe’s, doesn’t it? The song also feels a bit different from the Ise-Shima image—it’s themed around a nighttime bar.
It has an unusual style, like a mix of mood kayō and enka.
“Deceived by sweet words”…
it’s a common tale in this world of songs.
Mie Prefecture Arare Ondoatsu
It’s a song that makes you want to hum along on a journey, with the heartbeat of the hometown woven into it.
From Ise Grand Shrine and the Kumano Kodo to the pearls of Ago Bay and the peaks of the Suzuka Mountains, Mie’s landscapes are painted one after another in a traditional ondō rhythm, bringing smiles as listeners nod at all the local “so true!” moments.
Pride in one’s hometown and a gentle wish to share it outward seep into the call-and-response, and you can feel the energy behind the video production that toured 29 cities and towns.
Released in January 2018 and included on the 2020 album “Song‑Letter: A Poem’s Tidings.” The video is featured on Mie Prefecture’s tourism promotion site “Tsudzuki…,” and it shines with the upbeat pop sensibility characteristic of Atsu from Tsu City.
Perfect for local festivals and tourism events, and a reassuring home song for those living away from Mie.
KikyogaokaHirai Ken
Although no place names from Mie Prefecture appear in the lyrics, the music video was filmed at a station in Nabari City, Mie Prefecture.
Ken Hirai was born in Osaka Prefecture but grew up in Mie, and the video was made with his hometown as the backdrop; his mother also appears in it.
The song seems to express feelings from the perspective of Ken Hirai’s mother, and its warmth is comforting.