Miyagi Songs: Popular tracks that celebrate famous sights and specialties, and timeless pieces filled with love for home

Tanabata DanceShimakura Chiyoko

Tanabata Dance Chiyoko Shimakura

Speaking of famous festivals in Sendai, there’s the Tanabata Festival.

While Tanabata festivals are now held in regions all across Japan, Sendai’s Tanabata Festival is one of Japan’s representative festivals, handed down as a traditional event dating back to the time of Lord Date Masamune.

The song “Tanabata Matsuri,” sung by Chiyoko Shimakura, was released in 1962, and even more than half a century later, it is still played as music for Bon Odori.

Miyagi Sendai Goza-in Ondokunoichi hata

Zain Ondo of Sendai–Miyagi [Highlights Introduction Edition]

Every region puts a lot of effort into their tourism PR songs, and they’re fun to watch and listen to.

This “Gozain” is a dialect word from Miyagi Prefecture meaning “Come visit, even as soon as tomorrow,” and they’ve used it cleverly in the title.

In the PV, a guy dressed in armor and a kabuto helmet introduces various sightseeing spots.

When I visited before, I also saw some pretty handsome guys doing tourism PR in different areas.

Zunda Festival SongMiyagi-ken Kakuda-shimin-sama

Zunda Festival Song, Kakuda City, Miyagi Prefecture

It’s also a PR song created with the cooperation of citizens who take pride in the fact that the only festival in Japan (and the world) where “zunda” is the star is in Kakuda City.

Using locally grown Kakuda edamame and rice and highlighting an authentic flavor, their zunda mochi is said to be the best.

Every year around late September, during the harvest season, the Kakuda Zunda Festival is held.

Zunda Mochi DuoOowada Ritsuko

Fortnite with my big brother! Just regular Duos or sometimes Rumble.

When it comes to Sendai’s zunda mochi, it seems this Kitakami Kyo Dango Honpo is the place to go.

The lyrics to this song were written and composed by none other than Takashi Yanase, famed for Anpanman, and it’s said the mochi was so delicious that the tune came to him right away.

According to legend, one of Lord Date Masamune’s retainers, Jinta, hastily mashed edamame with his camp sword (jintachi) to make the mochi; from names like Jinta mochi, jintachi mochi, and mame-uchi (zuda) mochi, the term evolved into “zunda mochi.” As expected, Masamune’s gourmet tastes were the starting point here as well.

Inn in AkiuChiba Kazuo

Kazuo Chiba Akih o no Yado Enka Hyakusen

The three major hot springs in Miyagi Prefecture are Akiu, Naruko, and Sakunami, but people who don’t know the readings often get them wrong.

I myself used to read Akiu as “Akiho” at first.

It’s Akiu Onsen.

The song portrays a secret love in a mature enka style with a sultry touch.

Kazuo Chiba has been active as a singer for over 35 years, but he used to be an employee of the Japanese National Railways (now JR).

Chasing SendaiHigashiyama Makoto

Chasing to Sendai / Higashiyamajō (PV with karaoke-style lyrics captions)

The person singing is Mr.

Higashiyamashiro, who produced the song, and it seems like this is a demo tape for Mr.

Isamu Fukushima, a singer based in Miyagi Prefecture.

I listened to it carefully.

When I first heard the Tsugaru shamisen in the prelude and interlude, I wondered, “Tsugaru in Miyagi?” but the more I listened, the more it made sense.

The “northbound plane” is a flight to Sendai, and the song is about going to see an unforgettable woman.

It’s an enka number with a somewhat nostalgic feel.

Longing for the Hirose RiverNoji Yukiko

Hirosegawa Yearning by Yukiko Noji

This is a local song about a woman who shared her sorrows along with the Hirose River and her faint first love.

The relaxed melody, combined with Yukiko Noji’s outstanding vocal ability, further enhances the song’s emotional depth.

In the Showa era, the true star of Sendai was the Hirose River—it was indispensable in songs.