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

Saitaro-bushiFukuda Kouhei

Fisherman’s Song (Saitaro-bushi)

This is a rock-style rendition of Miyagi Prefecture’s representative folk song, “Shōsaitarō-bushi.” It conveys how folk music transforms over time.

There is also a song with lyrics by Tomio Oka titled “Kodomo Saitarō Rock,” which children sometimes dance to at recitals and school performances.

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.

Fall in love with SennanKitarouta

Ryota Kita - In Love, Sennan.wmv

In Miyagi Prefecture, the large city of Sendai inevitably becomes the focal point, and it’s naturally where tourists tend to gather.

But the Sennan area (Shiroishi City, Kakuda City, Zao Town, Shichikashuku Town, Ogawara Town, Murata Town, Shibata Town) is every bit as appealing—featuring hot springs and a castle—and this song is a local anthem sung in a mood-kayōkyoku style with a sultry, rich voice.

Theme song of Yagiyama Beny LandTenchi Fusako

Theme song of Sendai Yagiyama Benyland

I don’t know if it’s true or not, but this is the song from Benyland, a beloved relaxation spot for Miyagi residents, which people say anyone from Miyagi has heard at least 100 times.

This song is also cherished as a parody cheer song used by the professional baseball team Rakuten Eagles, based in Miyagi Prefecture, during scoring opportunities.

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.

Woman from IshinomakiHokubi Kōji

The Woman of Ishinomaki / Kitaumi Koji (Full Version)

This song was released by King Records in 1967, then reissued by King in 1972, becoming a hit that sold 1.54 million copies.

The late Koji Kitami, who was from Higashimatsushima, continued to perform this song energetically in the disaster-stricken areas after March 11.

Originally, it is a song depicting a woman who endures while longing for the truth, but the lyrics also include the phrase “Let’s have dreams,” which turned it into an anthem of encouragement for people in the affected 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.