A classic song about Miyazaki. A song filled with feelings for one’s hometown [2026]

Natsumi Hinata’s Love SongKinako

Miyazaki Dogs dance video: Natsumi Hyuga’s Love Song

They’re making a splash all over the place with the Miyazaki Prefecture yuru-chara, the Miyazaki-ken, dancing.

However, there isn’t actually a dog breed called “Miyazaki-ken” among Japanese dogs, so I think they’re probably referring to the Hyūga-ken, a breed originating in Miyazaki—though that’s quite different from the yuru-chara’s image.

It’s a song created to promote Hyuganatsu, one of Miyazaki Prefecture’s signature brands, and it carefully teaches you things like how to eat it deliciously.

Miyazaki BluesŌtsuki Miyako

Miyazaki Blues

This is a local song set in Miyazaki, released in 1973 by Miyako Otsuki, who hails from Osaka and debuted in her teens.

The lyrics convey an inexhaustible longing for her hometown of Miyazaki, along with the loneliness felt on the road and a helpless yearning for love.

Otsuki’s emotionally rich, storytelling voice deeply resonates with listeners.

If you lend an ear to this song, you can almost picture a slightly melancholic Miyazaki nightscape—so different from the sunny, tropical face it’s known for.

It’s a piece that stirs the spirit of travel, don’t you think?

The prefecture closest to heavenKatte ni Kankō Kyōkai

[Studio ver.] Miyazaki Prefecture local song “The Prefecture Closest to Heaven” PV

From the title alone—“The Prefecture Closest to Heaven”—you can already picture Miyazaki’s warm, sunny scenery; it’s a song that feels like an unofficial tourism anthem.

The story that Jun Miura and Hajime Anzai recorded it impromptu at a ryokan also speaks to the song’s distinctive laid-back vibe and sense of wanderlust.

Over a sprightly guitalele backing, tourist spots like sun-baked beaches, Aoshima, and giant Moai statues appear one after another, making you feel as if you’re traveling with a tropical breeze at your back.

It’s the kind of track that, if you listen to it before a trip to Miyazaki, will only heighten your anticipation.

Takachiho GorgeOka Yuuko

Takachiho Gorge

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

Takachiho Travel Sentiment

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.

country high school girlhibi no utagoe purojekuto

Miyazaki Prefecture, Kobayashi City PR Music Video “Country High School Girl” | Everyday Singing Voice Project

This is a song by NOBU, an artist from Kobayashi City in Miyazaki Prefecture, sung together with local high school students about their real feelings.

Born from the “Daily Singing Project,” the track is interesting for its straightforward portrayal of frustrations and honest thoughts unique to rural life.

The unpretentious lyrics and NOBU’s warm melody are a perfect match.

Some listeners may relate to the mix of longing for the city and the newfound affection for a hometown that once felt too ordinary to notice.

It’s a piece that vividly conveys everyday life in Miyazaki.

Kari-bushi (Karihagi Kiri Uta)min’yō

Kariboshi Kiri-uta (Harvested Hay Cutting Song), Miyazaki Prefectural Folk Song

This song originates from a work chant passed down in the Takachiho region of Miyazaki Prefecture.

It was sung during breaks while cutting pampas grass in the autumn mountains, and from the very first lines—evoking farm work and sweat at dusk—you can almost picture how people lived back then.

The relaxed melodic turns mirror the very rhythm of swinging a sickle.

Woven into its wistful melody are gentle calls to horses and thoughts of love, and you may find your heart stirred by the everyday joys and human warmth that surely existed even amid harsh labor.