[Okayama Songs] A roundup of local anthems and classic hits brimming with hometown pride!

Shimotsui / Otaki / Madakana BridgeNakamura Mitsuko

Shimotsui, Otaki, Madakana Bridge — Mitsuko Nakamura — Local Song Okayama, Volume 1

This is a local song of Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture, sung by enka singer Mitsuko Nakamura, who is especially popular in the Kansai region and has appeared many times on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Incidentally, the Madokana Bridge is said to have been a place where courtesans lured the skippers of Kitamaebune ships; the bridge itself no longer remains, and a stone monument now stands in its place.

Okayama People User Manualechirunaito no koosuke & RESTA

Okayama-jin Torisetsu / Kana Nishino (Male Version) — Theme song of the film “No Longer Heroine”

“Torisetsu” was originally a song by Kana Nishino and was used as the theme song for “No Longer Heroine.” Its derivative work, the male-version “Torisetsu,” became a hot topic online, and this is one of the many cover versions that were made.

The lyrics are about characteristics of people from Okayama Prefecture.

I really love the Okayama dialect folk songkeiki yoshi o

I really love the Okayama dialect folk song

The dialect spoken in Okayama Prefecture is called Okayama-ben.

The word “mongee” in the title means something like “tremendous” or “amazing.” It’s not so far removed from standard Japanese, so people who aren’t from Okayama can probably understand it to some extent when they hear it.

Takaha-shi LongingYumiko Inoue

Takahashi Longing – Yumiko Inoue – Local Song Okayama, Vol. 9

Takahashi City in Okayama Prefecture is known for Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, which is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

After singing this song, Yumiko Inoue was appointed a “Bitchu Takahashi Tsutaetaishi” (Ambassador to Promote Bitchu Takahashi) in 2013 and has been working to showcase the city’s appeal.

Okayama Sakaba-machi BluesMinami Kouzuki

Kougetsu Minami Singing Show ♪ Okayama Tavern Town Blues (Original Song)

This is a song by Minami Kōzuki, an enka singer from Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.

Released in December 2012, the piece is set in the entertainment district of Okayama City, the prefectural capital, and conveys the feelings of people in a tavern.

You can picture the neon-lit night streets and the human stories unfolding there.

Kōzuki’s powerful voice and classic, vibrato-rich phrasing evoke a love for the region, just like her other works that sing of places across Okayama such as port towns and hot spring resorts.

It’s a beloved classic that continues to be performed at local events and concerts.

Shijō YoshiiItsuki Hiroshi

Shijō Yoshii - Hiroshi Itsuki - Local Song Okayama No. 18 - With Lyrics

The Yoshii River is counted as one of the three major rivers of Okayama Prefecture and flows through the eastern part of the prefecture.

Not only the river itself but also the charms of the Yoshii area along its basin are celebrated in song.

Incidentally, the Yoshii River is home to a fish called the Ayumodoki (Parabotia curtus), which is an endemic species.

Woman of KurashikiKasuga Hachirō

Kurashiki Woman — Hachiro Kasuga — Local Song Okayama, Vol. 10

Kurashiki City is a major city boasting the second-largest population in Okayama Prefecture, and a variety of local songs have been created there.

This song is one of them, expressing lingering feelings for a woman the singer met in Kurashiki.

Note that the character in the title for “woman” (女) is read as hito.