Okinawan folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the heart of our hometown passed down through song.
Doesn’t Okinawan music have a unique vibe that many people love?
In Okinawa, a distinct culture has been nurtured over a long period of time.
As a result, the unique resonance of the Ryukyuan scale combined with lyrics in the Okinawan dialect gives the music a charm unlike any other.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of folk songs and children’s songs that have been passed down from adults to children for generations in Okinawan music.
Listen to the songs we’re about to share, and carry on the spirit of Okinawa in song yourself.
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Okinawan folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes: the heart of our homeland passed down through song (21–30)
Yui-YuiYamakawa Mayumi
It’s a song that was aired around 1992 on “Hirake! Ponkikki.” It’s memorable for an Okinawan girl singing while riding a sabani, a traditional Okinawan boat.
The word “yuimaaru,” which appears many times in the song, is an Okinawan dialect term that means cooperation and mutual help.
Scenes reflecting that idea also appear in the song, and although it was used in a children’s program, it’s a song that reminds us that people live by helping one another.
Futami Love StoryKazumi Tamaki, Takeshi Yamauchi
It is said to have been composed by Teruya Chōbin, who had taken refuge in northern Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa, in praise of the nature and warmth of the people of Futami who cared for him.
The song features a Yamato-style melody, which is rare in Okinawan folk music.
A monument with the lyrics has been erected at the Futami Community Center in Futami, Nago City, and the piece is also well known as a staple enjoyed as a male-female call-and-response in folk music taverns.
Okinawan folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: The enduring heart of our homeland (31–40)
Tinsagu FlowersNatsukawa Rimi
This is a famous song covered by Rimi Natsukawa, originally a traditional didactic song from Okinawa.
It sings about cherishing and engraving in one’s heart the words received from one’s parents, overlaying that sentiment with the image of dyeing one’s nails with balsam flower petals.
Rimi Natsukawa’s crystal-clear, endlessly pure voice and the simple tones of the sanshin cleanse the heart—this is a tender, deeply moving piece filled with compassion.
The song was included on the album “Okinawa Uta ~Feeling the Ryukyu Breeze~,” released in November 2009, and was also selected as a beloved song of the people of Okinawa Prefecture.
It’s said to be familiar as the station melody for the Yui Rail as well.
The love and wisdom passed down across generations warms the heart before you know it.
Noboru JahanaKina Shoukichi
Shōkichi Kina was strongly influenced by one of Okinawa’s great figures.
After reading the biography of Sho Jahana, Shōkichi was deeply moved by this predecessor who fought against authority for the sake of Okinawa.
Jahana safeguarded Okinawan identity, kept Okinawa in his thoughts until his death, and left achievements in the Freedom and People’s Rights Movement, agricultural policy, and overseas emigration.
This is a song about Sho Jahana.
Flower ThoughtsHoriuchi Kanako
Kanako Horiuchi, a Hokkaido native who sings Okinawan folk songs, sets off on a round-the-world journey with her sanshin on her back to introduce Okinawan folk music.
This song was born from a collaboration she encountered on that journey with the kora, a Senegalese instrument.
Her activities are driven not only by singing Okinawan folk songs, but also by a desire to bring them overseas.
The Pattern of LifeDaiku Tetsuhiro
While grounding his work in Yaeyama folk songs, Tetsuhiro Daiku has woven in diverse musical elements from around the world to create a richly layered sonic universe.
This compelling piece showcases a legendary collaboration in which folk singer Wataru Takada set to music the poems of Okinawan poet Baku Yamanokuchi—brought to life here with a resonant, textured vocal and the timbre of the sanshin.
Poem of the HeartWagōku Yoriko
It’s a song that really touches the heart.
Many artists have covered it, but the original folk-style singing by Yoriko Gagaku feels very warm and soothing.
I feel it’s a song about the theme of love—not just romantic love.
It brings a comforting feeling, like the moment you find joy in seeing an ordinary flower blooming by the roadside.