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 enduring heart of our homeland (31–40)
Annual Events KudokiTeruya Rinsuke
This is a pop-style song that sings about Okinawa’s many annual events.
Each event has its own meaning and has been carefully preserved, but young people have trouble remembering them.
It’s a song that lets you enjoyably learn about Okinawa’s traditional events and their meanings to a rhythmic tune.
Nineteen SpringsTabata Yoshio
It’s an Okinawan folk song that was also used in the 1999 film “Nabbie’s Love.” The song captures the essence of youth, expressing a tender, youthful crush.
There’s also a cover version by Yoshimi Tendo; hearing it with an enka singing style feels refreshing, and it’s a truly wonderful song.
Kaze no DonanNishidomari Shigemasa
“Donan” means “Yonaguni Island” in the Yonaguni language, and this is a song about Yonaguni Island, the westernmost island of Japan.
I personally imagine Okinawan songs as either being sung in a clear, soaring high register or delivered with drums and a powerful voice, and this song falls into the latter category.
The low tones really resonate.
Ichubi measures
Ichubi Kobushi is a song about a woman thinking of the man she loves as she goes to pick strawberries.
“Ichubi” means strawberries, and the word itself has a cute ring to it.
In fact, this piece is an Okinawan folk song whose curious lyrics are surprisingly addictive.
It’s said that even locals fluent in the Ryukyuan dialect find the exact meaning hard to interpret.
Despite its enigmatic words, the song has a bright feel with a buoyant rhythm that would pair well with the atmosphere of Eisa dancing.
Katami-bushi
Katami-bushi—sometimes written with the characters meaning “solid/steadfast” (固み節)—is a traditional folk song centered on Okinawa’s main island.
It has been passed down as a celebratory song that expresses the bond between a man and a woman and the vows of marriage, and it is often performed at festive occasions such as weddings.
The lyrics convey congratulatory words for auspicious events and speak of the couple’s ties, offering gentle blessings for their new beginning.
It is also a staple piece for Eisa performances; the steady, unhurried rhythm accompanied by drums conveys the lively atmosphere of a joyous celebration.
Okinawan folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes: The heart of our homeland passed down in song (41–50)
Surti East-sai
This Okinawan folk song has a calm atmosphere, as if contemplating various thoughts while facing east.
The title, combining the call-response phrase “sūri” and the character for the direction east—read here as “agari”—is also striking.
It depicts feelings being entrusted to a butterfly flying toward the east, evoking a sense of poignancy.
When used in Eisa performances, you could convey the song’s content more clearly by emphasizing the rhythm to highlight its gentle mood and incorporating choreography that expresses the east.
Tenyo-bushi
There are many traditional Okinawan music pieces used in dances like Eisa, as well as in celebrations and festivals.
“Tenyo-bushi” is also a traditional song that has long been sung, played, and loved by people of all ages.
The lyrics vary slightly by region, which reflects the unique character of each area.
Okinawan folk music features a range of melodic styles, tempos, and themes.
“Tenyo-bushi” is a classic Eisa number performed during the summer Obon season in July and August, when people eagerly await the visit of their ancestors and pray for their families’ health and prosperity.
It has long been danced as a Bon Odori to the light, lively sound of the sanshin.
