From J-pop to folk songs! Popular and classic Okinawan tunes
For those of you looking for songs from Okinawa, this article introduces a wide variety of music related to the islands.
We’ve picked out everything from J-pop themed around Okinawa and Okinawan pops to traditional folk songs that have been passed down for generations.
Okinawan music is so captivating, isn’t it? From instruments like the sanshin and other traditional Japanese instruments to its distinctive vocal style—and that unmistakably Okinawan vibe!
Getting a bit musical here, but Okinawan music often uses a five-note scale known as the Ryukyu scale or the yo-nuki scale, built on the notes do–mi–fa–so–ti–do.
That very resonance of the Ryukyu scale is the secret behind the uniquely Okinawan atmosphere you feel in these songs!
Listen to the tracks we’re about to introduce and soak in the spirit of Okinawa.
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Okinawan Songs (71–80)
poem, song, folk songNatsukawa Rimi
A heartwarming song from a songstress born in Okinawa! Rimi Natsukawa’s voice gently resonates in our hearts.
This gem of a track is filled with the desire to encourage and support people through the power of song.
Based on Natsukawa’s own experiences, the message that singing itself can be healing soaks into the heart along with its warm melody.
Released digitally in May 2024 and on CD in January 2025, the song was also featured as the new commercial theme for Tenrei Kaikan.
It was performed on her 25th anniversary concert tour, becoming a major topic among fans.
In tough or sorrowful times, why not listen to this song and let it heal your heart?
Ryukyuan classical music (71–80)
The sentiments of the poets of that time transcend the ages.
From here, I’ll carefully select and introduce well-known pieces from Ryukyu classical music—court music cherished during the Ryukyu Kingdom era. Ryukyu classical music features songs based on the basic 8-8-8-6 syllabic pattern, called Ryuka, sung to the accompaniment of the sanshin and the koto. These are deeply evocative songs that convey the sentiments of old to the present day. Related articles:[Ryukyuan Music] Folk and Classical Music of the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyuan Classical Music (1–10)
Kagiya-de Fūbushi
Among Ryukyuan classical music, this is a well-known standard piece.
It is a celebratory song often performed at festive occasions such as weddings.
The lyrics are, of course, written in the Okinawan dialect and express the joy of a happy event.
Hello UncleKina Shōkichi & Chanpurūzu
One of Okinawa’s most prominent artists, Shoukichi Kina, released this as his debut song, which he is said to have written when he was in middle school.
The “uncle” who appears in the song supposedly became the way he is because of tragic experiences in the war, and behind the cheerful melody lies a deep wish for peace.
Ken Shimura’s “Weird Uncle,” sung in one of his comedy sketches, is a very famous parody of this song.
Naka Fu-bushi
One of the classical pieces of Ryukyuan folk music, songs that use a 5-7-8-6 or 5-5-8-6 syllabic pattern, as opposed to the Ryuka form of 8-8-8-6, are called naka-uta (middle songs).
There is also a theory that they are called naka-uta because they represent a compromise between the Ryuka form and the Waka form.
This piece suggests that, since ancient times, there has been exchange with the Japanese mainland, and that various cultures blended together in the creation of Ryukyuan folk music.
Tōfun Doi
This piece is a representative Ryukyuan folk song known as a kachāshī, featuring rapid sanshin playing.
It is one of the most popular songs in Ryukyuan folk music, sung by many artists, a standard finale for Eisa performances, and also a celebratory song.
“Tōshin Dōi” is said to mean “A trading ship from China has arrived.” It’s a song that evokes the old days of the Ryukyu Islands.
Sanzan-bushi
It is one of the pieces of Ryukyuan classical music and possesses the most sorrowful musical character.
The lyrics mean: “Whether this is truly real or not, my heart is stunned, as if I had been dreaming and then awoke in shock.” Along with Hisesu-ji, Komochi-bushi, Nakakaji-bushi, and Jukkai-bushi, it is a representative solo piece in the Ni-age mode.
In kumiodori (classical Ryukyuan dance-drama), it is often used in scenes depicting the sad parting of mother and child, or to express a person’s heart pushed to the depths of despair.
Akata Fu-bushi
Long ago, there was a married couple.
The wife found a job, but because it was limited to unmarried women, she lied that she was single and took the position.
There, she caught the king’s eye and became one of his ladies-in-waiting.
The husband learned of this, but could no longer bring himself to reveal that they were married.
Instead, he secretly slipped in from Akatamon to Uchihara to meet her in secret.
Before long, even those clandestine meetings became impossible, and it is said that the husband composed this poem expressing his feelings for his wife.
It could be called an ancient love song, one that sings of a helpless, heartrending love.