[Song of Osaka] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes
When you think of songs about Osaka, what tunes come to mind? While traditional local songs have become fewer, there are still many moving classics like Dreams Come True’s “Osaka LOVER” and Masaki Ueda’s “Kanashii Iro Yane.” From songs filled with the determination not to lose to Tokyo, to nostalgic hometown ballads, tracks that name-check local places, and even playful, humorous numbers—there’s a wide variety.
In this article, we’ve carefully selected “songs of Osaka” across a broad range of genres, from enka and kayōkyoku of the ’70s–’80s to recent J-pop.
We present masterpieces brimming with Osaka’s unique warmth and humanity, as well as passionate tales of love.
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[Osaka Songs] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes (51–60)
City of DesireTakeuchi Riki
This is the theme song of Namba Money Wars: The King of Minami.
Even if you haven’t seen it, once you hear this song you’ll be captivated by Riki’s badass charm to the point of getting chills and goosebumps.
With his rough, rolling delivery, Riki exudes the presence befitting an emperor.
Even men would fall for him!
Kita-ShinchiET-KING
It’s a lively tune that makes you want to get up and dance before you know it.
As you listen, your body starts moving rhythmically to the beat.
Speaking of Kitashinchi, it’s urban, with lots of upscale clubs and great food, so it feels like it’s singing about a certain kind of man’s romance.
It gets you excited and totally pumped.
Osaka City Streetcar Song
A song with a pleasing seven-five rhythm invites you on a journey through springtime Osaka.
Starting in Umeda, it sings its way through the era’s celebrated spots—Dojima, Shinsaibashi, and on to Tempozan—so vividly that the city’s lively scenes come to life before your eyes.
Don’t you feel the excitement of people swaying along in the streetcars? It’s said this piece was created in 1908 as a PR song for the Osaka Municipal Tramway.
As you listen to its nostalgic melody, you can sense the bustle of the old, beloved “City of Water.”
Rainy MidosujiŌyō Fifi
Based on an instrumental piece released by The Ventures in June 1971, lyrics and an arrangement were added, and a version sung by Fifi Ouyang was released in September 1971.
As the title suggests, the song is set on Osaka’s Midosuji Avenue, and nearby place names also appear in the lyrics, allowing listeners to imagine where the characters in the song are moving about.
Covered by many artists, it is a sultry piece loved not only as a local-themed song but also as a mood kayō (romantic popular ballad).
[Osaka Songs] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes (61–70)
Osaka Things II ~Suchiko ver.~MK-twinty
The moment the intro starts, it lifts your spirits with a melody line everyone has surely heard before.
The lyrics were written by Succi—also known as Suchiko from Yoshimoto Shinkigeki.
Above all, MASUMI-chan and KANA-chan singing with bright, energetic smiles is the best.
You’re from Osaka, right?Miyamon
If you’re looking for a stylish Osaka-themed song, we recommend “Osaka Yanna Yuute”! It’s a song about Osaka born from a collaboration between Osaka School of Music College, Izanagi Games, and agehasprings The Lab.
It was selected as the ending theme for the anime segment of the music program “Otoitachi” and released in 2022.
With lyrics about love that weave in lots of dialect and even depictions of Tokyo, it evokes a Reiwa-era take on “Osaka LOVER.” It’s a sentimental and emotional number that vividly brings to life Osaka’s cityscape and the connections between people.
Sanada Memorial Dayrekishi
The Summer and Winter Sieges of Osaka appear in the lyrics.
That must be why it has this title.
Setting that to such a breezy melody is so brilliant it makes me laugh.
Rekishi is also active as the stage name of Takafumi Ikeda, and he takes part in songs by various musicians.