Prefectural anthems you might not know well. Explore the lyrics and history of your hometown
You may have heard prefectural anthems at least once in your school music classes or at local events.Did you know that not every prefecture actually has one, and that some prefectures have even established multiple songs as their prefectural anthems?In this article, we’ll introduce all the prefectural anthems from around the country.The more you learn about these songs—filled with hometown scenery, history, and the pride of their residents—the deeper the world they reveal becomes.Be sure to check out the songs from your own hometown or any regions you’re curious about!
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Chubu (1–10)
New Fukui Prefecture Residents’ SongFukui Prefecture
This song was first unveiled at the event “Fukui Happiness and Energy Sports Festa 2014,” held in December 2014.
The lyrics were written by the poet Tatsuji Miyoshi, and the music was composed by the world-renowned conductor Chosei Komatsu.
While inheriting the traditional lyrics established in 1954 and looking ahead to the 2018 Fukui National Sports Festival, this work was reborn with a contemporary, accessible melody.
The lyrics, which sing of the beautiful nature and industries of Echizen and Wakasa, as well as hopes for the future, remain intact, while the refreshing melody is something anyone can hum along to.
The prefecture officially distributes scores for orchestral accompaniment and wind ensemble versions, and the piece is cherished as public music rooted in the community.
From ceremonies to sporting venues, it is a song widely passed down to unite the hearts of the prefecture’s residents.
Kinki (1–10)
Song of Kyoto PrefectureKyōto-fu
When you think of Kyoto, historic shrines and temples and its beautiful cityscape come to mind, but did you know there’s a prefectural anthem that embodies the pride of this ancient capital and its hopes for the future? Established in 1984, this piece was created based on lyrics selected through a public contest.
While inheriting its long history and moving into a new era, its spirit is powerfully depicted with words like wind and flame.
The melody by Ikuma Dan is both majestic and approachable, and it broadens the listener’s heart! In addition to being released on record at the time, a march arrangement was included on the 2008 album “Ikuma Dan Wind Ensemble Works Vol.
2.” It’s wonderful that it can be enjoyed not only at ceremonies but also as the resonant sound of a wind ensemble!
Hyogo Prefectural SongHyōgo-ken
This song was established by Hyogo Prefecture in May 1947, shortly after the war, to commemorate the enforcement of the new Constitution.
In fact, it’s a historical work created to celebrate the dawn of a new era.
The lyrics were written by Takeshi Noguchi, selected through a public contest, and the music was composed by Kiyoshi Nobutoki.
It is characterized by a solemn tone imbued with hopes for peace and democracy.
Records show that it was performed as a chorus at the commemorative ceremony of the time, conveying the passion of people moving toward reconstruction.
However, in the years that followed, opportunities to sing it in official settings dwindled, and it came to be treated as if it did not exist.
In recent years, though, materials have been reexamined and its historical value has once again drawn attention.
Wakayama Prefectural AnthemWakayama-ken
In August 1948, during the postwar reconstruction period, this prefectural song was established with the hope of rebuilding the region through culture.
The lyrics were written by Kojiro Nishikawa and the music composed by Kosaku Yamada, featuring a worldview that evokes scenes of tropical Kishu—its warm climate and bountiful sea.
Its stately yet familiar melody carries a fervent desire for recovery.
The song has a history of being performed at key ceremonies within the prefecture, such as the Kuroshio National Sports Festival in 1971 and the National Tree-Planting Festival in 1977, and it has even been used as the on-hold music for calls to the prefectural office—truly a piece closely tied to local government.
Recorded as a vinyl in 1979 and later distributed as a CD to schools, the work has been passed down in evolving forms.
It is a historic masterpiece that inspires pride in one’s homeland.
Nara Prefectural Citizens’ SongNara Prefecture
This prefectural anthem sings of the history and future of the ancient capital, Nara.
Established in 1968, it features lyrics by Shiro Hagiwara and music by Shoji Fukushima.
The lyrics include venerable place names such as Yoshino and Mount Unebi, creating a solemn composition that conveys the weight of history and the pride of its residents.
Its melody, well-suited for choral performance, also makes it familiar and easy to sing at schools and ceremonies.
Even today, the Prefecture’s Public Relations and Public Hearing Division lends out audio materials, treating it as an important cultural asset of the administration.
It remains a symbol of Nara, cherished for many years at local events and ceremonies.
Shiga Prefecture Residents’ Songshiga-ken
This piece was designated the prefectural anthem in 1954 to coincide with the opening of the Shiga Kaikan during the postwar reconstruction period.
Based on lyrics by Mr.
Ryō Tadezawa, selected through a public contest, Mr.
Yaso Saijō added revisions, and Mr.
Yuji Koseki composed the music—an impressive lineup behind a single song.
The lyrics weave in images such as the Hira mountain range and the beauty of Lake Biwa, embodying the hopes of the prefecture’s people at the time.
True to Koseki’s style, the bright and approachable melody also shines as a choral piece.
In recent years, it has continued to be beloved across generations—for example, a version by the Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble was adopted as the prefectural flag-raising song for the “WataSHIGA Kagayaku Kokuspo/Shospo” to be held in 2025.
Chugoku and Shikoku (1–10)
Song of Okayama PrefectureOkayama-ken
This is the prefectural anthem established in 1957, the year the new government building—symbolizing postwar reconstruction—was completed.
It was presented at the Okayama Industrial and Cultural Exposition held shortly thereafter, and performed at major milestones such as the 2005 Hare-no-Kuni Okayama National Sports Festival, uniting the hearts of prefectural residents.
The lyrics, selected through a public contest, express hopes for peace and progress against the backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea’s gentle waters and the surrounding mountain ranges.
The composition was handled by Yasutaka Mizuno, then a professor at Okayama University, and its melody is both approachable and dignified.
The SP record released at the time also included a wind band arrangement, making it a valuable work that continues to convey the region’s history and pride.