Ranking of Popular Folk Songs
That nostalgic melody, passed down through generations—the heart of our hometowns.
We’ve researched a wide range of folk songs from past to present, from East to West! In this article, we’ve selected popular tracks based on reliable feedback from music fans who’ve contributed to our site so far.
Among them, we’ll introduce the most acclaimed ones in a ranked format.
Please take a look.
We also researched children’s songs like nursery rhymes and lullabies, as well as work songs and songs for ceremonies and events.
In recent years, new ways of listening to folk music—championed by acts like Minyo Crusaders and Riyō Sanmyaku—have been attracting a fresh audience.
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Popular Folk Song Rankings (31–40)
Tea PickingMonbushō shōka36rank/position
With its familiar and pleasant melody, “Chatsumi” (The Tea Picking Song) is a children’s song that naturally makes you want to hum along.
Even if the title doesn’t ring a bell, you’ll surely recognize it once you hear the tune! Although it’s a famous song, some people may not be sure of the lyrics when they try to sing it.
The song is written with beautifully refined Japanese language and sound, making it highly poetic, so this is a great chance to take a look at the lyrics and savor them!
Milk MunariHii de Katsu37rank/position
Milk Munari is a captivating track by Okinawan musician Hidekatsu, released in 1993, known for its addictive rhythm.
Rather than being a traditional Eisa song passed down through generations, it belongs to a later, intentionally composed style known as “creative Eisa.” Notably, the lyrics are sung in the Yaeyama dialect by Hidekatsu, who hails from Taketomi Island.
The dialect’s distinctive sound is so unique that even people from Okinawa’s main island often can’t understand it.
Give the song a listen with an ear for the remarkable Yaeyama dialect!
Fruit Train38rank/position
“The Fruit Train” is a song about various fruits riding on a train.
Kids love both trains and fruit, don’t they? The lyrics include not only fruit but also a variety of autumn delicacies, making it a lot of fun to imitate and sing along.
It seems the train runs on fallen leaves as fuel.
It’s a fun way to learn about foods that are in season in autumn!
butterfly39rank/position
We’d like to introduce “Chōchō,” a hand-play song with delightfully gentle, floating hand movements.
Based on a Spanish folk tune and arranged by Akiashi Nomura, this song has long been beloved by many children.
The lyrics depict a butterfly fluttering about, moving from flower to flower.
Matching the words, you form a butterfly shape with both hands to express it dancing.
The mesmerizing motions and soothing melody are sure to comfort babies.
Meat buns and sweet bean paste buns40rank/position
A hand-clapping song themed around nikuman and anman, classics of the cold season.
Like the widely used standard hand game song “Gu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou,” it is based on the French folk song “Frère Jacques,” making it easy and familiar for both children and nursery teachers to learn.
Because you shape various foods in time with the song, it’s more accessible for younger children compared to “Gu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou,” which requires you to come up with ideas yourself.
It’s a simple hand-clapping song that’s perfect for chilly November.
Popular Folk Song Rankings (41–50)
Ho! Ho! Ho!Sakushi: Itō Akira / Sakkyoku: Koshibe Nobuyoshi41rank/position
A fun song with call-and-response and lively movements.
It carries a heartwarming message: when you forget the melody or want to remember someone you miss, try calling out toward the blue sky.
Released as a single in August 1999, sung by Kurumi Kobato, it has long been beloved on children’s programs such as NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho.” Its structure alternates between rhythmic chants and gently bouncing singing parts, making it perfect for waving your hands and swaying your body as you sing.
Recommended for parent–child sing-alongs and for group playtime in kindergartens and nursery schools.
coconutSakushi: Shimazaki Tōson / Sakkyoku: Ōnaka Toraji42rank/position
Yashi no Mi (Coconut), a song set to a Meiji-era poem by the great writer Shimazaki Tōson—famed for masterpieces like The Broken Commandment and Spring—was born from an episode in which folklorist Yanagita Kunio found a washed-up coconut on Koijigahama Beach in Tahara, Aichi Prefecture.
Even if you don’t grasp every word’s meaning, the poem somehow stirs a sense of homesickness.
It’s a classic that perfectly suits the summer season, though it may be difficult for young children to sing; if you sing it to them like a lullaby, it seems likely to bring on a peaceful sleep.
