Popular Okinawan Songs: Artist Rankings [2026]

Festival of ProsperityYaeyama min’yō64rank/position

Prosperity Festival | Yaeyama folk song praising the village’s flourishing and nature [Okinawan song]

A masterpiece of Yaeyama folk music that celebrates rich nature and everyday life is perfect for Eisa dance and school sports day performances! Accompanied by the resonant tones of the sanshin, this piece vividly portrays island scenes with emotion.

Its relaxed rhythm and lush melodies are soothing, while blending beautifully with the energetic dynamism of Eisa.

It’s recommended for those who want to engage with Okinawa’s traditional culture while captivating the audience with a high-energy performance.

Paired with children’s lively expressions, it’s sure to liven up any sports day.

Mermaid’s TearsMaehana Yūsuke65rank/position

Mermaid's Tears

The great Meiwa tsunami once struck the Yaeyama Islands.

There is a mermaid legend that has been passed down about the tsunami, which claimed around 10,000 lives.

Using that legend as a motif, Yusuke Maehana composed an original song and sings it so that a message of “reconstruction” will reach from Yaeyama.

Kunigami JintōyōKadekaru Rinshō66rank/position

Rinsho Kadekaru Kunigami Jintoyo

This is a duet-style song between a man and a woman set in the nature-rich region of Yanbaru.

At the time, Kunigami was deep in the mountains, so life must have been difficult.

The song carries a message that no matter how harsh the environment or how poor the living conditions, everyone should help one another and cherish their mindset and appearance.

Ryukyu MoonKuninaka Ryōko67rank/position

Ryukyu Moon / Tama Nori

This song, which served as the theme for NHK’s morning drama series Churasan 2 set in Okinawa, is sung by Ryoko Kuninaka, who also appeared in the show.

Many of you may remember hearing it frequently on TV at the time.

The soothing sound of the Okinawan sanshin gives the performance a distinctive island flavor, and Kuninaka’s clear, straight-reaching vocals are striking.

The lyrics describe the people of Okinawa.

Reading them, you can really feel the warmth and kindness of the Okinawan people.

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TubaramaKakihana Kenya68rank/position

Yaeyama folk song “Tubarama” Kenya Kakihana

Appearing in the lyrics of BEGIN’s “Shima-jin nu Takara,” this is, along with Yonaguni Shonkane, one of the representative songs in Yaeyama folk music.

Even today, the “Tubarama Contest” is held, the song continues to be passed down in various places, and new lyrics are being created—Tubarama remains very much alive.

Its lyrics express love and nature with openness, and the song features a passionate hayashi (choral refrain).

Flower ThoughtsHoriuchi Kanako69rank/position

Kanako Horiuchi / Flower Thoughts (Japanese Subtitles)

Kanako Horiuchi, a Hokkaido native who sings Okinawan folk songs, sets off on a round-the-world journey with her sanshin on her back to introduce Okinawan folk music.

This song was born from a collaboration she encountered on that journey with the kora, a Senegalese instrument.

Her activities are driven not only by singing Okinawan folk songs, but also by a desire to bring them overseas.

Ase-mizu FestivalOshiro Misako70rank/position

Okinawan folk song “Ashimizu-bushi (Asimizu-bushi)” by Misako Oshiro

With its very rhythmic melody, it has been loved by many and continues to be sung today as a didactic song.

Reflecting a time of poverty, it conveys the greatness of work, the importance of providing children with an education, and the significance of working for the benefit of others.