![Popular Okinawan Songs Ranking [2026]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/UT8Ll0puPVU/maxresdefault.webp)
Popular Okinawan Songs Ranking [2026]
We’re excited to present the latest comprehensive ranking of popular Okinawan songs, showcased in order of most views!
Okinawan music—whether traditional folk songs or bands—often feels nostalgic and is full of soothing tracks that are a joy to listen to.
Close your eyes and listen to this ranking, and you just might feel the warm atmosphere of Okinawa.
The playlist is updated every week.
Okinawa’s Most Popular Songs Ranking [2026] (1–10)
Island SongTHE BOOM1rank/position
A four-member rock band, THE BOOM.
Their song “Shima Uta” is an addictive track with a distinctive style that actively incorporates Okinawan scales.
When it was first released in 1992, it was sung in the Ryukyuan dialect as “Shima Uta (Uchinaaguchi Version),” but in 1993 it was rearranged into a standard Japanese version titled “Shima Uta (Original Version).” While the standard Japanese version is the one widely known, if you’re dancing Eisa, using the Uchinaaguchi version might let you experience the local atmosphere more deeply.
A place to return toHY2rank/position
HY’s song, filled with deep love and warmth for their Okinawan homeland, resonates with the heart.
Featured on the album “GLOCAL,” this track blends references to local landmarks and the sound of traditional Eisa drums, serving as an encouraging anthem for those living away from home.
Its lyrics, which gently speak to the feelings everyone raised in Okinawa has for their “mother island” and the importance of returning there, sink deeply into the listener’s heart.
Used as the finale of a school sports day or as accompaniment for an Eisa performance, this piece will leave a warm afterglow in the hearts of all participants.
Orion Beer, Okinawa’s prideBEGIN3rank/position
BEGIN is a band whose charm lies in songs that blend acoustic blues with J-pop.
They are known for hits like “Nada Sou Sou,” released in 2000, and “Shimanchu nu Takara,” released in 2002.
One of their hidden gems is “Ojii Jiman no Orion Beer,” released in 2003.
Its bouncy rhythm feels great, and the irresistibly bright, beautiful lyrics are perfect for Eisa! If everyone dances while listening to this song, it’s sure to lift your spirits.
Voice of the Seaurashima tarō (kiritani kenta)4rank/position
A warm, folk-style ballad where the sound of the traditional Okinawan instrument sanshin blends with gentle vocals.
While attuning to the many sounds of nature, it tenderly sings of feelings for a loved one.
Composed by BEGIN’s Masaru Shimabukuro with lyrics by au commercial planner Makoto Shinohara, it became a gem of a song that highlights Kenta Kiritani’s strengths.
Released in July 2015 as the theme for au’s “Santaro Series” commercials, it is included on the album “Kanon.” The song won the Excellence Award at the 2016 Japan Record Awards.
Incorporating it into an Eisa performance at a school sports day is sure to create a heartwarming, peaceful atmosphere.
Dynamic RyukyuIkuma Akira5rank/position
This soul-stirring track by Akira Ikuma masterfully fuses Okinawa’s traditional performing art Eisa with a funky groove.
The lyrics, penned by Daiichi Hirata, open with a prayer to the sea and sky, inspiring listeners and powerfully celebrating people’s dreams and bonds.
With sanshin and drums resounding, the sound makes you feel as if you’re swept up in the frenzy of a festival.
Released in August 2009, the song became familiar as the theme for Orion Beer commercials and gained attention when it was used to cheer on high school baseball teams.
Since then, it has become a staple anthem in the world of sports.
It’s sure to give a fiery push to anyone striving toward their goals.
Islanders’ TreasureBEGIN6rank/position
This is a classic song released in 2002 by BEGIN, indispensable when talking about Okinawan music.
Higa Eisho’s gentle vocals and the warm melody and instrumentation envelop you with a sense of comfort as you listen.
I heard it was written at the request of a teacher who was a classmate, and it carries the feelings of the island’s children.
The characteristically Okinawan scale, tinged with nostalgia, is wonderful and resonates straight to the heart.
It’s a song I want to keep loving forever.
Motherkariyushi 587rank/position
This song, a signature track by Kariyushi58, a band from Okinawa, has a title that means “mother” in the Okinawan language—you already knew that, right? As the title suggests, vocalist Shingo Maekawa wrote this song to express his gratitude to his mother, and it’s often used not only for Mother’s Day but also in wedding scenes where people want to convey thanks to their moms.
It’s said that Maekawa was quite a bit of a rascal in his younger days, and perhaps it’s precisely because these words come from someone like him that they resonate so deeply.
