[Folk Songs of Yamagata] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies
Among the traditional songs passed down across Japan, Yamagata’s folk music possesses a uniquely moving charm.
In pieces like the Sagae Jinku and the Mogamigawa Boat Song, the daily life and culture of the region are woven into melodies filled with the pride and feelings of those who came before.
In this article, we introduce musical works Yamagata is proud of—from nursery songs sung since ancient times to folk tunes that continue to thrive today.
As you contemplate the tranquil landscapes of Yamagata, why not lend an ear to the world of its folk songs, where nostalgia and freshness coexist?
- [Yamagata Songs] Beloved local tunes and classic tracks celebrating majestic nature and hometown pride
- [Folk Songs of Yamagata] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies
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- Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Toyama: the enduring heart of our hometown passed down through song
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- Folk Songs, Children's Songs, and Nursery Rhymes of Aomori: Japanese Songs from Tsugaru and Hachinohe that Resonate with the Heart
- A classic song that celebrates Niigata. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- [Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido] Songs of Hokkaido that continue to be loved across generations
[Yamagata Folk Songs] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies (21–30)
Sakata Funakata-bushiKawasaki Keiko
It is said that the Izumo-bushi, which originated around Shimane Prefecture, was brought to Sakata Port by sailors and passed down there.
That song later developed as the Sakata Funakata-bushi in Yamagata Prefecture and as the Akita Funakata-bushi in Akita Prefecture.
Accompanied by shamisen and sung lively, it is a rollicking drinking song.
The vocalist is Keiko Kawasaki.
Higashine Sankaibushiichimaru
Higashine Sangaibushi is a folk song handed down mainly in Higashine City, Yamagata Prefecture, as well as the Kitamurayama and Nishimurayama regions.
It is an ozashiki celebratory song performed at festive occasions—such as New Year, harvests, and weddings—and was also sung by geisha as the first congratulatory song when invited to banquets.
It came to be called “Sangaibushi” because three verses form a set.
[Yamagata Folk Songs] The heart of our homeland passed down through song. Feelings carried in nostalgic melodies (31–40)
Rice Hulling SongSatō Setsuko
This is the “Momisuri Song,” sung by Setsuko Sato.
In 1932 (Showa 7), when the NHK Sendai Broadcasting Station planned to air Yamagata folk songs and tried to feature the Momisuri Song, they found no versions had survived.
They therefore asked Tohdan Ariumii, a folk singer from Yamagata City, to create it, and the “Momisuri Song” was born.
It is a parlor song based on the “Kaitsuki Song” found within the “Sake Brewing Songs.”
A town where snow fallsTakayoshio
This is “Yuki no Furu Machi o” as sung by Takahide Otoko.
The lyrics are by Naoya Uchimura, and the music is by Yoshinao Nakada.
On a snowy night in 1952 (Showa 27), Yoshinao Nakada arrived at Tsuruoka Station in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
He rode a horse-drawn sleigh that had come to meet him and headed to his destination.
It is said that the song was composed from the snowy scenery he saw then and the memories of that journey.
Enya Makkagoe-n
“Enya Makkagoen” is a lullaby (a sleep song) handed down in Anrakujo, Mamurogawa Town, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture, which Yoko Sakano has transcribed into sheet music.
In addition to the Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture has many lullabies that vary by region, such as “Akayu Region Lullaby” from Nanyo City, “Owaiyare” from Yonezawa City, and “Nennekose” from Shirataka Town in Nishiokitama District.
Daikoku Dance
Daikoku-mai is one type of mendicant doorstep performance (monzuke) practiced from the Muromachi through the Edo periods, in which entertainers performed in front of homes and received coins.
Wearing the mask of Daikoku, a red hood, and carrying the lucky mallet, they would come around at New Year.
In Yamagata Prefecture, it survives today as a folk performing art in which auspicious verses are sung.
Shonai Haeya-bushiSatō Kametarō
Shonai Hae-ya Bushi is a folk song passed down in the Shonai Plain, centered on Sakata, a port town located in the northwestern part of Yamagata Prefecture.
The lively drinking song Haya-bushi, sung at sake gatherings in Amakusa and Ushibuka in Kyushu, spread from port to port, evolved, and came to be sung throughout Japan.
The singer is Kame Taro Sato.