[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?
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[Yamagata Folk Songs] The heart of our homeland passed down through song. Feelings carried in nostalgic melodies (31–40)
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.
Mamurogawa Ondo
This is the folk song “Mamurogawa Ondo,” passed down in Mamurogawa Town, located at the northernmost tip of Yamagata Prefecture.
The sound of the shamisen evokes the atmosphere of a regional folk tune and conjures up nostalgic scenes from days gone by.
With plum blossoms and bush warblers appearing in the lyrics, the season and setting come through vividly, making it a very beautiful and delightful song.
Stonecutting Song
“Yamagata Ishikiri Uta” is a folk song handed down in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture.
It is a work song sung by stonemasons who quarried granite at the stone quarry in Yamadera (Risshaku-ji), near the border with Miyagi Prefecture.
Because stonemasons traveled all over the country, it is said that stone-cutting songs spread throughout Japan.
Hanazawa-bushi
“Hanazawa-bushi” is a folk song handed down in Sakata River Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture.
It originally began as a work song for grass cutting, but it evolved into a parlor song and has been sung ever since.
“Hanazawa” is a quiet, small hot spring area nestled in the mountains of Nakawatari, Sakata River Village, Mogami District, and its waters are known as “beauty-enhancing hot springs.”
[Yamagata Folk Songs] The Heart of Our Hometown, Carried on Through Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies (41–50)
Yamagata Bon SongItō Kaduko
This is “Yamagata Bon Uta,” sung by Kazuko Ito.
This folk song is a Bon dance song that has long been passed down widely across the former Murayama and Okitama districts in western Yamagata Prefecture.
It is said that a song derived from “Echigo Jinku,” which evolved along the Agano River from Niigata Prefecture, was transmitted to the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture and then spread to this area of Yamagata Prefecture.
The song took its present form in 1931, created by Yamagata folk singer Tokiku Kato.
Tsuyahime OndoNishio Yuki
This is “Tsuyahime Ondo,” sung by Yuki Nishio.
The song supports Tsuyahime, a Yamagata rice variety that Yamagata Prefecture aims to promote as a nationwide brand.
Yuki Nishio is a singer from Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture, well known for her excellent impersonations and wide repertoire.