[Yamagata Songs] Beloved local tunes and classic tracks celebrating majestic nature and hometown pride
Yamagata Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan and is blessed with rich natural beauty woven by mountains and rivers through the changing seasons.
This environment has given rise to heartfelt folk songs and hometown melodies.
The masterpieces born from people who love their homeland have captured the hearts of many, not just the prefecture’s residents.
This time, we’re spotlighting songs connected to Yamagata! From folk tunes rooted in the region to soul-stirring enka and cheerful local songs that lift your spirits, we’ll introduce a wide range.
Please enjoy these songs brimming with the charms of Yamagata.
- [Folk Songs of Yamagata] The Heart of Our Hometown Passed Down in Song: Feelings Woven into Nostalgic Melodies
- A classic song that sings of Yamanashi. The enduring heart of our hometown.
- Miyagi Songs: Popular tracks that celebrate famous sights and specialties, and timeless pieces filled with love for home
- [Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
- Bands, artists, and singers from Yamagata Prefecture
- [Okayama Songs] A roundup of local anthems and classic hits brimming with hometown pride!
- A classic song about Kumamoto. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- A classic song that celebrates Fukui. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- [Songs of Aomori] A collection of local songs depicting the grandeur of nature and the warmth of its people.
- [Akita Songs] A Collection of Gem-Like Local Tunes Filled with Love for Hometowns
- [Folk Songs and Children's Songs of Akita] A curated selection of local masterpieces that evoke love for one’s hometown
- A roundup of regional enka songs: classic hits that feature places from all across Japan in their lyrics.
- Beautiful Folk Songs Passed Down in Miyagi Prefecture: A Collection of Masterpieces that Play the Heart of the Hometown
[Yamagata Songs] Famous and Local Tunes Celebrating Majestic Nature and Love for One’s Hometown (21–30)
red cherryIwase Yuki
It is said that the lyrics were written by an elementary school student in 1932 (Showa 7), but since Japan was a military empire at the time, the original lyrics may be quite different from the current version.
This song innocently and straightforwardly portrays, in a childlike way, the scene from the early-summer landscape of Yamagata’s red cherries to the autumn when the rice ears ripen.
Yamagata Lumberjack Song
This is a Yamagata work song that extols the pride and vibrant spirit of sawyers sweating through their mountain labor.
You can almost picture the cheerful scene of reporting to the boss that they’ve harvested high-quality timber and sharing the joy with their comrades.
The song has a background of having been formed in 1931, when the Yamagata Shimbun held a public contest for lyrics and fused the winning words with a locally handed-down melody.
For those who wish to reflect on nostalgic hometown landscapes or seek a boost of energy for daily life, its simple yet powerful tune will serve as fuel for tomorrow.
[Yamagata Songs] Masterpieces and Local Tunes Celebrating Majestic Nature and Love for Hometowns (31–40)
Mogami River
This is a solemn, moving piece that symbolizes the majestic nature of Yamagata Prefecture.
Its pure yet powerful melody was composed based on an imperial poem by Emperor Showa, inspired by the scenery of the Mogami River.
The lyrics express the river’s eternal flow, the beauty of the changing seasons, and a deep affection for one’s hometown.
Completed in 1930 and designated the prefectural anthem the following year, the song continues to be cherished and sung at official occasions.
Since its adoption, it has been performed in schools and at community ceremonies, becoming deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of Yamagata.
For those living away from home, hearing it may evoke gentle images of Yamagata’s tranquil landscapes and stir a sense of nostalgia.
Our hometownYamazaki Hako
Listening to this song, I was convinced Hako Yamasaki was from Yamagata, but she’s actually from Kyushu.
She is a close friend of Eri Watanabe, who is from Yamagata, and she composed the song.
The occasion was the 55th anniversary of the founding of Shirataka Town in Yamagata Prefecture, with lyrics by political journalist Yasuhiro Tase, who hails from Shirataka.
The charm lies in the world of Yamagata Prefecture and the mysterious character that Hako Yamasaki embodies.
Lovestruck RabbitYamagata-ken zaijū no JK-san
This is a cheer song for the Flower Nagai Line, a local railway in Yamagata Prefecture.
Lately there have been many animals holding the title of stationmaster.
Cats, dogs, and sometimes even koi—there’s quite a variety.
This song is a refreshing tune that also sings about the youth of a high school girl and “Mocchii,” the rabbit who serves as stationmaster of the local line’s Miyauchi Station.
It’s soothing, isn’t it? I’ve heard there are also two rabbits and a turtle working as station staff.
Begoko heads to the mountains.Sugai Tomoaki
Tomoo Sugai, a farmer and singer-songwriter active in Yamagata, is based in Yamagata Prefecture but has frequently appeared in the media and has been gaining recognition for some time.
His song “Bego-ko wa Yama e” (“The Calf Goes to the Mountain”) was also used in a commercial for Yonezuru Sake Brewery in Yamagata Prefecture.
Set at the Shirataka Mountain Pasture, the song expresses the feelings of someone who has lived alongside a calf whose fate—to be sold—was decided from birth, and it’s enough to bring you to tears.
(Though, I still do enjoy beef, I must admit.)
Safflower Picking SongIshikawa Sayuri
This is a new folk song from Yamagata Prefecture—a drinking song.
Safflower belongs to the daisy family, but like a rose it has thorns.
There are thornless varieties used for fresh flowers, but for dyeing, thorny safflowers are used.
They are picked in the morning because the thorns soften with the early-morning dew.
It’s a folk song that sings of Yamagata along with the wisdom of the past.