A classic song that sings of Yamanashi. The enduring heart of our hometown.

White WindShintarō

Song of Mount Fuji / Shintaro “White Wind”

A singer-songwriter from Kofu City who is active mainly in Yamanashi.

This song became the unified theme song for all commercial radio stations in Japan during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, marking their major-label debut.

It’s a rare folk song these days, featuring a grounded and convincing vocal performance.

Yamanashi Prefecture SongYamanashi kenkka

[Yamanashi Prefecture] Prefectural Song “Song of Yamanashi Prefecture”

As part of the 60th anniversary of the enactment of the prefectural government, this was created in 1950 to celebrate the excellence of our homeland and to foster local pride.

It conveys not only Yamanashi’s rich history but also its natural beauty—the splendor of its mountain ranges, the purity of its waters, and the prosperity of its industries, including wine.

The Great Bodhisattva PassShimazu Etsuko

The Great Bodhisattva Pass

Daibosatsu Pass is located in Koshu City and is included among Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains.

While it’s strongly associated with the novel, the scenery is excellent, making it a popular spot for hikers.

The song conveys a masculine image suggested by the title, and through Ms.

Shimazu’s heartfelt singing, it expresses the pain of love and a woman’s emotions.

Shosenkyo GorgeMizumori Kaori

BKMBB106 Shosenkyo Kaori Mizumori (2010) 151231 vL HD

Shosenkyo is a gorge located in Kofu City and has been designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

While this song also praises the beauty of the scenery, its content seems to dwell on the pain and sadness of parting.

Yet it then moves forward, as if walking on with a positive outlook.

It makes me want to experience this beauty for myself.

Nature sometimes heals the heart.

Hold Me TonightTahara Toshihiko

Toshihiko Tahara - Hold Me Tight Tonight

Toshi-chan from Kofu has an energy you’d never guess from a 56-year-old; whenever he appears, the whole place instantly brightens.

He has many hit songs, but this one is his 33rd single, so it came relatively late in his career.

It was the theme song for a TV drama, and his role as a teacher at the time was also memorable.

A withering night, te-te-te ra-ra-raHarada Yoshiteru

Two songs in the Koshu dialect sung by a Koshu-dialect rapper

Mr.

Harada is a rapper who’s been performing in the Koshu dialect for 22 years.

This is a mini-concert in the square in front of Kofu Station, and the way the kids run around ignoring the singer gives it a charming, homemade feel.

He’s really rooted in the local community, and he even has grandchildren.

Tanabata-samashouka

Tanabata Sama – Tanabata Sama | Sasa leaves rustle, swaying under the eaves [Japanese songs and shoka]

The lyricist Hanayo Gondo was born in Anayama Village, Kitakoma District (present-day Anayama-cho, Nirasaki City).

Writing wishes on tanzaku—part of the Tanabata festival—continues widely today as a cherished dream for children.

In the poem, is it perhaps because we imagine the landscapes of Yamanashi, where Hanayo was born and raised, that we especially feel the beauty of the stars?