Songs of Japanese Cities and Towns
The songs of Japanese cities and towns ( Japanese 市町村 歌 , Shichōsonka , also 市町村 民歌 , Shichōson Minka or 市町村 民 の 歌 , Shichōsonmin no Uta ) are songs for municipalities ( 市 [区] 町 村 , shi [ku] ) established by the Japanese self-governing bodies. chōson ), in the meantime including the "[special] districts" ([tokubetsu-] ku) in the area of the city (-shi) Tokyo, which was abolished in the war, and which have only been recognized for a few years as local self-governing bodies .
overview
1898, nine years after the introduction of the municipal code for independent cities ( 市 制 , shisei , 1889), the first Japanese city song was created with the "Song of the City of Kyōto" (text by Kurokawa Mayori, composition by Uesane Michi). Eleven years later, in 1909, the oldest city song still used today was published for the port of Yokohama on the occasion of the 50th anniversary. As a result, all major Japanese cities set city songs up to the Shōwa period , then usually in the writing style ( bungo ) with a 5-7-5 meter. Since the content of the city songs, which were composed up to 1945 before the Pacific War , was mostly reminiscent of militarism, Sendai initially stopped the performance of the city song. As a result, the old city songs were abolished and new ones were set. The city of Mito is seen as a pioneer in this development.
Apart from the "six largest cities" of Japan ( 六 大都市 , rokudai toshi , forerunner of the major cities introduced in 1956 ) and the prefecture capitals ( 都 道 府 県 庁 所在地 , to- / dō- / fu- / ken-chō shozaichi ) continued in the 1960s and In the 1970s many other independent cities (-shi) , district communities (-chō / -son) and "[special] districts" ([tokubetsu] -ku) set songs, often in the slang style. In 1968 in particular, due to the commemoration of “100 years of Meiji ” ( 明治 百年 ), a large number of new songs were set. The establishment of town and parish songs received further impetus in the 2000s with the so-called "Great parish mergers of the Heisei period " ( 平 成 の 大 合併 , Heisei no daigappei ) through which new large cities emerged.
List of songs of Japanese prefecture capitals and designated cities (seirei shitei toshi)
| Prefecture (-to / -dō / -fu / -ken) |
Municipality (-shi / -ku) |
title | Announcement / determination on |
link | annotation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkai [dō] | Sapporo | Shimin no uta ( 市民 の 歌 , roughly "song of the citizens") | 1964 | Text and notes | ||
| Aomori | Aomori | Ōkina asa ni ( 大 き な 朝 に , something like "On a great morning") | Dec 26, 2005 | Text and notes | Audio sample | 3rd version |
| Iwate | Morioka | Morioka-shi Minka ( 盛 岡 市民 歌 , something like "Folk song of the city of Morioka") | 1949 | Text and notes | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Miyagi | Sendai | Sendai-shi Minka ( 盛 岡 市民 歌 , something like "Folk song of the city of Sendai") | 1931 | is currently not sung | ||
| Kaze yo Kumo yo Hikari yo ( 風 よ 雲 よ 光 よ ) | 1989 | New folk song of the city of Sendai to commemorate "100 years of the independent city of Sendai" | ||||
| Akita | Akita | Akita-shi Kinen Shiminka ( 秋田 市 記念 市民 歌 ) | 1979 | Text and notes (PDF) | Audio sample as WMA file | 5th version |
| Yamagata | Yamagata | Yamagata Shimin no uta ( 山形 市民 の 歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Yamagata") | Nov 7, 1957 | text | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Fukushima | Fukushima | Fukushima-Shika ( 福島 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Fukushima") | 1936 | Text and notes | ||
| Ibaraki | Mito | Mito-Shika ( 水 戸 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Mito") | Nov 3, 1954 | 2nd version | ||
| Tochigi | Utsunomiya | Utsunomiya no Uta ( 宇 都 宮 の 歌 , something like "Utsunomiya song") | 1956 | |||
| Gunma | Maebashi | Cantata Akagi mine ni ( 赤城 嶺 に , something like "At the summit of Akagi") | 1956 | Text and notes | Audio sample as WMA file | |
| Saitama | Saitama | Yume no machi ( 希望 の ま ち , something like "dream city") | April 2003 | text | Audio sample | |
| Chiba | Chiba | Chiba-Shika ( 千葉 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Chiba") | 1929 | Text and notes | Audio sample | |
| Tokyo | Tokyo (1889–1943) | Tōkyō-Shika ( 東京 市 歌 , about "Song of the City of Tokyo") | 1926 | text | ||
| Shinjuku | Dai-Shinjuku no uta ( 大 新宿 区 の 歌 , for example "Song of Great Shinjuku") | Oct. 1949 | text | Audio sample | ||
| Kanagawa | Yokohama | Yokohama-Shika ( 横 浜 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Yokohama") | 1909 | Text and notes | Audio sample as WMA file | |
| Kawasaki | Kawasaki-Shika ( 川 崎 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Kawasaki") | 1934 | text | Audio sample | The lyrics of the song have been revised twice. | |
| Suki desu Kawasaki Ai no Machi ( 好 き で す か わ さ き 愛 の 街 , something like "City of Love Kawasaki - you own my affection") | 1984 | In memory of 60 years of the independent city of Kawasaki. | ||||
| Sagamihara | Sagamihara-Shimin no Uta ( 相 模 原 市民 の 歌 , for example "Song of the Citizens of Sagamihara") | Jan. 1958 | text | Audio sample | Kōzaburo Hirai (composition) | |
| Niigata | Niigata | Niigata-Shika ( 新潟 市 歌 , roughly "Song of the City of Niigata") | Nov 1, 1969 | text | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Sunahama de ( 砂 浜 で , roughly "on the beach") | Audio sample | Folk song | ||||
| Toyama | Toyama | Toyama-Shimin no Uta ( 富山 市民 の 歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Toyama") | 1952 | |||
| Ishikawa | Kanazawa | Kanazawa-Shika ( 金 沢 市 歌 , roughly "Song of the City of Kanazawa") | 1923 | Text and notes (PDF) | Audio sample | |
| Kanazawa-Shimin no Uta ( 金 沢 市民 の 歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Kanazawa") | 1949 | Text and notes (PDF) | Audio sample | |||
| Fukui | Fukui | Watashitachi no machi Tokimeki no machi ( わ た し た ち の ま ち と き め き の ま ち , something like "Our city blooming city") | 1989 | text | 2nd version | |
| Yamanashi | Kofu | Kōfu-shi no Uta ( 甲 府 市 の 歌 , about "Song of the City of Kōfu") | Oct 17, 1966 | Text and notes | Audio sample WAV file | 3rd version |
| Nagano | Nagano | Nagano-shi Shika ( 長野 市 市 歌 , something like "City Song of Nagano") | March 29, 1967 | Text and notes (PDF) | 3rd version | |
| Gifu | Gifu | Gifu Shimin no Uta ( 岐阜 市民 の 歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Gifu") | March 15, 1979 | text | 2nd version | |
| Shizuoka | Shizuoka | Watashi no Machi Shizuoka ( わ た し の 街 静岡 , something like "Our City of Shizuoka") | April 13, 2005 | text | 3rd version | |
| Hamamatsu | Hamamatsu-Shika ( 浜 松 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Hamamatsu") | July 1, 2007 | Text and notes ( text of the first version ) | Audio sample | 2nd version | |
| Aichi | Nagoya | Nagoya-Shika ( 名古屋 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Nagoya") | Feb. 28, 1910 | |||
| Mie | Tsu | Kono Machi ga suki sa ( こ の ま ち が 好 き さ ) | Feb 1, 2009 | Text (PDF) Text of the first version | 2nd version | |
| Shiga | Ōtsu | Ōtsu Shimin no Uta ( 大 津 市民 の 歌 , for example "song of the citizens of Ōtsu") | 1958 | Text and notes | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Kyoto | Kyoto | Kyōto Shika ( 京 都市 歌 , about "Song of the City of Kyōto") | July 15, 1951 | text | Audio sample | 4th version |
| Osaka | Osaka | Ōsaka Shika ( 大阪 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Osaka") | March 1921 | Text and notes | Audio sample as ASX file | |
| Sakai | Sakai Shimin no Uta ( 堺 市民 の 歌 , for example "Song of the Citizens of Sakai") | 1969 | 2nd version | |||
| Hyogo | Kobe | Kobe Shika ( 神 戸 市 歌 , about "Song of the City of Kobe") | 1951 | Text and notes (PDF) | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Nara | Nara | Nara Shimin no Uta ( 奈良 市民 の 歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Nara") | 1957 | |||
| Wakayama | Wakayama | Wakayama-shi Shika ( 和 歌 山 市 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Nara") | 1955 | Text and notes | Audio sample | |
| Tottori | Tottori | Wakayama-shi Shika ( 伸 び ゆ く ふ る さ と , something like "Song of the City of Nara") | Nov 1, 2005 | text | Audio sample | 2nd version |
| Shimane | Matsue | Matsue-shi no uta ( 松江 市 の 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Matsue") | Dec 22, 2011 | Text and notes | Audio sample | 3rd version |
| Okayama | Okayama | Okayama Shika ( 岡山 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Okayama") | 1930 | is currently not sung | ||
| Okayama Shimin no Uta ( 岡山 市民 の 歌 , something like "song of the citizens of Okayama") | 1979 | in memory of 90 years of Okayama City | ||||
| 絆 -KIZUNA- | June 1, 2012 | |||||
| Hiroshima | Hiroshima | Hiroshima Shika ( 広 島 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Hiroshima") | Jan. 1965 | Text and notes | 2nd version | |
| Yamaguchi | Yamaguchi | Furusato no kaze - Yamaguchi no Uta ( ふ る さ と の 風 〜 山口 市民 の 歌 〜 , something like "A touch of home - song of the citizens of Yamaguchi") | May 30, 2006 | Text and notes | Audio sample as WMA file | 2nd version, partial revision 2010 |
| Tokushima | Tokushima | Tokushima Shiminka ( 徳 島 市民 歌 , about "Song of the Citizens of Tokushima") | 1951 | 3rd version | ||
| Kagawa | Takamatsu | Takamatsu Shika ( 高 松 市 歌 (1) , for example "Song of the City of Takamatsu") | 1912 | |||
| Takamatsu Shika ( 高 松 市 歌 (2) , for example "Song of the City of Takamatsu") | ||||||
| Takamatsu Shimin no Uta ( 高 松 市民 の 歌 , for example "Song of the Citizens of Takamatsu") | 1942 | |||||
| Ehime | Matsuyama | Matsuyama Shika ( 松山 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Matsuyama") | Feb. 21, 1979 | |||
| Kochi | Kochi | Kōchi Shika ( 高 知 市 歌 , about "Song of the City of Kōchi") | March 3, 1948 | Text and notes | Audio sample | |
| Fukuoka | Fukuoka | Fukuoka Shika ( 福岡 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Fukuoka") | 1931 | is currently not sung | ||
| Kokoro no Bōru ( 心 の ボ ー ル ) | 1989 | in memory of 100 years of Fukuoka City | ||||
| Kitakyushu | Kitakyūshū Shika ( 北九州 市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Kitakyūshū") | 1963 | Text and notes | Audio sample | ||
| Midori no Machi ni shimasen ka ( 緑 の ま ち に し ま せ ん か , something like "Don't we want a green city") | 1981 | Audio sample | ||||
| saga | saga | Saga no Uta ( さ が の う た , something like "Saga song") | 1989 | in memory of 100 years of the independent city of Saga. An official city song has not yet been set. | ||
| Nagasaki | Nagasaki | Nagasaki Shika ( 長崎 市 歌 , roughly "Song of the City of Nagasaki") | Dec 1933 | Text and notes | ||
| Kumamoto | Kumamoto | Kumamoto Shika ( 熊 本市 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Kumamoto") | March 1930 | Text and notes | Audio sample | |
| Ōita | Ōita | Ōita Shika ( 大分 市 歌 , roughly "Song of the City Ōita") | 1983 | Text and notes | Audio sample | 3rd version |
| Miyazaki | Miyazaki | Nankoku no Machi Miyazaki ( 南国 の 街 宮 崎 市 , roughly "City in the South - Miyazaki") | April 1, 1974 | Text and notes | Audio sample as WMA file | |
| Kagoshima | Kagoshima | Kagoshima Shiminka ( 鹿 児 島 市民 歌 , about "Song of the Citizens of Kagoshima") | 1972 | Text and notes | ||
| Okinawa | Naha | Naha Shika ( 那覇 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Naha") | around 1929 | Text and notes | Audio sample | |
Songs from towns and cities in former overseas territories
The following are the songs of cities and towns in former Japanese overseas territories. All the songs mentioned have been abolished today; the listing is for completeness.
| region | City (district) | title | Announcement | link | annotation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakhalin | Toyohara | Toyohara Shisei Ōka ( 豊 原 市 制 謳歌 , for example "hymn of the city of Toyohara") | 1937 | |||
| Kwantung lease area | Dalian | Dairen Shika ( 大連 市 歌 , something like "Song of the City of Dalian") | 1935 | |||
| Taiwan under Japanese rule | Taipei | Taihoku Shiminka ( 台北市 民歌 , something like "Song of the Citizens of Taipei") | 1920 | |||
| Korea under Japanese rule |
Keijō ( 京城 府 ) |
Keijō Fuka ( 京城 府 歌 , about "Song of the City Prefecture of Pyongyang") | 1932 | |||
| Busan | Busan Fuka ( 釜山 府 歌 , for example "Song of the City of Busan Prefecture") | |||||
| Pyongyang | Warera no Heijō ( 我 等 の 平 壌 , something like "Our Pyongyang") | 1932 | ||||
See also
annotation
- ↑ The current version is the fourth version from 1952 (composition by Moroi Saburō ).
- ↑ In 1917 Doi Bansui was asked to write the lyrics for the song, but a composition was never added, so this version remained unfinished. In 1928 the second, now complete version was created with a text by Tezuka Yoshiki , a composition by Nobutoki Kiyoshi
Individual evidence
- ↑ 仙台 市 の 歌 は あ る の!? . (No longer available online.) Sendai Living November 8, 2009, archived from the original on September 24, 2015 ; Retrieved December 17, 2014 (Japanese). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ 秋田 市 の 沿革 ・ 市 章 ・ 市 の 木 ・ 市 の 花 ・ 市民 歌 . (No longer available online.) Akita City on January 28, 2014, archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; Retrieved December 17, 2014 (Japanese). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ 川 崎 市民 の 歌 「好 き で す か わ さ き 愛 の 街」 に つ い て 知 り た い . Kawasaki City, October 16, 2014, accessed December 17, 2014 .
- ↑ 堺 の う た に は 、 ど ん な も の が あ る の? . Sakai City Library, accessed December 17, 2014 (Japanese).
