Everyone knows "that nursery rhyme" was born in Fukushima! A deep dive into the thoughts contained in lyrics and music writing [Fukushima Prefecture]

Japanese nursery rhymes " are sung in various places, such as music classes and at home Even as an adult, many people may remember the scenery of their hometown when they hummed, and when they hear them, they will remember a page of childhood memories.

Many of the nursery rhymes that are engraved in the hearts of many people have a close ties to the Tohoku region. This time, we will explore in-depth the trivia about nursery rhymes that have connections to Fukushima Prefecture

Hirono Town: A place associated with the nursery rhyme "Dragonfly Glasses"

Hirono Town, Futaba District is located on the Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture . It is characterized by a mild climate with little temperature differences throughout the year. Due to the long hours of sunlight per year, in recent years, we have been working on cultivating bananas using houses, and are also working to develop sixth-part products.

One of the nursery rhymes associated with Hirono Town is Dragonfly Glasses

Nukaga wrote the lyrics for "Dragonfly Glasses," is a doctor who ran an internal medicine clinic in Hirono Town. He was also enthusiastic about creating nursery rhymes, wanting to deliver dreamy songs to children in Japan after the war.

The setting of "Dragonfly Glasses" in the Hokihira district in Hirono Town . It is reportedly the motif was the scene of the children playing with dragonflies that Nukaga saw at his house call.

Hirai Kozo adds a melody to the lyrics of Nukaga When the song was played on NHK's radio broadcast, it spread throughout the country. A monument has been created at Tsukijigaoka Park in Hirono Town, written in the words of Mr. Hirai, who composed the music.

The simple lyrics contain Mr. Nukaga's wishes, thinking about the future of children. The depth of empathy that comes to mind may be the reason why "Dragonfly Glasses" continues to be sung to this day.

Link: Hirono Town Official Website – Nukaga Seishi, a doctor with a child's eye

Dragonfly Glasses Poetry Monument <infomation>

• Name: Dragonfly Glasses Monument
• Address: Inside Shimoasamigawa Tsukijigaoka Park, Hirono-cho, Futaba-gun, Fukushima Prefecture 979-0403

Google Map

Kagamiishi Town: A place associated with "Morning on the Ranch"

Kagamiishi Town, Iwase District is located in the central part of Fukushima Prefecture . This town is home to rural scenery with mountains in the distance and idyllic pastures. The rich soil brought about by the bounty of the Abukuma River has long been bringing a rich food culture.

A nursery rhyme associated with Kagamiishi Town is Morning on the Ranch

The lyrics of this song, which is considered one of Japan's Ministry of Education's singing songs, are said to be Iwase Ranch

Iwase Ranch was born as Japan's first Western-style ranch , and 13 dairy cows and agricultural equipment were introduced from the Netherlands. This bronze bell was sent as proof of friendship at this time.

The lyrics for this song have been unknown for a long time, but it is now common practice to consider it to be Sugimura Sotokaku He was a reporter for the Asahi Shimbun and a well-known writer.

"Morning on the Ranch" was featured as an elementary school song in 1932, and was also aired on the NHK program "Minna no Uta" in 1968. Currently, in Kagamiishi Town, "Morning of the Ranch" is the town's symbolic song, and melody rings in the town twice a day.

Link: Kagamiishi Town Official Website – Songs such as "Morning of the Ranch" - Until the phantom song becomes a town song

Iwase Ranch <infomation>

• Name: Iwase Raku
• Address: 225 Sakuracho, Kagamiishi-cho, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture 969-0401
• Phone number: 024-862-6789
• Opening hours: 9:00-16:00
• Official URL: https://iwasefarm.studio.site/

Google Map

Hiedagi Village: A place associated with "summer memories"

Hinoegi Village, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Prefecture , is also famous as one of Japan's most heavy snowfall areas. Surrounded by 2000m-class mountains such as Mt. Aizu Komagatake, 98% of the village is made up of forests. Legend of the Heike Retreat which states that during the Genpei Battle of the 12th century, the Heike Retreat was moved , and there is a mysterious side to it...

Hinouegi Kabuki is passed down in the village , is said to have started in the late Edo period and is designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of the prefecture.

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

What is Hinouegi Village, a hidden village where villagers pass on kabuki? [Fukushima Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/15477

Hinoematamura is a mountain village located in the southernmost west of Fukushima Prefecture and borders Gunma, Tochigi and Niigata prefectures. Its area is approximately 340 square kilometers, with 98% of the forests occupying its forests. It has a population of approximately 550 (as of January 2020), and is a village with a low density of population in Japan. Hinouegi Village Office is approximately 939m above sea level and is a heavy snow area with accumulation of 3m in winter, and is said to be the most hidden gem in Fukushima Prefecture. Hinouegi Village is an impressive red roof in the deep mountains. ©Fukushima Travel Hinouegi Village, the gateway to Oze, is the north entrance to Oze, and is visited by many climbers and tourists as the trailhead to Oze National Park from the north. Oze is Mt. Higatake, the highest peak in the Tohoku region...

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Located on the border between Fukushima, Gunma, Niigata, and Tochigi prefectures, Oze National Park is Hinouegi Village, which is the gateway to the Fukushima prefecture side. Registered in the Ramsar Convention in 2005, Oze's landscape is famous as a wetland that combines rich nature, and continues to impress viewers.

A nursery rhyme with connection to Hinoedagi Village is given summer memories

The lyrics for "Summer Memories" were written by Ema Akiko In 1947 after the war, the original song was broadcast on NHK Radio, and was commissioned to create Songs with Dreams and Hope

For Ema, who spent his childhood in Iwate Prefecture, the flowers of skunk cabbage were flowers that advertised the arrival of summer. When he visited Oze during the war in search of food, the sight of skunk shores spread throughout the entire world instantly brought back memories of his childhood, and the sight of the sight came to my mind. From there, for Ema, skunk shojo became a flower that gave a sense of hope.

The birth of "Summer Memories" attracted people's hearts, and its beautiful phrase has become a famous song that has been sung to this day.

Summer Memories Poem Monument <infomation>

• Name: Summer Memories Poetry Monument
• Address: 124-6 Sadori, Hinouegi Village, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Prefecture 967-0500

Google Map

Nursery songs are filled with attachment to the community

This time, we delve into the theme of nursery rhymes that are associated with Fukushima.

Each nursery rhyme depicts beautiful scenery of Fukushima, including "Dragon Quest" born in Hirono Town, "Morning on a Ranch" born in Kagamiishi Town, Iwase County, and "Summer Memories" born in Hinouegi Village. When you visit a place associated with each of these, please hum the song and try to feel the scenery that the lyricists and composers have experienced firsthand.