Celebrate the Birthplace of Japanese Folk Music at Esashi Oiwake Hall

Located in the Southern Hokkaido port town of Esashi, the Esashi Oiwake Hall displays the long history of the prefecture’s folk music traditions. The site’s origins and name lay in one of Hokkaido’s most important folk songs, whose melody and lyrics were adapted from a tune that arrived via merchant’s vessels in the Edo period (1603-1868). In between learning about the form and content of folk music, as well as its legacy and preservation at the Hall, why not take some singing lessons on-site? If you are fortunate enough to make a trip to Esashi in late September, be sure to check out the finale of the national competition to sing Esashi Oiwake, which features 440 singers drawn from throughout the country.