People who succeed
the folk songsof the Island

Introduction to Art Performances in Sado Island

An island with an ancient atmosphere.

Folk songs are the treasure of Sado.
There are people who succeed the traditions of the island
and at the same time exert themselves to revitalize folksongs in new ways. Let us introduce their activities andlisten to what these people have to say.
Creating a place where the audience can share in
the excitement.

As president of the Sado Folk Song Association, he put
together a CD comprising of Ogi Okesa, Ogi Oiwake,and Ryotsu Jinku just to name a few. "To preserve local
performing arts and songs, we need to sing in front of alarge audience, so a place where we can share theexcitement with them is necessary. I would really like to
see more places like this. "Mamoru Murata, President of Ogi Sazanami-kai

Nurturing successors with the local area as abase.

Training under the guidance of Matsumoto Joichi,
Hisao Homma has been involved in the handing-downof folk songs as the local performing arts and thetraining of successor. He has also released a CD.

dHisao Homma, President of Sado Midori-kai
g an
n
i
g
n
i
S
would like to exert more eﬀort to popularize thecingIcommon
folk songs of Sado within the island.
Dan

Folk Songs

It all started because of a folk song class at theworkplace. Currently serving as the Secretary General of
the Sado Folk Song Association, he plays the role of2020〜
connecting the folk song groups within the island.

in SadoWelcome to the Island of Performing Arts

See, sing, and dance
Nohgakutofolk songs in Sado

The island is enveloped in the elegant
atmosphere with the Noh plays.

Sado Island currently has more than 30 Noh stages and about 20 Noh

Folk songs of Sado,
suchthe majorthreefolkofsongs,
canplays arebeingasperformed
in a year.
The history
Noh beganwith Okubo
Nagayasu,
who had arrived in Sado as the ﬁrst town magistrate. A stage
be seen at various
events.
performer himself, Nagayasu brought other performers with him from
There are also events
such asthesummerOdori
Nara and donated
Noh
masks
as well as Bon
dedicated
Noh or
to Aikawa Kasuga
Shrine. Noh, a culture of the warrior class, has spread through festivals to
local festivals whereyoucanparticipate
inthem.
Pleasethe locals and the highly-developed style traditional performing arts haveenjoy and experience
the down.
folk songs
with thelocals.
been handed
It is well-known
that
Zeami, the person who
achieved perfection of Nohgaku, was exiled to Sado and spent his later
years here.

Sagiryu Kyogen (School of Sagi) is
handed down only in 3 parts ofJapan.
In Sado, the Association of Sagiryu Kyogen ismaking eﬀort to hand down and popularize
Sagiryu Kyogen, which had existed until theend of the Edo period and disappeared in
the Taisho period. Sagiryu Kyogen still
remains in Yamaguchi City, Chiyoda Town,
and Sado.

Shrine Ritual
Performing Arts

Where to Watch

Daizen Shrine Takigi Noh
562-1, Manotakeda, Sado City
Ushio Shrine Annual Festival Takigi Noh
2532, Niibo-katagami, Sado City
Suwa Shrine
724, Harakuro, Sado CityIn June, Noh plays are performed in various
places on the island on the weekends.

It's not just Onidaiko! You can encounter
various performing arts at festivals.

Harigoma Harigoma is a kind of performing art which is done in a door-to-door style during
the New Year. Usually held during January to March, they would go from house-to-housewithin the village to celebrate the new year. There is a male and female Harigoma.
Onidaiko Onidaiko is akind of traditional performing
art performed together with
the Taiko. It is an essential at
festivals within the island andis also called “Ondeko”. There
are 5 styles of Onidaiko.
Kojishimai

Where to Watch
At village festivals on the island
Ondeko inAikawa
Niibo area
Toki-no-yubae Market
Parking lot of Niibo Branch, Sado City
Mt. Kinpoku▲
Ryotsu area
TEL:0259-22-2166(Niibo Association of Commerce and Industry)
Sado Gold Mine Kanai area

Ryotsu Port●
It is also called Shishiodori.
Myoshoji Temple●
350
Donning deer heads and beating the Taiko Jissoji Temple●
hung on their bellies, three Koshijis dance in
Sawata area
●Konponji Temple
unison. It has been handed down mainly in
Where to Watch Niibo area
Maehama and Kaifu Coast.
Mano Goryo●
Tsuburosashi It is a kind of Kagura (Shinto Ogi Minato Matsuri
Hatano area
Ogi
port
and
other places
music and dancing). It is said to have been
Mano area
handed down from Kyoto and is performed TEL:0259-86-2216
with at the festival of Sugawara Shrine and (Ogi Minato Shinkokai)

Akadomari area

Kusakari Shrine in the Hamochi area. The male
Hamochi area
deity who has the male genitals is called
Ogi area
Tsuburo and the female deity who rub the Where to Watch
Ogi Port
Sasara (bamboo sticks) perform a primitive Kusakari Shrine
dance in accordance with ﬂutes and drums.
2081-1, Hamochi Hongo,
Sado City
TEL:0269-88-3111(Hamochi Branch, Sado
City)

Ningyo Shibai(Puppet Play)The three kinds of puppet play that remains arenationally designated important cultural properties.

Designated as important cultural properties, Bunya Ningyo,
Noroma Ningyo, and Sekkyo Ningyo still remain in Sado.
Sekkyo Ningyo is performed in accordance with thenarration of a Sekkyo Bushi along with the Noroma Ningyo.
Noroma Ningyo is narrated in Sado dialect and generally
appears as an interlude. Bunya Ningyo originated from the
Bunya Bushi which was popular in Kyoto and its vicinity 300
years ago (during the Edo era) and was handed down as asong with a Shamisen accompaniment. It is said that Bunya
Ningyo Shibai, which consists of a puppeteer and a narrator,
was established in 1872.

Where to Watch

Sado Pupett Theater Performance(Hamochi Rural Environment
Improvement Center)
617, Hamochi Hongo, Sado City
TEL:0259-66-2719
Noura Performing Art Festival
Noura Area, Sado City

Sado Okesa

Haiya Bushi in Kyushu came
to Sado by westward trip.

There are various opinions about the origin of Sado Okesa.
But, the most convincing view of how it came to Ogi area ofSado is that of Hanya Bushi, a song which sailors from
Kyushu sung during feasts, which spread across the country
through westward bound ships or Kitamaebune (a boat thatcarried goods from Hokkaido to Osaka by the Japan Sea
route). It was then passed to Aikawa, the town of the goldmine, and then to the rest of the island. In 1924, Aikawa
Tatsunamikai was formed by Murata Bunzo and became
known to the world.
For performing arts without addresses or telephone numbers,
please contact Sado Tourism Association (TEL:0259-27-5000)

Where to Watch
Aikawa Kozan Matsuri(Aikawa Mine Festival)
Aikawa District, Sado CityMay

See, sing, and dance
to folk songs in Sado

Sadokoku Ondeko Dot-com (Ryotsu area)
Venue: Ondeko Dome
Access: About 5-minute walk from Ryotsu Port

June

Folk songs of Sado, such as the major three folk songs, canbe seen at various events.
There are also events such as the summer Bon Odori or
local festivals where you can participate in them. Pleaseenjoy and experience the folk songs with the locals.

Yoi-no-mai (Kyomachi Ondo Nagashi) (Aikawa area)★
Venue: Kyomachi dori, Sado Bugyosho
Access: About one-hour drive from Ryotsu Port
About 30-minute walk from bus stop "Aikawa (Sado Kaikan Mae)"on the Honsen Line

Hamochi Festival (Hamochi area)
Venue: City district of Hamochi area
Access: About 20-minute drive from Ogi Port
About 2-minute walk from bus stop "Ichinomiya" on the Ogi LineJuly

Kozan Festival (Aikawa area) ★
Venue: City district of Aikawa area
Access: About one-hour drive from Ryotsu Port
About one-minute walk from bus stop "Aikawa (Sado Kaikan
Mae)" on the Honsen Line

AugustRyotsu Tanabata and Kawabiraki (Ryotsu area)★
Venue: City district of Ryotsu area
Access: About 10-minute walk from Ryotsu Port

Shishigajo Festival (Sawata area)★
Venue: Honcho, Suwamachi Shopping District, Sawata Beach,

Aikawa area
Mt. Kinpoku▲

Sado Gold Mine Kanai area●
Myoshoji Temple●
Jissoji Temple●

Kawaharada Elementary School

Ryotsu area

Access: About 30-minute drive from Ogi Port, near bus stop "Kawaharada

Ryotsu Port

Honcho" on the Hon-sen Main Line and Ogi Line.

350

Sawata area

Ogi Minato Festival (Ogi area)★

●Konponji Temple

Niibo area

Venue: City district of Ogi area, Kisaki Shrine, Kotohira Shrine, Minato Park

Mano Goryo●

Mano area

Access: About 1-minute drive from Ogi Port

Hatano area

About 5-minute walk from bus stop "Ogi Futo" on the Ogi Line.

Akadomari area
Hamochi area
Ogi Port

September

Ogi area“Island of Performing Arts SADO with World-Renowned KODO” (Ryotsu area)
Venue: Ondeko Dome
Access: About 5-minute walk from Ryotsu Port

OctoberNiibo Toki Yubae-ichi (Niibo area)★
Venue: Niibo Shopping District, Sanno Furusato Hiroba
Access: About 15-minute drive from Ryotsu Port
About 1-minute walk from bus stop "Niibo Shoggako Mae" on the
Minami-sen Line

Article1Letʼs dance with the locals during Bon Odori or at festivals.

If you want to experience the charms of folk songs in Sado, pleaseparticipate in the Bon Odori festivals in summer held throughout the island.
Through interactions with the locals, you can experience the pleasure of folksongs which cannot be grasped just by watching. (The above events withthe ★ are those you can participate in)Article 2Letʼs learn the folk songs of Sado through folk song lessons!

Folk song lessons are sometimes held after a showcase at the hotels or local
events, or during events onboard the car ferry. You can also participate in theregular practice sessions of the folk song organizations. Please contact them
before you head out.

Call Sado Tourism Association (0259-27-5000) for information about
events, festivals or folk song lessons.

How todance
Sado Okesa
Letʼs master the 16 steps(Jurokusoku Odori) of Sado
Okesa which is the mostcommonly danced version. The
actual version has 19 steps.

1

2

3

4

With your left foot, step to theright and clap once.

Return your left foot to thestarting position and spreadyour arms down and out.

With your right foot, step to theleft and clap once.

Return your left foot to thestarting position and spreadyour arms down and out.

"Hitotsu-de" (First step)"Ton""Futatsu-de" (Second step)

"Ton"

5

6

7

8

9

With your left foot, step to theright and clap. Change yourdirection to face the left.

Pick up your left foot, turn to theleft, and place your left foot downin front of you while raising yourright hand toward your face andthrusting your left hand forward.
Step forward with the same foottwice.

With your right foot, step
forward while raising your left
hand and thrusting your righthand out.

Pick your right foot up whilemoving your left hand toward
your face and your right handthrusting forward, and repeat
the previous step.

Step forward with your left foot,raise the right hand and thrust
your left hand out.

"Mittsu" (Third step)"Yottsu" (Fourth step)"Itsutsu" (Fifth step)"Muttsu" (Sixth step)"Nanatsu" (Seventh step)

10

11

12

13

14

Pick up your left foot, raise yourright hand and thrust your left
hand forward.

Step forward with your rightfoot, raise your left hand, andthrust your right hand forward.

Turn your body to the right andstep forward with your left foot.
Raise your right hand and thrust
your left hand.

Step forward with your rightfoot, raise your left hand, andthrust your right hand forward.

Step forward with your left foot,raise your right hand and thrust
your left hand forward.

"Yattsu" (Eighth step)"Kokonotsu" (Ninth step)"To" (Tenth step)"Ju-ichi" (Eleventh step)

15

16

17

18

Step forward again with the left
foot, raise your right hand andthrust your left hand forward.

Step forward with your rightfoot, raise your left hand, andthrust your right hand forward.

Step forward again with yourright foot, raise your left hand,
and thrust your right handforward.

Turn your body to face the front,
raise your right hand and thrust
the left hand forward.

"Ju-san" (Thirteenth step)"Ju-shi" (Fourteenth step)"Ju-go" (Fifteenth step)"Ju-roku" (Sixteenth step)"Ju-ni" (Twelfth step)

19

Place your right foot by your leftfoot and bring your hands toreturn to the starting position.
*You should have inched forwardfrom the starting point.

Sado Folk Song Association was founded in
1985.
Let us introduce the activities of the 6organizations which are a part of the
Association.

Tatsunami-kai(old Aikawa Town)

Oﬃcial trainers of this group spreadand instruct folk songs all over thenation.

It was founded in 1924 to preserve Aikawa
Ondo. Famous singers, including Bunzo
Murata, participated actively. There are
currently about 30 members in the group.
They employ a system whereby there are 5
approved members who are tasked withhanding down the folk songs of
Tatsunami-kai all over the nation.

Kogane-kai(old Niibo Village)

Showcasing to tourists as well as
training of successors.
It was founded in 1937 for the purpose ofpreservation of the three major folk songs,
Kuninaka Ondo, and others. There are
currently about 20 members who in their
40s to 80s.

People who succeed
the folk songsof the Island
Folk songs are the treasure of Sado.
There are people who succeed the traditions of the island
and at the same time exert themselves to revitalize folksongs in new ways. Let us introduce their activities andlisten to what these people have to say.
Creating a place where the audience can share in
the excitement.

As president of the Sado Folk Song Association, he put
together a CD comprising of Ogi Okesa, Ogi Oiwake,and Ryotsu Jinku just to name a few. "To preserve local
performing arts and songs, we need to sing in front of alarge audience, so a place where we can share theexcitement with them is necessary. I would really like to
see more places like this. "Mamoru Murata, President of Ogi Sazanami-kai

Nurturing successors with the local area as abase.

Training under the guidance of Matsumoto Joichi,
Hisao Homma has been involved in the handing-downof folk songs as the local performing arts and thetraining of successor. He has also released a CD.
Hisao Homma, President of Sado Midori-kai

Sado Midori-kai(old Hatano Town)

Enjoying while passing down valuable
tradition.

It was founded in 1946 by a famous singer,
Joichi Matsumoto, who had interactions
with Tatsunami-kai. In addition to thethree major folk songs, Hatano Ondo andShichiura Jinku is also being preserved andpassed down by them.

Hamochi Folk Song Kenkyu-kai(old Hamochi Town)

Ogi Sazanami-kai(Old Ogi town)

Nagisa-kai(old Sawata Town)

The only group which has succeeded
Hamochi Jinku.

It was founded in 1970 for the purpose to
succeed the folk songs of Sado, focusing on
the preservation of Hamochi Jinku. It has
succeeded the stream of Tatsunami-kai.
There are currently about 20 members.
Including the children that practice
together, it makes up of around 50 active
people.

By instructing the members of Kodo,
they are searching for the new form offolk songs.

It was founded in 1978 after the
dissolution of Ogi Okesa-kai to preserveand pass down Ogi Okesa and the threemajor folk songs. They showcase theirperformances during events on the island
as well as oﬀ the island. They have recently
started new challenges, such as
collaborations with Kodo.

Interactions with local elementary
school children in addition to events.

It was founded in 1945 for the main
purpose to preserve and pass down Sado
Okesa, Aikawa Ondo, and Ryotsu Jinku
among others. There are currently around20 active members who are in their 30s to
70s.
(Note)
Though not a part of the Sado Folk Song Association; Nanaura Folk Song
Kenkyu-kai succeeded Nanaura Jinku, Kaifu Folk Song Kenkyu-kai succeeded
Kaifu Jinku, Matsunami-kai and Shofu-kai are also active in the preservation
activities of folk songs.

I would like to exert more eﬀort to popularize thecommon folk songs of Sado within the island.

It all started because of a folk song class at theworkplace. Currently serving as the Secretary General of
the Sado Folk Song Association, he plays the role ofconnecting the folk song groups within the island.
Shozo Shirakawa, President of Nagisa-kai

Passing down the precious local Jinku
to the next generation.

President Hiroshima shares the importanceof local folk songs. "Our group is the only
group able to perform the Hamochi Jinku".
Takatsu belongs to this group as the only
member in his 20s and have highexpectations of him. "I am able to continue
because it is fun. As long as I perform it, I
would like to audience to enjoy theperformance."
Genichi Hiroshima, President of Hamochi Folk Song Kenkyu-kai
Yuta Takatsu, Member of Hamochi Folk Song Kenkyu-kai

Charmed by the profundity of folk songs.

He has been performing as a singer of Tatsunami-kai
both within and outside the island. "Though I havebeen singing the same song for 15 years, I have notbeen able to feel satisfaction of singing it perfectly".
Shigetoshi Nakamura, President of Tatsunami-kai

Treasure the exchanges created through folksongs.

"I feel regrettable that chances to perform the songs
have declined. However, being able to perform inschool have created new opportunities for local
exchanges."
Hatsuo Watanabe, President of Kogane-kai

Learn Sado Folk Songs and aim to win at national competitions.

The local performing arts club in Akadomari
branch school of Hamochi High School,
which closed down in 2006, had won
various prizes in the interscholastic culture
festival. Hamochi High School, the main
school, has a Folk Song Circle and they
participated in the national culture festival
in 2008 for the ﬁrst time.

Local Folk Song Circle at Hamochi High School

There are more!

Sado Okesa

Map of Folk Songson the Island

Sado Okesa is the representative folk song of Sado. It is said tooriginate from the Haiya Bushi in Kita-Kyushu. It was popular in thegold mine in Aikawa as Senkoba Okesa and became famous as Sado
Okesa due to Bunzo Murata. Sado Okesa is the general term for 3
kinds of Okesa ‒ Seicho, Zomeki, and Senkoba.

Aikawa Jinku
Kaifu Jinku

It is said to have been sung during theKanei era (1624 to 1643).

Kaifu Jinku is sung in the Sotokaifu area. It has been sung as a Bon
Odori song as well as a worksong.

Ryotsu Jinku
Aikawa Ondo
Aikawa Ondo is
known as one of thethree major folksongs in Sado. The
song was originallysung while travellingfrom Ogi to the gold
mine in Aikawa before spreading to the rest of theisland as a Bon Odori song. It is characterized by the
masculine and tasteful dance to the quiet melody.

Aikawa area
Sado Gold Mine●

Myoshoji Temple●
Jissoji Temple●

Sawata area

Nanaura area

Mt. Kinpoku▲

Ryotsu area
Ryotsu Port

Kanai area

●Toki Forest Park350

Konponji Temple●

Niibo area

Mitsu Byoshi
Similar to the Aikawa Ondo, the origins of Mitsu
Byoshi is that it was the song originally sung while
travelling from Ogi to the gold mine in Aikawa
during the Edo era. It is also called Kuninaka Ondo.

●Mano Goryo

Nanaura Jinku
350

This Jinku is handed down in the ﬁshingvillage Inekujira located along Nanaura
Beach. It is said that the ﬁshermen learned
the song and came back to Nanaura after
going to Kahoku Nanbu and Hokkaido forsquid ﬁshing. It is often sung during celebration feasts.

Ryotsu Jinku started as the work song forﬁsherman, but was later incorporated with lyrics of
the unique traits and hospitality of the port town.
It is popular for its beautiful and unique melody, as
well as feminine and delicate dance.

Kaifu area

Mano area

Hamochi area

Hatano area

Akadomari area

Ogi area
Ogi Port

Toyota Ondo
Toyota Ondo is the Bon Odori song which belongs
to Kuninaka Ondo. This song takes place at Daikoji
Temple in Toyota area of old Mano Town during the
Bon Festival, and the dancers carry stone statues
enshrined in the temple.

Ogi Okesa
Hanya of Yamada

Ogi Okesa is the transformed song of
the Haiya Bushi which had been
handed down from Kita Kyushu to Ogi
while retaining its original melody. It
can be said to be the original form of
Sado Okesa. It is characterized by its
quick tempo and male dance whichreminds you of the buoyant Haiya
Bushi.

Ogi Ondo
Ogi Ondo is similar to Aikawa Ondo. Though Aikawa
Ondo is a warrior-like dance, Ogi Ondo has been
modiﬁed with dance moves of the common folk.

Haiya Bushi, which had been introduced
from Kita Kyushu to Ogi during the Edoera, had been passed down as Hanya of
Yamada in the Yamada area of old
Akadomari Village. It is said to be theoriginal version of Sado Okesa.

Hamochi Jinku
Hamochi Jinku which is handed down in
the Hamochi area is characterized by therhythmical dance and song with a unique
melody.

A Guide to
Ryotsu Jinku

A Guide to
Aikawa Ondo

Among Jinku, the Bon Odori songs in the island,
Ryotsu Jinku is the most famous. The feminineand delicate folk song which sings of a romancein the port town have entrenched popularity
among fans.
Let us introduce Ryotsu Jinku which relays the
hospitality of the port town.

Aikawa Ondo is said to have come about during
the Edo era and has been sung all over theisland. The transition in lyrics and thecharacteristics of the dance is heavily inﬂuenced
by Sado Gold Mine and the magistrateʼs oﬃce.
Let us explore Aikawa Ondo.

History of "Aikawa Ondo"

History of "Ryotsu Jinku"
Up till the merger in 1901, both
settlements of Ebisu andMinato in Ryotsu had theirunique Bon Odori songs, Ebisu
Jinku, and Minato Jinku, respectively. It is said that Ebisu Jinku
was done in a circle in a quick
tempo; Minato Jinku was donein a slow tempo, appropriate for
dancing along the street.
Ryotsu Jinku was created byarranging the two Jinku. It issimilar to the Ebisu Jinku but
the Shamisen is not used as
much.

Characteristics and Composition
Ryotsu Jinku is characterized to be asoft and delicate dance, especiallythe movemen of the hands andfeet, and is known as the female
dance. It is said that the Geiko
added in the Shamisen and thechoreography you see today at theend of the Taisho era. With the goal
to preserve Ryotsu Jinku, group
dance movements were added to
the Jinku.

The origin of Aikawa Ondo is that
it was the song which had beensung while travelling from Ogi
Port, the entrance to Sado in the
Edo era, to the gold mine in
Aikawa around the Kanbun era(1661 to 1673). After that, it
became popular as a Bon Odori
song all over Sado Island. When it
was ﬁrst sung, the lyrics of Aikawa
Ondo was mostly about aromance and a loversʼ suicide.
However, the magistrate prohibited such loversʼ suicide stories
when they were sung at the gold
mine which was under the directcontrol of the Tokugawa Bakufu
as it was thought to corrupt
public morals. The magistratethen recommended the change
in lyrics to that of war tales, suchas Genpei Gundan. As thecommon folk were allowed toperform with the miners in frontof the magistrateʼs oﬃce, it wasalso called Gozen Ondo, and it isperformed on July 15th of thelunar calendar.

Characteristics and Composition
Aikawa Ondo is characterized to be a masculine and well-modulated dance, also known as
the male dance. There are traces whichindicate that because it was performed in
front of the magistrate, it is said that thedancers wore straw hats which were woventightly together so as to not expose theirfaces. The major diﬀerence from the Ondo
from the mainland is that during the performance, Kozutsumi is used instead of the Taiko,
and the Fue and the Shakuhachi is not used.

A Guide to
Sado Okesa"Sado Okesa" has become the pronoun for Sado.
Surprisingly, this name only came to be known at
the start of the Taisho era. How did "Sado Okesa"
came to be and how did it spread?
Let us take a look at the origins of Sado Okesa tohave a better grasp of the full picture.

The lyrics of Sado Okesa
Story of the birth of Sado Okesa
The origin of Sado Okesa is said to be afeast song, called Haiya Bushi originatedfrom Northern Kyushu during the Edoera. It was handed down to Ogi, which
had prospered as a port of call byboatmen of Kitamaebune. The boatmen
had feasts on land on stormy days andthe Haiya Bushi was sung during the
feasts and came to be called Hanya Bushi,
which spread to the local villages. Afterthe decline of Ogi Port in the Meiji era,
Hanya Bushi became a working song at
the mines in Aikawa. it became popularas Aikawa Okesa or Senkoba Okesa after
it was performed at the Kozan Festival, amine festival, in 1897. On the other hand,the Hanya Bushi still exists in its original
style in Ogi in tbhe form of Ogi Okesa.

The name "Sado Okesa" was born in 1924.
When Murata Bunzo, a member of Tatsunami-kai, put Aikawa Okesa on record, thatwas the ﬁrst time the title Sado Okesa wasused. In the following 10 years, Sado Okesa
spread both within and outside Japanthrough performance tours by the various
groups, including Tatsunami-kai.

It is said that there are more than 100 versions of lyrics of Sado Okesa, including both the traditional ones and those which have been created for tourism
promotion purposes.

Composition of a stage performance
In the case of Sado Okesa
Let us introduce the composition of members when Sado
Okesa is performed on stage during an event. The number ofpeople changes depending on the size and shape of thestage.
There is a singer, shamisen, fue, taiko, and hayashi players,
and are called Jikata as a whole.

SingerFue

The characteristics of the dance
Among all the Sado Okesa dances,
Juroku-soku Odori is the most popular one.
In actuality, it has a set of 19 beats and issaid to have been started from the choreography of Geiko in Ogi to perform the dance
to the Haiya Bushi during a feast. It was thenre-arranged by Tatsunami-kai to become
the Juroku-soku Odori that we see today.
Thrusting the arms forward alternately andfolding the thumb into the palm whilebending the other four ﬁngers backward,
the dancer dances in a circular patternaccording to the steps.

The festivals in which you can see Sado Okesa

DancerTaiko
Hayashi

Sado Performing Arts Festival in spring, Okesa Hananoran, Okesa and Sado, the treasure island of performing arts, and others

ShamisenCharacteristics ofthe three major folk songs

Sado and Folk Songs

Recording in the end of Taisho Era
made the present name of the song.

Sado
Okesa
CostumeCheck
Kasa(straw hat)

Red ribbon

KimonoWhite or bluishkimono withwave design

Sado Okesa is a folk song known throughout
Japan for its plaintive melody and reﬁned
dance. It is said that Haiya Bushi, which
originated from Kyushu during the Edo era,came to Ogi as Hanya Bushi on the Kitamaebune; and the Zashiki song (parlor song)
became the Bon Odori song. After that, Sado
Okesa became popular in Sado as Senkoba
Okesa from the gold mine, Aikawa Okesa, andOgi Okesa. In 1924, Bunzo Murata, a memberof Tatsunami-kai, put Aikawa Okesa on record
and titled it Sado Okesa. That was how Sado
Okesa became known throughout Japan.

Setta(Japanese sandals)

Black ordark-blue
clog thong

Masculine dance performed in front of
the magistrate of the gold mine.

AikawaOndo
CostumeCheck
Kasa(straw hat)

White ribbon

Aikawa Ondo is characterized to be a masculine and well-modulated dance, also known as
the male dance. It is said to be a love song andwas sung as a travelling song from Ogi, theentrance of Sado, to the gold mine in Aikawa
during the Edo era. The Aikawa Ondo was
popular as a command performance for themagistrate at the gold mine since the Bunsei
and Tenpo era. The lyrics were then changed
into the war story of Genji and Heike and havebeen passed down till now.

KimonoWhite or bluishkimono with awave crest

There are a lot of folk songs which have been
handed down in Sado, including Sado Okesa
which is nationally known.
Among these folk songs, Sado Okesa,
Aikawa Ondo, and Ryotsu Jinku are said tobe the present-day three major folk songs.
First, let us introduce the folk songs in Sado
and the characteristics of the three major
folk songs.

Characteristics of Folk Songs in Sado
According to "Kyodo Kenkyu Sado (Local
Study of Sado)" written by Shunosuke
Yamamoto, the folk songs in Sado are

Setta(Japanese sandals)

Blackishclog thong

separated into seasonal event songs such as
Bon Odori (dance) songs, Rosaku (work)
Ryotsu Jinku has entrenched popularity due to its unique melody and excellent musicality.

CostumeCheck

RyotsuJinku
Kasa(straw hat)

Red ribbon

KimonoWhite or bluishkimono withwave design

Setta(divine service) songs, and Buddhist songs.
The most popular songs on Sado currently
are the Bon Odori songs. There are 13 kindsof Bon Odori songs, and the Ondo and Jinku
are the most sung. Locals added the namesof the areas where those songs have beensung to the Ondo and Jinku and handed
them down. In addition to these, there isalso the Okesa Bushi.

Male(Japanese sandals)

When Ebisu and Minato were merged in 1901,
the Jinku which were handed down in bothvillages were arranged into Ryotsu Jinku.
Ryotsu Jinku was said to have started as thework song for ﬁsherman, but incorporated
with lyrics of the unique traits and hospitalityof the port town around the middle of the Meiji
era. This is the representative Bon Odori songin Ryotsu, and is popular as a female dancewith a unique melody and excellent musicality.

songs, Shugi (celebratory) songs, Shinji

FemaleBlackish clog thong for male
Red clog thong for female

ShozoPresident
ofPerformances
Nagisa-kai
WhatisShirakawa,"Introduction
to Artin Sado Island"?

Passing
the precious
local
Jinku down in Sado due to its historical
Variousart down
performances
have been
handedto thenext generation.
andgeographic
backgrounds. Our idea to this booklet is that we want as
President Hiroshima shares the importancemany people as possible to see the real art performances or the treasure ofof local folk songs. "Our group is the only
Sado,
feel
them
and hand
downJinku".
to the next generation. We will present
group
able
to performthethem
Hamochiyoufour kindsof booklets,
Nohgaku,
Taiko,
Puppet Show and Sado Okesa.
Takatsubelongs
to this groupas theonly
member in his 20s and have highexpectations of him. "I am able to continue
becauseis fun.
As long as I perform it, I
Singingitand
DancingQand
wouldlike into Sadoaudience
to Aenjoy the
Folk Songs
performance."
Hiroshima,
President
of Hamochi
Folk SongQ1 There areGenichi
three major
folk songsin Sado.
There is Sado
OkesaKenkyu-kai
and Aikawa
Yuta
Takatsu,Ondo. What is theother
one?Member of Hamochi Folk Song Kenkyu-kai
A Go to "Sado and Folk Songs"!

Charmed by the profundity of folk songs.
Q2 What is the nameof the singer from Tatsunami-kai who put Sado Oksea
He has been performing as a singer of Tatsunami-kai
on record for the ﬁrst time?
both within and outside the island. "Though I have
A Go to "A Guide to Sado Okesa"!
been singing the same song for 15 years, I have notbeen able to feel satisfaction of singing it perfectly".
Q3 What is the song which is said to be the original song of Sado Okesa,
Shigetoshi
Nakamura,
Presidentof Tatsunami-kai
which is handed
down
in Yamada,the old Akadomari Village?
A Go to "There are more! Folk Song Map of the Island"!
Treasure the exchanges created through folksongs.
"I feel regrettable that chances to perform the songs
have declined. However, being able to perform inschool have created new opportunities for local
exchanges."
Hatsuo Watanabe, President of Kogane-kai

Learn Sado Folk Songs and aim to win at national competitions.

The local performing arts club in Akadomari
branch school of Hamochi High School,
which closed down in 2006, had won
various prizes in the interscholastic culture
festival. Hamochi High School, the main
school, has a Folk Song Circle and they
https://sado-niigata.com/
participated in the national culture festival
in 2008 for the ﬁrst time.

Folk Song
CircleJunikagetsu
at Hamochi High School
CoverLocal
Picture “Tenpo
Nenkan Aikawa