is the prefecture song of

Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, created for educational purposes. Because of its popular appearance in public areas such as train stations and TV programs, a large segment of the prefecture's population can remember the song. Sometimes the song is used (half jestingly) to test one's patriotism to the region. The song was played during the opening ceremony of the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...

to accompany the Parade of Nations. The song was created in 1900, and was officially designated as Nagano's prefectural song on 20 May 1968. The lyrics were written by , a Nagano-born teacher, and the tune was composed by .It consists of a total of 6 numbers, and only the 4th has a different melody and tempo (it is said that the reason why the 4th is different is to add emotion). The lyrics are divided into sections as follows: An overview of the geography of Nagano Prefecture mountains and rivers industry Historic Site/Scenic Beauty Notable people from Nagano Usui Pass and the railway (Shinetsu Main Line opened several years before the composition), concluding

References

{{Authority control 1900 songs Culture in Nagano Prefecture Japanese-language songs Japanese prefecture songs 1900 establishments in Japan

See also

References