EDITORIALS
Chanko? Chanko or Shanko? What is "Kodomo Bon Odori" that people in Hokkaido know?
The official lyrics of the "Kodomo Bon Odori" song are "Shanko" is the correct answer.
It is said that "shanko" in the lyrics expresses the "shanko" sound of a bell attached to a horse, but many people must have thought this part was "chanko. There was probably one reason for the similarity in pronunciation, making it easy to make a mistake, but there was actually another reason.
The song was first introduced to the world in 1952. Then, in 1995, a new sound source was produced by the Dandelion Children's Chorus, which was different from the original version. At this point, the first sound source had been in use for more than 40 years, so it is not surprising that there was talk of making a new one.
However, in this version, "shanko" was changed to "chanko" without the author's permission, and the lyrics, which had been limited to three verses, were increased to eight verses.
Naturally, this was problematic from a copyright standpoint, and as a result, the song was discontinued in 2002 (Heisei 14). Nevertheless, it is believed that the song was used in many venues for about seven years, during which time "chanko" must have taken root to some extent.
Official lyrics inscribed on the monument
Despite such events along the way, most venues still use the version that was first recorded; it is amazing that a sound that was created over 70 years ago is still played in its original form.
Note that cassette tapes were available on Amazon until a few years ago, but at the time of writing (June 2023) they were out of stock.
Children's Bon Odori Song Cassette Tape
The paper inside the tape explains the choreography
Surprisingly, this tape has not been made into a CD, and it is said that the only CD source is the one currently available here.
[Buddhist hymns] Buddhist children's songs Mihotoke-sama no Kodomotachi - Hanamatsuri Koshoku Iri (CD)
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