The Lyricist Was a Teacher from Ebetsu City

When the original "Children's Bon Odori Uta" was released in the 1950s, Bon dancing was booming along with Japan's post-war recovery, but the events were primarily for adults. There was a prevailing opinion that it was not appropriate for children to mix in, sing, and dance.

In response, the Hokkaido Board of Education and other organizations planned the "Children's Bon Odori Uta" so that children could enjoy Bon dancing in a wholesome way. The lyricist, Ichiro Tsubomatsu, was a school teacher in Ebetsu at the time. Because of this connection, a monument to the song was erected in Kawanaka Park in the Nopporo area of Ebetsu City.

The song monument erected in the park

The back of the song monument

CD Release in 2025! Plus Boldly Arranged Versions

Now a song known to practically every Hokkaido resident, the "Children's Bon Odori Uta" is also performed in new arrangements. This version is by the Sapporo August Festival Special Big Band, led by Yoshihide Otomo, who composed the music for the NHK morning TV drama "Amachan." It was performed at the "August Festival" in Sapporo in 2016 and is a rather bold arrangement.

This is an original arrangement featuring Hatsune Miku, produced as part of our Domingo project. It was created for the "Hokkaido Anywhere Bon Odori" event held in 2021 and 2022 as an "anywhere danceable Bon Odori," since local Bon dances were being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The choreography is performed by Snow Miku and Rabbit Yukine.

Furthermore, the original recording is finally getting a standalone CD release in 2025. It's a long-play edition that repeats the song 25 times for about an hour, and it reproduces the film jacket from the 2002 cassette release. In addition to the original lyrics and choreography, it will also include a new commentary booklet.

That "Shanko Shanko" Will Be Heard Again This Year...!

The "Children's Bon Odori Uta" continues to be loved across generations. It's no exaggeration to call it Hokkaido's soul song. We want to preserve it as a proud piece of Hokkaido's culture for the next generation, and the generation after that.

*The thumbnail image is for illustrative purposes only.

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