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"Shanko♪Shanko♪," a song that everyone in Hokkaido knows, is back! The long-awaited "Children's Bon Dance Song" will be released as a standalone CD.
📢NEWS 🏮Shaanko shaanko shaan shaan 🏮 " Children's Bon Dance Song " has been loved by people of all generations in Hokkaido Release date set for Wednesday, July 30th🎉 More than 70 years after the record was released, this is the first time it has been released on CD! It's designed to play for over an hour, making it perfect for Bon Odori festivals! 💿Details https://t.co/0drxNUCntR pic.twitter.com/Y7CON706zx
— King Records J-POP/J-ROCK (@kingrecord_rock) July 3, 2025
"That music" that everyone in Hokkaido knows is back!
On a summer night in Hokkaido, children gather around a stage in the park and dance to the tune of "Shanko♪Shanko♪"... It has been announced that the "Children's Bon Dance," a dance that every Hokkaido resident has danced to at least once, will be released for the first time as a standalone CD on July 30, 2025.
This long-play version is designed for long-dance performances at Bon Odori festivals, with a whopping 25 consecutive plays, lasting approximately an hour. It also includes the lyrics and choreography from the original cassette tape release in 2002, as well as a detailed explanation. The jacket is also a reproduction, using the original film from the same time.
"Chanko?" "Isn't it chanko?" A common misconception among Hokkaido natives
When you sing this song, the chorus always comes to mind. When I was a child, I used to sing "Chanko ♪ Chanko ♪," but the correct answer is "Shanko." The "Shanko" in the lyrics represents the jingling sound of horse bells. "What?! It wasn't chanko?" "I always thought it was chanko when I was little!" You can probably hear voices like this all over the place, and it's a common refrain among Hokkaido residents.
There was a time when neighborhood associations would use the same cassette tape too many times, causing the song to suddenly drag on or take on a strange tune, but this will definitely come in handy for this year's Bon Odori festival! Give it a try this summer and enjoy the "Shanko ♪ Shankko ♪" with a new feeling.
*Thumbnail is taken from King Records J-POP/J-ROCK Official X *Photo is for illustrative purposes only.
