is the prefectural song of

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, created for educational purposes. Because of its popular appearance in public areas such as train stations and TV programs, more than half of adults who grew up in the prefecture can sing at least one of its stanzas. 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 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events ...

to accompany the Parade of Nations. ''Shinano no kuni'' is the Japanese name for the old

Shinano Province or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture. Shinano bordered Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...

, to which the current Nagano prefecture is contiguous. 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 six stanzas, the fourth having a different melody and tempo from the rest. It is said that the reason why the fourth verse 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 Songs in Japanese Japanese prefectural songs 1900 establishments in Japan Compositions in F major

See also

References