TOKYO - A ranking of Japan’s most skilled singing prefectures has placed Aomori at No.1 for the second consecutive year, prompting fresh curiosity over why residents there tend to score highly in karaoke assessments, according to a survey conducted by N-Sta.
The “singing skill prefecture ranking” is compiled by calculating average karaoke scores for each prefecture using scoring functions on karaoke systems, with data provided by Daiichikosho’s DAM service. Aomori secured the top position for the second year in a row, while Okinawa ranked last for the second consecutive year.
The top 10 were Aomori in first place, followed by Hokkaido, Yamagata, Nagasaki, Ehime, Iwate, Shimane, Yamaguchi and Saga in a tie for eighth, and Kumamoto in tenth. Tokyo ranked 13th and Osaka 40th, while Okinawa placed 47th.
According to vocal coach Yasushi Takamaki, high karaoke scores depend heavily on pitch accuracy, rhythm, and techniques such as kobushi (ornamental turns) and shakuri (sliding into notes). He suggested that Aomori residents may excel in these elements due to the region’s strong folk song tradition.
Aomori is known as a treasure trove of minyo, or traditional folk songs, many of which feature wide vocal ranges, complex melodic phrasing, and fast tempos. Exposure to such music may help residents develop advanced vocal control and technique from an early age. People from Aomori interviewed for the survey said karaoke equipment is common in homes and that singing is a staple of family gatherings, while others noted they often sing loudly during farm work when alone.
Looking at the ranking overall, several northeastern prefectures placed near the top, including Yamagata in third and Iwate in sixth, suggesting that regional folk traditions may play a broader role in shaping singing ability across the Tohoku region.
By contrast, Okinawa’s last-place ranking may reflect differences in karaoke culture rather than singing ability. Staff at a karaoke venue in Okinawa said many residents love singing but prioritize enjoyment over scores. A former karaoke shop worker from the prefecture said people often head to karaoke after late-night drinking, sometimes bringing along a sanshin, the traditional Okinawan instrument, to play and sing together.
Takamaki noted that Okinawans sing frequently and enthusiastically, with even choir members heading to karaoke after practice, but that the culture emphasizes group enjoyment rather than competing for points. This difference in approach may affect average scores without indicating lower singing ability.
Actor and television personality Miho Owada commented that Okinawa’s rich folk music tradition makes the ranking surprising, noting that minyo requires very precise pitch and that even slight deviations can lower karaoke scores. She added that discovering Aomori’s strong singing reputation was an unexpected but welcome insight.
Regional identity also shows up in local songs. In Okinawa, the song “Dynamic Ryukyu,” popularized through an Orion Beer commercial, frequently ranks high in karaoke charts in nightlife districts. Nagano’s prefectural song “Shinano no Kuni” is widely known among residents and has even been credited with strengthening local unity, while Yokohama City’s municipal song is taught in public elementary schools. Interestingly, the prefecture that sings the most songs by Southern All Stars and TUBE is not Kanagawa but Miyazaki, reflecting local preferences tied to themes such as the sea and summer.
Source: TBS
