Tatsuno City

Hyogo Prefecture

The nursery song called "Akatombo," meaning "Red Dragonfly," has been sung for many generations. The words of this song were written by a famous poet, Miki Rofu (1889-1964), when he was working at a monastery in Hokkaido. The words express his nostalgia and affection for his mother, childhood and faraway hometown, Tatsuno. The song appeared in the nursery song book, "Shinjujima" ("A Pearl Island") in 1921, and it was set to music by Yamada Kosaku, a famous composer, in 1927.
Rofu's parents were divorced, because of his father's waywardness, when Rofu was young, and he was brought up by his grandfather. This nation's beloved song, "Akatombo," was born from Rofu's nostalgic thoughts about his distant mother and home.
In Tatsuno, "Akatombo" is considered the origin of the city's cultural character, and on October 7, 1984, Tatsuno city declared itself "The Hometown of Nursery Songs." Through nursery songs, the city has endeavored to nurture feelings and creativity, with the wish that children can grow up healthy and optimistic. The "Japan Nursery Song Festival," an educational and cultural event, has been organized in cooperation with the Japan Nursery Song Association and other music bodies, and it was held for the thirteenth time this year.