Name:Samuel asperin

Section: ABM-182

SORAN BUSHI
Sōran Bushi is one of the most famous traditional songs and dance in Japan. It is a Japanese sea
shanty that is said to have been first sung by the fishermen of Hokkaidō, northern Japan.
Sōran Bushi accompanies the bon dance in many parts of Japan, and it has its own dancing styles
that date back generations. The dance acts by acting ocean waves, fishermen dragging nets, pulling
ropes and lifting luggage over their shoulders. This dance is taught in many schools across Japan
as part of the curriculum.
During regular intervals of the dance, the words "DOKKOISHO! DOKKOISHO!" and "SORAN!
SORAN!" are called. Those words were used in the past to encourage the fisherman during their
work.
Soran Bushi, a Japanese work song, allows for exploration into Japanese culture (work
song/environment/nature) as well as exploration in creative composition/arranging. This unit takes
students on an aural journey from the boats of the Hokkaido fishermen to their own perspective &
interpretation, giving students a sense of pulse and rhythm as they compose and arrange, inspired
by Japanese traditional music.
SORAN BUSHI

Soran Bushi is one of Japan's most popular. It's a sea shanty that originated with migrant fishermen
in the northern island of Hokkaido and is now performed all over Japan in schools and festivals.
The song's lyrics sing of the joy of pulling in huge fish, descriptions of the rolling seas, and of
course, trying to get girls. It's the usual stuff of sea shanties. Along with the song there's an
elaborate dance that depicts pulling in a fishing net, setting out the boat, ocean waves, and other
fishing-related motions.
Soran Bushi is performed by dancing groups during festivals throughout the year, most particularly
during the Obon season in the summertime, and is also commonly taught in Japanese schools.
Some dance groups put their own unique twist on it by adding modern dance moves.
Soran Bushi was created by migrant workers who went up to Hokkaido during the busy fishing
season. They would sing the song while transferring herrings from drift nets to small boats. The
migrant fishermen would work for days without sleep and they'd sing songs like Soran Bushi to
stay awake. The lyrics were mostly improvisational and interspersed tales of the hearty fisherman's
life