Ryuka

• Japanese: 琉歌 (ryuuka)

Ryûka is the most standard form of traditional poetry in the Ryûkyû Islands. A standard ryûka consists of four lines, with an 8-8-8-6 mora structure (in contrast to the 5-7-5-7-7 structure of Japanese tanka).

Songs in the classical Okinawan repertoire of uta-sanshin (song accompanied on sanshin) are often based on ryûka.

References

• Thompson, Robin. "The Music of Ryukyu." Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. p311.