Togani ayagu

Tôgani ayagu is a traditional song of the Miyako Islands; along with hônen no uta, it is one of the most frequently, or commonly, sung songs in Miyako.

The song tells of the beauty of Miyako's music, and of conveying that beauty to the people of Okinawa and Yaeyama.

As sanshin was during the time of the Ryûkyû Kingdom restricted to the aristocracy of Shuri and Naha, Tôgani ayagu, like most traditional Miyako songs, was traditionally sung without instrumental accompaniment.

References

• "Okinawa no uta to shokubutsu" 沖縄の歌と植物 ("Songs and Plants of Okinawa"), Lecture by Prof. Uchida Junko, National Museum of Japanese History Botanical Gardens, 27 July 2013.