What is Nanchu Soran?

The Wakkanai South Junior High School (alias "Nanchu") in Wakkanai City, Hokkaido was a junior high school known to people as a school that became rough over 20 years ago, and deep division formed between the teachers and students. However, teachers and the students made up a new Soran dance by bringing together the powerful "Soran Bushi" song of Mr. Takio Ito who presented the concept of the folk song to a certain teacher, with the hope that it would help to make the division disappear some day.

The slogan of Nanchu, from its graduating students to its lower classmen is "The mind is adjusted to one, and I will aim at the top of Japan.”  With this spirit and much hard work, the students and their teachers went on to win the Prime Minister’s grand prize at the 10th Japanese Folk Song dance competition.

After winning the competition, the story of Nanchu and their Soran dance was aired on Tokyo television and many people were moved by their story.   From the broadcast many people found that power of the dance speaks to the heart and it extends in the soul.  

Sine the broadcast many other teachers in elementary, junior and senior high schools have introduced the Soran dance into their classes as part of their physical education programs.

The spirit of Nanchu and its charm on people keeps increasing in the whole country, and has even extended to foreign countries.