Tōshin Dōi
"Tōshin Dōi" or "Tooshin Dooi" is an Okinawan folk song. It is a popular eisa song and is typically played at the end of Okinawan music festivals.
In the 14th century, the Ryukyuans became a tributary state of China, causing extensive trade to occur between the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ming dynasty. "Tōshin Dōi" was often performed when Chinese ships arrived in Okinawa to trade with locals.
Lyrics
There are many variants of "Tōshin Dōi", with singers choosing their own verses beyond the first. The first verse remains the same across all versions, and describes the grandfather of a man from Wakasamachi village named Shinafa. While the rest of the village is excited by the arrival of the Chinese ships and run off to the port of Nafa, Shinafa's grandfather remains calm and does not run. It is left to the singer to explain in the subsequent lyrics why Shinafa's grandfather remains calm.| Okinawan | Okinawan rōmaji | Japanese translation | English translation |
ドーイさんてーまん いっさんえーならんしや（ユイヤネ） ね（サー）ぬ（ハイヤ センスル ユイヤナー） | Wakasamachimura nu Shinafa nu tanmē | 唐船が来たぞと騒いでも 一目散に走らないのは（ユイヤネ） 若狭町村の（サー）瀬名波のおじいさん（ハイヤ センスル ユイヤナー） | Even when they shout that a Chinese ship is coming, The grandfather of Shinafa in Wakasamachi village does not run off at full speed. |