[Japanese Music] A Collection of Heart-Touching Hit Folk Songs from the 1970s
What kind of songs come to mind when you hear “folk songs”? While folk music has its roots in traditional ballads and ethnic music, it evolved over time into various forms, became widespread, and produced many massive hits known by everyone.
This article focuses on the 1970s—a period when folk songs came to be recognized as popular music and transitioned into what was called “New Music,” and when many legendary singer-songwriters who left their mark on Japanese music history emerged—and compiles classic, blockbuster folk songs from that era.
The youthful inner landscapes sung with beautiful melodies and richly poetic expression are sure to resonate with younger generations as well.
If you’re interested in Showa-era popular songs, be sure to check it out!
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Classic nostalgic hits: A collection of youth songs
- A collection of nostalgic hit songs and classics from the 70s
- A classic Japanese folk song passed down through generations of acoustic performances
- [Showa Era] A roundup of nostalgic folk song classics and popular tracks you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- [1970s] Collection of Japanese hit songs. Nostalgic masterpieces of Japan
- [2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth
- Heart-touching, tear-jerking masterpieces from the Showa era
- Just listening to it purifies the heart... A healing song born in the Showa era.
- The nostalgic atmosphere tugs at your heartstrings. Tear-jerker songs from the Showa era.
- Timeless classics only! Showa-era hit songs perfect for acoustic sing-alongs
- Popular Showa-era pop. Timeless hit songs.
- Hit songs in Japan in the late 1960s
- [Showa Kayō] A roundup of Japanese love songs that hit in the 1970s
[J-Pop] A Compilation of Heartfelt 1970s Folk Song Hits (41–50)
Cape TourYamamoto Kōtarō to Uīkuendo
Released in June 1974 as the debut single of Kotaro Yamamoto and The Weekend, this song is a classic that sings of the pain of heartbreak and the hope that follows.
It delicately portrays a man trying to heal his emotional wounds by touring capes along the coast, with the beauty of nature offering quiet comfort—an especially striking image.
Featuring a gentle melody and poetic lyrics, it became a major hit, peaking at No.
5 on the Oricon Singles Chart.
For karaoke, it’s recommended to sing while picturing natural scenery, infusing your performance with both the bittersweetness of lost love and the courage to move forward.
With lyrics that resonate and a familiar, approachable melody, it remains a beloved song across generations.
Children Who Don’t Know WarJirōzu
It was released on February 5, 1971.
Although it sounds like a light, upbeat tune with a lively rhythm, it is an anti-war song.
At a time when the Vietnam War was underway, this song took a firm stand against the war and became one of Japan’s representative anti-war songs.
With this song, Jiro’s won the New Artist Award at the 1971 Japan Record Awards.
Ah, youthyoshida takurou
It was first released in 1975 by the band Trans-Am, with the composition by Takuro Yoshida.
Yoshida later covered it himself, and Masatoshi Nakamura has also covered it.
This passionate song about youth is perfect for belting out at karaoke.
It was spring, wasn’t it?yoshida takurou
This is a song whose warm melody gently wraps around memories of spring, and whose wistful lyrics resonate deeply.
While beautifully looking back on a love that has passed, it delicately captures emotions as they change with the flow of time.
Takuro Yoshida’s soft vocals and the simple yet striking guitar tones paint the scenes even more vividly.
Included on the album “Genkidesu,” released in July 1972, this work suggests a new musical sensibility that transcends the boundaries of folk songs.
It’s a captivating track you’ll want to listen to in the season when the arrival of spring can be felt.
The Drunkard Has ReturnedZa Fōku Kurusedāzu
With a high-pitched voice and humor-laden musical expression, a fantastical story unfolds that shuttles between heaven and earth.
While satirically conveying the dangers of drunk driving, its innovative musicality—woven with nods to the Beatles, the Heart Sutra, and even Beethoven—is captivating.
Released by The Folk Crusaders in December 1967, the song became the first million-seller in Oricon chart history and was even adapted into a Toei film.
Far from sounding like a track born to fill out an album, this masterpiece combines experimental sound with social consciousness, making it a recommended tune for those who want to savor life’s subtleties along with a good laugh.