The Showa-era pop scene produced countless masterpieces—what kind of songs do you like? Even after decades, there are so many wonderful tunes whose lyrics you still remember and find yourself humming, etched in your heart.
Among them, this article will introduce songs perfect for autumn, selected from popular hits of the 1980s.
Whether you listened to them in real time back then or are from a younger generation who didn’t experience that era, please enjoy these timeless classics that will resonate with your heart.
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Autumn songs that were hits in the ’80s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (1–10)
The Wind RisesMatsuda Seiko
A great autumn song by the legendary idol Seiko Matsuda that I recommend is “Kaze Tachinu.” It was released as a single from the 1981 album of the same name, created by the golden duo of lyricist Takashi Matsumoto and composer Eiichi Ohtaki.
It was also used in a Glico Pocky commercial and reached No.
1 on the Oricon singles chart.
The song portrays a woman’s resolve as she departs from a man, making it a perfect fit for the wistful, lonely feeling of autumn.
SEPTEMBERTakeuchi Mariya
One of Mariya Takeuchi’s early signature songs is “SEPTEMBER.” The low bass that anchors the rhythm, the horns that color the track, and its refreshingly nostalgic Showa-era melody are still beloved by many even in the Reiwa era.
With this song, Mariya Takeuchi won the New Artist Award at the 21st Japan Record Awards.
Takashi Matsumoto’s lyrics—“A love that heated up in summer faded away in autumn”—are also exquisite.
It’s a highly recommended track you’ll want to listen to when autumn comes.
We might never meet again.Kikuchi Momoko
Momoko Kikuchi is a singer who has been active in many fields, also working as an actor and TV personality, and even becoming a visiting professor at her alma mater in 2012.
Her sixth single, “Mou Aenai Kamoshirenai,” used as the CM song for Ezaki Glico’s Pocky, features a wistful intro that resonates with the atmosphere of autumn.
Memories that fade without our feelings ever being expressed seem to reveal the cruelty of the changing seasons.
With its delicate vocals and sentimental melody, it’s a classic masterpiece from the Showa era that truly touches the heart.
Autumn IndicationMinamino Yoko
This is the ninth single by Yoko Minamino, who debuted through Miss Magazine, an audition held by the Weekly Shonen Magazine group, and quickly climbed the road to stardom, landing the lead role in Sukeban Deka: Legend of the Iron-Masked Girl.
Above all, the iron mask from Sukeban Deka became a huge talking point.
Everyone used to imitate her Tosa-dialect line, “Omanra yurusanzeyo” (“I won’t forgive you all!”) for fun.
This song, which reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts, portrays the world of youth by taking an autumn heartbreak in a positive light.
One of its highlights is the interesting composition that weaves major and minor keys within a single track.
The B-side, Hitotsu Mae no Akai Ito, is a great song too—listen if you get the chance!
Embraced by the wintry windKoizumi Kyoko
“Kogarashi ni Dakarete” is Kyoko Koizumi’s 20th single, released in 1986.
Composed by Toshihiko Takamizawa of THE ALFEE, the song was featured in the film “Don’t Lay a Hand on My Girl,” starring Koizumi, and reached No.
3 on the Oricon Singles Chart.
It’s a classic that has since been covered by many artists, including the rock band On-Soku Line and voice actress Aya Hirano.
With its somewhat lonely and heartrending atmosphere, it’s a perfect song for the autumn season when the cold, wintry winds begin to blow.
The wind is autumn-colored.Matsuda Seiko
An autumn song by Seiko Matsuda, released in 1980.
It’s about spending autumn alone after a summer romance comes to an end.
In the lyrics, memories of the summer they shared are contrasted with the poignant autumn scenery experienced in solitude—something many listeners can surely relate to.
On the other hand, the song itself is uptempo, with an especially catchy chorus that epitomizes the charm of Showa-era pop.
Combined with Seiko Matsuda’s strong vocals, it really gets you moving.
Yet the gap between the lyrics and the lively arrangement almost feels like a reflection of the contrast between summer and autumn, which makes the heartbreak feel all the more poignant.
cosmos (flower)Yamaguchi Momoe
I feel like it was the success of the song “Akizakura” that led to the widespread understanding that the kanji 秋桜 is read as “cosmos.” Until then, Momoe Yamaguchi had been following the so-called “tough girl” path with the coolest songs from the powerhouse duo of Ryudo Uzaki and Yoko Aki.
This track shocked the world by showing a complete change in her expression.
The lyrics and music are by the one and only Masashi Sada.
There’s even an anecdote that it took two years to complete the song.
It’s a quintessential Showa-era autumn classic, brimming with heartbreakingly tender parent–child affection!