[80s Japanese Music] Popular Christmas songs: from hit tracks to hidden gems!

Merry Christmas SnowKusunose Seishiro

Merry Christmas Snow / Seishiro Kusunose Voice School Breavo-para

Beloved by many listeners as a Christmas song whose gentle voice seeps into the heart, it features Seishiro Kusunose’s soft vocals and melody that beautifully paint a winter scene.

The lyrics intertwine a snow-covered townscape with feelings of love, leaving a warm afterglow in the listener’s heart.

Among Kusunose’s solo works, it stands out as an especially memorable track, earning high praise from fans.

Released after Flipper’s Guitar disbanded, this piece showcases the breadth of his musicality.

It’s perfect for a quiet night of relaxed listening or as BGM for spending Christmas with someone special.

WHITE X’MASTHE BLUE HEARTS

THE BLUE HEARTS「WHITE X’MAS」

You can’t leave out their presence when talking about the Japanese rock scene from the ’80s to the ’90s.

This is a song by the legendary rock band THE BLUE HEARTS that was performed only once, at their Christmas live show in 1985.

The original is the globally renowned Christmas song White Christmas by composer Irving Berlin.

They turned it into a characteristically fast-paced, quintessentially punk sound that’s unmistakably theirs.

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Kissin’ ChristmasKuwata Keisuke & His Friends

Kissin’ Christmas (It’s Not Because It’s Christmas)

It’s a Christmas song created by Keisuke Kuwata, the vocalist of Southern All Stars, singer-songwriter Yumi Matsutoya, and the KUWATA BAND.

It was used as the theme song for the music program “Merry X’mas Show,” broadcast on December 24 in 1986 and 1987.

Christmas is the big year-end event.

Looking back on the year, you were always by my side… Those feelings are woven into the lyrics of this heartwarming love song.

Couples and married partners should definitely give it a listen.

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As if singing a Christmas songNakajima Miyuki

Midosuji 2022: Singing Christmas Songs – Miyuki Nakajima (Song Calendar)

This is a hidden gem that overlays the glittering, festive day of Christmas with a delicate, fleeting longing for love.

It’s included on Miyuki Nakajima’s 1987 live album “Utakoyomi,” and portrays the desire to be loved just for today.

On Christmas, when the city is covered in snow and people act with kindness, she wishes to be cherished as someone special.

While accepting a one-night relationship that will revert to strangers when the calendar turns, she still longs to spend that moment as if they were true lovers—a feeling that resonates deeply.

The quiet arrangement centered on voice and acoustic guitar highlights the tremors of restrained emotion.

It’s a song I’d recommend to anyone greeting Christmas night while carrying complicated feelings for someone dear.

All on this nightYoshikawa Koji

All on this night

Kohji Kikkawa’s ninth single, released in September 1986, is a gem of a rock number written and composed by Motoharu Sano.

The original song was offered to Kenji Sawada, but Kikkawa’s version features a minimalist, guitar-driven arrangement that fuses a romantic aesthetic with passionate vocals to create a world uniquely its own.

Peaking at No.

4 on the Oricon chart, this work also symbolizes a turning point as he shifted from idol image to rock artist.

With a melody that carries the quiet and poignancy of the night, it’s a song that will keep you company on a solitary Christmas Eve or add warmth to a special holy night with someone dear.

SonatineMatsumoto Iyo

Sonatina

Iyo Matsumoto, who took the nation by storm as a leading idol of the 1980s.

Released in 1988, this song is a poignant ballad written and composed by Senri Oe.

It paints a winter night’s tale where regret and memories intertwine: in the bustle of Christmas, the narrator spots a former lover, but lets them pass by without calling out.

The delicate arrangement, centered on piano and strings, and her mature, low-register vocal delivery are striking, capturing another, less glittering side of Christmas.

The track was also included on the album “Private File” and sold around 5,000 copies.

It’s an adult Christmas song, perfect for nights when you wander the city with a touch of loneliness.

Christmas Nightsaitou yuki

Christmas Night (Yuki Saito cover) / Daisuke Minamizawa feat. Rita

This song by Yuki Saito, which paints a romantic picture of Christmas night, is her 12th single, released in November 1988.

With lyrics written by Saito herself, it poignantly depicts a special moment shared by two people.

Peaking at No.

49 on the Oricon chart, the song celebrates the preciousness of quiet moments spent in love.

Released as a CD single that included a Christmas card, it’s a track that showcases Saito’s rich musicality and timeless appeal.

A heartwarming ballad recommended for a Christmas night spent with someone special.