[Drinking Songs] Timeless Classics and the Latest Hit Tracks to Enjoy with a Drink
Songs about alcohol.
Do you have a favorite one?
When it comes to drinking, beyond the types of alcohol themselves, there are all kinds of situations: getting lively with a crowd, quietly sipping alone, or soaking up the mood at a bar.
In this article, we’ll introduce classic songs about drinking that suit various scenes, situations, and emotions.
We’ve selected a wide range from nostalgic hits of the ’70s and ’80s to the latest chart-toppers, so enjoy the differences in vibe across the decades.
- [Intoxication and Music] A collection of pleasant Japanese songs to accompany your drinks
- Songs that hype you up just by listening—recommended tracks from timeless classics to the latest releases
- Easy-to-sing songs recommended for men in their 70s: A collection of classic hits you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Lively songs recommended for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic enka and kayōkyoku
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- Songs that get people in their 30s pumped up: a roundup of nostalgic tracks that are also great for karaoke
- A Must-See for Those in Their 20s: A Collection of Youthful Songs That Bring Back School Days
- [Karaoke] Recommended Songs for Men in Their 80s: A Collection of Showa-Era Classics You’ll Want to Belt Out
- [Must read] Songs with great lyrics. Moving songs you’ll want to listen to while reading the lyrics
- A love song that makes a man in his sixties relive his youth. Timeless classics that rekindle the romances of those days.
- [Relaxed & Gentle] A calm track with an easy, unhurried tempo
- Breakup songs recommended for people in their 80s: a collection of classic tracks that capture heartbreaking feelings
[Drinking Songs] Classic Evergreens and Latest Hit Tracks to Enjoy While Savoring a Drink (71–80)
In a new city for the first timeNishida Sachiko
It was used as the commercial song for Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing starting in 1975 and was released in 1979.
In 2009, it was covered by the African American enka singer Jero.
Part of the lyrics was changed to “Kiku-Masamune” for the commercial, and the song is still used in the ads today, making it well known across a wide range of generations in Japan.
Northern fishing groundsKitajima Saburō
Among Saburo Kitajima’s works, the song “Kita no Gyojo” is one that’s especially packed with motifs that feel quintessentially “him,” both in its sound and its lyrics.
It sings of boarding a boat for medium to long stretches, heading out to distant fishing grounds, and sharing the toil of daily life while constantly encouraging one another.
This arrangement in particular stands out for the horn section in the intro that evokes Hakodate, and the dense, era-evoking bass beat—together they fuse incredibly well with Sabu-chan’s voice.
Hearing it on stage really drives home the feeling of “Saburo Kitajima is right here!”
Drunk and reelingKatsura Ginshuku
Yoidorate (Staggering Drunk) by the Korean-born singer Ginshi Katsura is a song about trying to forget painful experiences with the help of alcohol.
Released in 1989, it became a major hit, winning numerous awards such as the Gold Prize at the 31st Japan Record Awards and the Wired Music Award at the 22nd Japan Cable Radio Awards.
No matter how hard things get, we put on a brave face and keep living, but once we’re alone, we’re overwhelmed by a sorrow that makes us want to give up on life altogether.
Many people have likely felt that way at some point.
Katsura’s husky voice further brings out the painful emotions expressed in the lyrics.
[Drinking Songs] Classic Evergreens and Latest Hit Tracks to Enjoy with a Drink (81–90)
Dekansho BushiHyōgo-ken Sasayama-shi Rōdōka
The Dekansho-bushi is said to be a work song from Tamba in Hyogo Prefecture that became a folk song.
Its rhythm is considered especially well-suited for brewing sake, and through master brewers (toji) who grew up in this area and worked as technicians at breweries producing seasonings and alcoholic beverages across Japan, the song spread nationwide.
It has been used in commercials for various sake brands and is still sung at some small, hand-crafted breweries today—making it a tune inseparably linked with sake.
If The Sea Was WhiskeyWillie Dixon
Willie Dixon, who wrote many famous blues songs.
This is a song where, if the sea were whiskey, he’d want to dive in like a duck.
Perhaps there’s also a warning in there about not getting drunk despite it all.
It has a stylish, laid-back vibe you could imagine playing as restaurant background music, and that hazy feel is nice too.
Listening to it is somehow calming.
It seems perfect for relaxing and slowly sipping a drink while soaking in that richly flavorful sound.
HighballNishikido Ryo
Ryo Nishikido, who was the main vocalist of Kanjani Eight and transitioned to a singer-songwriter in 2019.
“Highball” is a track included on his second album, Note, released in 2021.
Its bright yet nostalgic vibe pairs perfectly with Nishikido’s warmly human vocals, making it a song that keeps you company during those moments spent alone with a drink in hand.
It portrays the conflicted heart of a man wrestling with the “past.” Nishikido himself apparently can’t drink highballs, but he said the word just sounded right.
The bouncy piano and bluesy feel in the interlude are incredibly stylish!
Dream-Chasing SakeAtsumi Jirō
This is Jiro Atsumi’s fifth single, released in 1978.
Although it initially failed to gain traction, it became a hit thanks to Atsumi’s steady nationwide promotional efforts.
It holds the rare distinction of topping the yearly Oricon chart without ever reaching number one on the weekly rankings.