Anti-war songs that pierce the heart: Japan’s masterpieces conveying prayers for peace
Music sometimes has the power to move people’s hearts and exert a great influence on society.
Among such works, anti-war songs imbued with wishes for peace have appealed across generations, conveying both the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace to many.
The anti-war songs etched into Japan’s musical history contain profound messages that we who live today must never forget.
In this article, we highlight Japanese anti-war songs—focusing mainly on popular Japanese music—and explain the backgrounds of the tracks and the sentiments embedded in their lyrics.
We invite you to take this opportunity to reflect anew on war and peace.
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[Anti-war songs that pierce the heart] Prayers for peace conveyed by Japan’s classic masterpieces (101–110)
Across timeHY
HY is a band that has released many heartrending love songs and continues to be loved.
Their song “Toki o Koe” is included on the 2010 album Whistle.
Don’t the lyrics—shaped by the fact that they’re a band from Okinawa—tighten your chest with every word they sing and convey? The stories about war told by a grandmother make you feel that nothing is born from war.
Beyond the preciousness of life, this is a song that powerfully makes you feel that the message “war is wrong” should be passed down forever.
cobalt blueThe Back Horn
THE BACK HORN’s anti-war themed song features profound lyrics centered on the fragility of life and the possibility of renewal.
The expression of becoming the wind at dawn and becoming one symbolizes unity and solidarity among people.
Included on the album “Headphone Children,” released in March 2005, and used as an insert song in the film “CASSHERN,” the track is marked by powerful guitar riffs and melodic vocals.
While chafing against the absurdity of the world, it depicts a determination to carve out proof of one’s existence, making it a song that resonates with those struggling in life.
No more warGReeeeN
GReeeeN is a four-member vocal group that has released numerous hit tunes since their debut, including “Ai Uta” and “Kiseki.” The song “no more war,” included on their second album “Ah, Hello Again,” leaves a lingering impression with its intro of melancholic guitar arpeggios.
The message, which weaves together sorrow and anger over innocent children losing their lives because of a few foolish adults, prompts us to reflect on the weight of the future that war steals away.
It’s a lyrical pop tune whose rap over a rich, layered ensemble and a driving, soaring chorus stirs the heart.
Younger Brother of the Vast SkyFukurai Suzuko
This song, sung by Suzuko Fukurai, is a moving piece that delicately portrays the feelings of a family living under the shadow of war.
It gently expresses her thoughts for a younger brother far away and the anxieties of everyday life, touching the hearts of listeners.
Performed as an in-story song in the NHK morning drama series “Boogie Woogie,” the track is included on the album “Suzuko Fukurai Masterpieces,” released in December 2023.
Imbued with the experiences of those who lived through war, it conveys the importance of peace.
It is a song for everyone who knows the pain of war and for all who yearn for peace.
I don’t know war.The Folk Crusaders
A song by the music production collective The Folk Crusaders—also known by the abbreviation “Folkru”—who released numerous classics, beginning with their debut single ‘Kaette Kita Yopparai’ (Return of the Drunkards).
The lyrics poignantly portray how even those who have never known war itself can still have their lives darkened by its aftermath.
Even in the face of irreparable tragedy, the lines about grasping happiness convey a universal, fundamentally human desire for well-being.
While vividly depicting the negative impacts of war, it is an anti-war song that teaches the preciousness of carrying forward the lives bestowed upon us by those who came before, and passing them on to the future.
Anti-war songs that pierce the heart: Prayers for peace conveyed by Japan’s masterpieces (111–120)
Lesson IKagawa Ryo
It’s a signature anti-war song included on folk singer Ryo Kagawa’s first album, released in 1971, which urges that nothing is more important than life.
It drew renewed attention in 2020 when actress Anne performed it in a stripped-down, self-accompanied rendition.
The lyrics resonate even more because of the contrast with the warmth of the instrumentation and its pastoral atmosphere.
Even if one has a strong will to defend the nation, protecting life is what truly leads to the future.
It’s filled with a hope that compels us to believe in that.
War and the Girl (Prod. Nujabes)ZORN
A deeply memorable track by rapper ZORN.
Created for the NHK Special “Songs Woven in a Time of War (Now): PASS THE MIC,” it was released in August 2025.
This collaboration sets rap over a track left behind by the late trackmaker Nujabes, who passed away suddenly in 2010.
The lyrics amplify the unheard voices of people who experienced war, conveying their messages to the present.
The lo-fi sound underscores the weight of the words.
Please give it a listen and reflect on world peace.