Spring songs from the early Showa era: a collection of kayōkyoku and shōka that evoke spring

Though the white roses bloomFujiyama Ichirō

Though White Roses Bloom — Ichirō Fujiyama

With its upbeat tempo and the fashionable, modern words found in its lyrics, the popular song of the time “Even Though the White Roses Bloom” was a hit composed by Masao Koga with lyrics by Sonosuke Sato.

It served as the theme song for the 1937 film of the same title, performed by Ichiro Fujiyama, famed for “Blue Mountain Range.” His resonant, classically trained vocals are especially captivating.

Graduating at the top of his class from Tokyo College of Music, Fujiyama later became a beloved national singer with numerous major hits.

Closely aligned with the film’s storyline, this contemporary popular tune rhythmically expresses a faint, budding love, and it was cherished by many.

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nikki

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Elegy of SpringTōkairin Tarō

Spring Elegy (Taro Shoji)

With its very simple lyrics and a beautifully resonant title, “Spring Elegy.” I can picture the scene: a carriage carrying the beloved “you” heading off along a mountain pass, while the narrator, knowing you will never return, is sunk in sorrow.

Was it spring, when the mountain flowers were in full, gorgeous bloom, that the carriage departed? That unfulfilled, delicate longing leaves a poignant yet noble impression—perhaps because it carries the scents of Japan’s seasons and a sense of its culture.

And the presence of Taro Shoji, known for his distinctive style of singing upright and still, wearing pince-nez glasses and a tailcoat, is charming too—he evokes the gentlemanly spirit of the Showa era.

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hiyori

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carp streamer

♪ Koinobori – Carp Streamers | Carp Streamers Higher Than the Rooftops; The Big Black Carp Is Father [Japanese Song / Shoka]

Even today in the Reiwa era, koinobori carp streamers are displayed across Japan as May approaches.

And whenever we see those koinobori, the children’s song “Koinobori” automatically comes to mind.

It’s a short tune, but I feel the lyrics are wonderfully apt in likening the carp streamers swaying in the blue sky to a parent and child and describing them as “swimming.” How many people can immediately say who wrote the words and music to “Koinobori”? The song is said to have first appeared in Ehon Shoka: Haru no Maki, a picture-book collection of songs published in 1931, with lyrics by Miyako Kondo, who had a background as a music teacher.

In fact, Kondo also wrote the lyrics to the well-known “Tulip,” but because her works were initially published as anonymous pieces, she was not officially recognized as the lyricist until 1993, after various complications.

What’s more, the composer remains unknown even today.

Despite that background, the song has continued to be sung, surely thanks to the excellence of both the melody and the lyrics of “Koinobori.”

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KOH-1

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Blue MountainsFujiyama Ichirō

Miyuki Kawanaka “Blue Mountains” (from “Miyuki Kawanaka Sings Ryoichi Hattori”)

In 1949, as postwar Japan began to blossom, a gem of a masterpiece expressing young people’s hopes for a bright future was born, with lyrics by Saijō Yaso and music by Hattori Ryōichi.

The duet woven by the voices of Fujiyama Ichirō and Nara Mitsue evokes the powerful, beautiful arrival of spring—like snow-breaking cherry blossoms that bloom after a harsh winter.

Written for a film, this work overlays the dreams and yearnings of the youth of the time with scenes from nature, brilliantly depicting the sentiments of people during the postwar reconstruction period.

Set against blue mountain ridges crowned with rose-colored clouds, its heartwarming melody and lyrics seem to gently embrace those living in a new era, making it an eternal classic one longs to hear with the coming of spring.

Sakura DōjōjiMikado Junko

Junko Mikado's Sakura Dōjōji

Released in 1937 by Junko Mikado, it became a hit song.

“Dōjōji-mono” refers to works based on the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime—a popular theme featured in Noh, Kabuki, and Japanese dance.

The legend goes like this: Kiyohime falls in love at first sight with the traveling monk Anchin, but when her feelings are not returned, she transforms into a great serpent and, in the end, burns Anchin to death—a terrifying yet single-minded tale of love.

For a moment, place yourself in this dramatic theater of love, raging and in full bloom amid a flurry of cherry blossoms, and listen, quietly and intently.

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hiyori

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Plum Blossoms and SoldiersTabata Yoshio

Plum Blossoms and Soldiers - Yoshio Tabata

A Showa-era pop song released in 1941 by singer-guitarist Yoshio Tabata, known by the nickname “Batayan,” which became a hit.

It voices the feelings of a soldier striving on the battlefield for his mother, who is likely waiting for his return at home.

The painful yet powerful emotions of wartime, paired with the beauty of plum blossoms, well up in the heart and bring tears to the eyes.

And the resolute strength—like a flower ready to fall—stirs a deep heat in the chest.

This is a song that richly conveys not only the deep love for family that Japanese people still hold today, but also the sensibility that seeks beauty in transience.

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hiyori

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Flowers and Sunshine of a Spring DayAirurando min’yō

Flowers of a Spring Day, Shining — Saori Yuki & Sachiko Yasuda

The youth and beauty of a loved one inevitably change with time.

Yet this work is a gem of a love song that gently embraces those changes while proclaiming that the bonds of the heart remain eternal.

Set to a traditional Irish melody, its calm and warm vow of love resonates deeply.

First published in 1807, it has also been cherished as Harvard University’s alma mater and as a hymn.

In Japan, thanks to Keizo Horiuchi’s beautiful Japanese lyrics—and recordings by sisters Saori Yuki and Sachiko Yasuda—it has won the hearts of many.

It is often sung at life’s milestones, such as weddings and graduations, as a testament to unchanging love.