Spring songs from the early Showa era: a collection of kayōkyoku and shōka that evoke spring
When you hear “spring,” what songs come to mind?In the early Showa era, spanning from before to after the war, many popular songs, school songs, and children’s songs were created that delicately captured the changing seasons.In this special feature, we present a rich selection of songs and school songs about spring from that time.Some of the linked audio-video materials use original recordings from the era, so please savor the spring air of those days along with the retro sound.We hope you enjoy a gentle springtime, humming along to these nostalgic melodies.
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Spring songs from the early Showa era: A collection of kayōkyoku and shōka that evoke spring (41–50)
When the violets bloomTakarazuka Shōjo Kageki Tsukigumi
Known as a signature song that symbolizes the Takarazuka Revue, “When the Violets Bloom” is truly a classic spring piece that lets you feel the spirit of early Showa.
In the milestone year of 2014, marking the Revue’s 100th anniversary, it was even adopted as the departure melody at Hankyu Railway’s Takarazuka Station on the Takarazuka Main Line, underscoring the deep connection between the two.
In fact, did you know this song isn’t an original Takarazuka composition but has a source tune? The original is a piece released in Germany in 1928 titled “When the White Lilacs Bloom Again.” Among the various language versions covered across Europe, the French rendition, “When the White Lilacs Bloom,” was brought back to Japan by Tetsuzo Shirai, a Takarazuka Revue director who happened to be staying in Europe at the time.
When the song came to be performed in Japan, “white lilac” was replaced with “violet,” reportedly because violets are a flower more familiar to Japanese people.
Keeping that historical background in mind, it’s fun to compare and listen for the differences with the original!
Spring songs from the early Showa era. A collection of popular songs and school songs that evoke spring (51–60)
Smiling Backkyandīzu
This is a supreme song by Candies that delicately sings of a woman’s bittersweet feelings before parting with someone dear, carried on a melody as fresh as a spring breeze.
Released in February 1978, it reached number one on the Oricon charts and sold over one million copies in total.
Depicting a couple’s breakup through a moving-day scene, it shows the protagonist looking back on their memories, her smile concealing complex emotions beneath.
It’s a song we especially recommend to those who have experienced parting with someone important in the springtime.
Maiden of the LakesideKikuchi Akiko
Akiko Kikuchi, a singer who earned full mastery of the biwa at the age of six, made her debut as a vocalist in 1939.
Her single “Lakeside Maiden,” released on November 15, 1942, became a major hit as the theme song for the film Farewell by the Lakeside.
Its clear, soaring high tones and lyrical melody evoke the charm of Japan’s bygone musical era.
It’s an emotional number you’ll want to hear while paying attention to the lyrics, which are steeped in the beauty of the Japanese language.
Spring of the AccordionNakano Tadaharu
Tadaharu Nakano’s “Spring of the Accordion” is a wonderful selection that evokes the tradition of early Showa-era popular songs.
Also included on the album “Onko Chishin: Master Singers of the Showa Era – Tadaharu Nakano,” released on July 28, 2021, this piece is characterized by a light, Western-style melody.
Its pastoral atmosphere carries a poignant depth, as if it has passed through many spring days.
We hope you enjoy it under the gentle spring sunshine, feeling the arrival of a new season.
The Hill Where Mandarin Orange Blossoms BloomKawada Masako
Announced on August 25, 1949—one year after the end of the war—Mikan no Hana Saku Oka (The Hill Where the Orange Blossoms Bloom) enjoyed such popularity that it is said to be the biggest hit among children’s songs released in the postwar era.
While mikan (mandarin oranges) are often associated with winter fruit, their blossoms actually bloom in May, making this song, which focuses on orange blossoms, very much a springtime children’s song.
The lyrics were written by Shogo Kato, editor-in-chief of the music magazine Music Life, and the music was composed by Minoru Kainuma.
The singer was 12-year-old Masako Kawada, who was extraordinarily popular as a children’s song vocalist.
Although the piece was created for a radio program featuring Kawada, remarkably, the song was completed only the day before it was broadcast.
In Shizuoka Prefecture, Kato’s home region, there are several monuments inscribed with the song’s lyrics; if you’d like to learn more about the song’s background, a visit is highly recommended.
Has the plum blossomed?
Ume wa Saita ka has been sung as an Edo hauta.
Nowadays, it’s best known as a parlor song performed to shamisen accompaniment, with geisha dancing to it.
The plum blossom is a flower that heralds spring and makes us feel its approach, yet the plum season is still quite cold.
One might expect the song to be about yearning for what comes after the plums—the scene of cherry blossoms in bloom and the mild weather of that time—but in fact it sings of the changing of human hearts and expresses feelings toward the opposite sex.
Lyrics that seem neatly tied to spring—like references to clams and short-necked clams—turn out, on closer reading, to carry quite different meanings.
tricolor violetSakurada Junko
This is a song by Junko Sakurada, released in February 1974, that entrusts the tender feelings of first love to tricolor violets.
Singing of a fleeting romance, the track reached No.
10 on the Oricon chart and sold approximately 186,000 copies.
The fusion of Akuyu’s delicate lyrics and Taiji Nakamura’s evocative melody beautifully captures the aching innocence of a young girl’s love.
The work depicts the emotions of adolescence—where hope and anxiety intertwine—with elegance, while Sakurada’s clear, translucent voice adds depth to the story.
It is a gentle companion for anyone who holds close the longing of waiting and the poignancy of an unfulfilled love.