[Sing for your health!] Popular songs among seniors. Also recommended for recreational activities.
Music has always enriched people’s hearts, no matter the era.
For older adults as well, there are surely countless songs filled with memories.
In this article, we’ll introduce songs that are popular among seniors.
Just listening to a nostalgic tune can make you feel as if you’ve time-traveled back to those days.
Let’s listen to the songs you used to sing when you were young and reminisce together.
For seniors, singing can support health by improving cardiopulmonary function, stimulating the brain, and promoting emotional stability.
Of course, it’s wonderful to listen to your favorite songs—and we recommend humming along too.
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Sing for better health! Popular songs among seniors. Also recommended for recreational activities (11–20)
What a nice bath.dorifutāzu
There must be many fans from the generation who watched it in real time and looked forward to “It’s 8 o’clock! All Gather ’Round” every week.
The song I’d like to introduce is “Ii Yu da na,” which was used as the ending theme.
Today, the version sung by The Drifters is widely known, but the song was originally created as a local hot spring (onsen) tune.
With its cheerful vibe, melody, and lyrics, it’s perfect as background music for skits or recreational activities.
It would also be fun for everyone to tie on headbands and dance together.
Words of FarewellKaientai
Kaientai is a folk band with Tetsuya Takeda as the lead vocalist.
Their debut single is “Okuru Kotoba” (Words to Give).
Because it was used as the theme song for the TV drama “3-nen B-gumi Kinpachi-sensei,” it has become beloved as a graduation song.
However, it was originally written about a couple in a romantic relationship.
You can simply listen and be soothed by the gentle vocals, or use it as a springboard to reminisce about your school days.
By the way, there’s also a self-cover version by Tetsuya Takeda as a solo artist, so be sure to check that out as well.
North TavernHosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa has earned numerous music titles.
The first song with which he won the Japan Record Award was “Kita Sakaba.” Although he had been strongly associated with singing enka, this one is crafted as a pop song.
The lyrics portray a bittersweet story of adult romance, but the melody lifts your spirits as you listen.
What’s more, the chorus has a catchy phrase, making it easy to remember and perfect for everyone to sing along.
From the northern innMiyako Harumi
One of the quintessential winter classics of the 1970s is “Kita no Yado kara” (“From an Inn in the North”).
It’s well known for being used in a cup noodle commercial and for winning the Japan Record Award.
The singer is Harumi Miyako, an enka vocalist famed for her powerful voice.
While she’s produced many songs with a pop feel, here she delivers a performance steeped in melancholy.
The lyrics liken feelings of love to scenes from a cold northern land, so why not take a moment to reminisce about the past?
cherry blossomMoriyama Naotaro
With the arrival of spring, this is one of Naotaro Moriyama’s signature songs that you can’t help but hum.
It overlays the beauty and transience of falling blossoms with life’s turning points, expressing a heartfelt wish for farewells to dear friends and hopes for reunion.
The piano melody and clear vocals resonate deeply; released as a single in March 2003, it’s also included on the acclaimed album “In Search of New Spices.” Many may remember that a rearranged version was used as the theme song for the October 2019 drama “Sh同期のサクラ” (Sakura, My Boss).
This melody, beloved across generations, is perfect for grandparents and grandchildren to sing together.
Why not spend a heartwarming moment picturing scenes of cherry blossoms?
homeward-bound shipTabata Yoshio
The signature song of singer Yoshio Tabata, affectionately known as “Batayan,” is ‘Kaeri-bune’ (Homecoming Ship).
Released in 1946, just after the war, it was a massive hit that sold 1.8 million copies.
Its lyrics, which portray the complex emotions of demobilized soldiers returning from the war, deeply resonate with listeners.
For seniors who lived through the postwar era, it’s likely a nostalgic tune.
It’s a song that reminds us of the summer of 1945 when the war ended—one that we hope will continue to be passed down.
Be sure to sing it together as a song for the summer!
Sing for your health! Popular songs among seniors. Also recommended for recreation (21–30)
Traveler of the NorthIshihara Yūjirō
Yujiro Ishihara’s “Kita no Tabibito” (Traveler of the North) is a classic that symbolizes the end of the Showa era.
The lyrics, which portray the harsh cold and loneliness of the northern lands, really touch the heart.
The red light found at the tip of the cape is like a lover who keeps waiting.
The mists of Hakodate and the snowy scenery of Otaru are depicted beautifully, and just listening makes you feel as if you’re traveling.
Ishihara’s voice, steeped in melancholy, is also captivating.
Released in 1987, the song was his final work and has been beloved by many.
How about humming it together, along with nostalgic Showa memories? It’s sure to warm your heart.