[Sing for your health!] Popular songs among seniors. Also recommended for recreational activities.

Kawachi Ondo

Kawachi Ondo (Osaka Prefecture folk song)

Kawachi Ondo, one of the folk songs best known from Bon Odori, is said to have formed through a blend and arrangement of indigenous ondo and folk tunes that were sung in the area corresponding to the southeastern part of present-day Osaka Prefecture.

Because it came to be sung primarily as a Bon dance song, it has deep ties to Buddhism and also carries the character of a requiem.

Although Kawachi Ondo was born in a single locality, the 1961 record Teppō-bushi Kawachi Ondo became a million-seller, spreading its name not only throughout Japan but overseas as well.

For older listeners, just hearing the sound might be enough to set their hands moving involuntarily.

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People of the Me-gumi (firefighters’ brigade)RATS&STAR

[Wa-soul★Nostalgic Melodies Dance Diet] J-POP 80s “Megumi no Hito” / Rats & Star (Shanels) ♪ Easy 3 and a half minutes / Have fun singing and dancing to a Showa-era classic to burn fat 🔥 Beginner-friendly, anyone can do it

It was quite a shock when, at the height of their popularity, Chanels changed their name to Rats & Star.

These days, it’s not unusual for comedians to change their stage names and become more popular, but back then it felt groundbreaking.

Their memorable first single under the new name was Mekumi no Hito.

People today might be more familiar with Kumi Koda’s cover version.

As long as you can nail the signature pose—the “Me!”—you can pretty much move however you like.

It’s a high-energy track that makes you want to move your body while reminiscing about the old days.

Waltz of StarlightSen Masao

Waltz of Starlight - Masao Sen

Released in 1966 (Showa 41).

Two years later, it gradually caught fire on wired broadcasts across Japan and went on to sell a total of 2.5 million copies.

Known as Masao Sen’s biggest hit, “Hoshikage no Waltz” (“Waltz of Starlight”) expresses, from a male perspective, the poignant feeling of having to part with a loved one—knowing it’s not what the heart truly wants, yet having no choice.

Its relaxed three-beat waltz rhythm makes it easy to sing, and combined with its popularity, it’s a song that many people can enjoy when doing karaoke in senior care facilities.

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Always keep your dreamsHashi Yukio / Yoshinaga Sayuri

Yukio Hashi & Sayuri Yoshinaga / Itsudemo Yume o (Always Dream)

Because it’s used as an insert song in NHK’s morning drama series “Amachan,” in SoftBank commercials, and in various other contexts, it hardly feels like an old tune.

Of course, for older listeners it’s famous as a duet by Yukio Hashi and Sayuri Yoshinaga.

It even won the Japan Record Award, was performed on the Red and White Song Battle, and inspired a film—what we’d now call a mega-viral hit! Just hearing the intro will bring back fond memories of days gone by.

It’s also a great choice for karaoke with someone special!

Because the moon is so very blueSugawara Totoko

Highest Sound Quality! ~ Because the Moon Is So Very Blue (Sung by: Totoko Sugawara)

Totoko Sugawara, known for her distinctive, wistful vibrato, was called the Queen of Elegy and is also famous as the very first singer to perform on NHK’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen, which everyone knows.

She moved to Tokyo at the age of nine for an audition, where her talent blossomed, and together with her father, the composer Akira Mutsu, she released numerous masterpieces.

Her signature song, “Tsuki ga Tottemo Aoi Kara” (Because the Moon Is So Very Blue), became a million-selling hit in an era when the music market was much smaller than it is today, making her a household name across Japan.

For many seniors, it’s a song right at the heart of their youthful days, so it could be a great choice for recreational activities or background music in senior care facilities.

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a bright red sunMisora Hibari

Crimson Sun

The song “Makka na Taiyō” (The Crimson Sun), released in 1967, was performed by Hibari Misora together with Jackie Yoshikawa and the Blue Comets.

It was originally created for an album commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hibari Misora’s career, but thanks to strong praise among the staff and the encouragement of Misora’s mother, Kimie Kato, it was released as a single and became a massive hit, selling 1.4 million copies.

The song, which sings of a blazing love lasting only a single summer, has since been covered by many musicians.

Its powerful rhythm is sure to lift the spirits of listeners.

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The two are young.dikku mine & hoshi reiko

The two are young.

With powerful yet warm vocals, Dick Mine and Reiko Hoshi colored the music scene of the Showa era.

The lyrics, which liken the lovers’ calls to mountain echoes and express the joy of calling to one another, are charming in their male–female back-and-forth and evoke a gentle happiness.

This song, depicting the heartwarming exchanges of young lovers, was released in 1935.

Masao Koga’s approachable melody is filled with a tenderness that deeply resonates.

In settings like day-service centers, it can create a pleasant atmosphere where handclaps arise naturally.

It’s familiar to many older adults and lets everyone enjoy the nostalgic feel of Showa-era Japan together.