[For Seniors] Spring Songs You'll Want to Hum: Feel the Season with Nostalgic Classics

We Look Up to You with Respect

Revered We Look Up To [Chorus] by Himawari 🌻×3 with Lyrics [One of Japan’s 100 Noted Songs]

March is the season for graduation ceremonies.

And when it comes to graduations, the song “Aogeba Tōtoshi” is indispensable.

Its lyrics express gratitude to mentors and all those who have supported us, while looking back on the memories we’ve built.

Because March marks the transition from winter to spring, it’s a perfect time to reflect on yourself so far through this song.

If you’ve sung it at a graduation ceremony before, humming a few lines might bring back long-forgotten memories from your school days.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Light of Fireflies

Hotaru no Hikari (up to verse 4) [One of Japan’s 100 Noted Songs] Graduation/Store-Closing Song (♪ Hotaru no hikari, mado no yuki) by Himawari ×2 | With Lyrics | Shoka (school song) | Auld Lang Syne

It’s a classic school song strongly associated with key milestones like graduation ceremonies and the end of the year.

It’s also well known that it’s based on the Scottish folk song “Auld Lang Syne” with Japanese lyrics added.

The song expresses feelings about days gone by, friends, and hometowns, making it perfect for the time of moving into a new season.

As a staple graduation song, it has been sung by people of many generations, and the fact that it’s easy to sing together in chorus is another important point.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Album of MemoriesSakushi: Masuko Toshi / Sakkyoku: Honda Tetsuma

Memory Album / Opening lyrics: ♪ Before we knew it / With easy-to-read lyrics / [Children’s Song]

Evoking a hint of spring, this song gently recounts memories from kindergarten.

It paints scenes from the changing seasons, bringing a sense of nostalgia and warmth to listeners.

Since its release in 1961, it has continued to be loved by many.

It has been featured on TV Asahi’s children’s program “Tobidase! Panpororin” and NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” making it familiar across generations.

It’s also lovely for seniors to hum along with their grandchildren.

A wonderful piece that can be enjoyed across generations while reminiscing about the past.

Mother’s SongSakushi Sakkyoku: Kubota Satoshi

Mother's Song (with lyrics)

The second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day.

Although it started as a custom in the United States, it has taken root in Japan as a day to express gratitude to mothers.

It’s common to show appreciation, acknowledge their hard work, and give carnations as a gift.

In Japan, the first song that comes to mind depicting a mother is “Kāsan no Uta” (Mother’s Song).

It portrays a mother who works hard for her child and speaks to them with kindness, conveying a mother’s warmth in a straightforward way.

With its gentle atmosphere, the song invites listeners to reflect deeply on their gratitude toward their mothers.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Come, spring

♪ Come, Spring – Haru Yo Koi | ♪ Come, spring, come quickly. Little Mii-chan, who has just begun to walk [Japanese song/children’s song]

Many of you were probably longing for winter to end and waiting eagerly for spring.

Haru yo Koi captures that yearning for spring and the buoyant feeling as it draws near.

It was composed in 1923, yet it remains a beloved classic today.

Its slow melody makes it easy to sing, and the short lyrics are easy to remember.

It’s also a song that lets you feel spring’s warmth.

By the way, the little girl who appears in the song is said to be the daughter of Gofū Sōma, the lyricist.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

yamamoto

Report a problem

Suzhou SerenadeSakushi: Saijō Yaso / Sakkyoku: Hattori Ryōichi

Suzhou Nocturne/Yamaguchi Yoshiko [With Lyrics] (covered by Mariko Miho) [Miho Mari’s Ototama]

A Showa-era standard number full of exotic atmosphere, created as an insert song for the film “China Nights.” The beautiful scenery of a watery city depicted by lyricist Yaso Saijo and the melody composed by Ryoichi Hattori are in perfect harmony, soothing the listener’s heart.

The record was released in August 1940, sung by Noboru Kirishima and Hamako Watanabe.

It also became widely beloved through the singing voice of Li Xianglan (Yoshiko Yamaguchi) in the film, and has been handed down by many singers over the years, so many older adults are likely familiar with it.

It’s nice to enjoy it at a relaxed pace while imagining a spring night with a hazy moon and the sound of bells.

Why not hum along with older adults, together with nostalgic memories?

cherry blossom frontKoyanagi Rumiko

Cherry Blossom Front / Rumiko Koyanagi

This is a classic by Rumiko Koyanagi that evocatively portrays the cherry blossom season moving from south to north.

It includes depictions that suggest the shift from winter to spring and the feeling of a train journey, creating a world that’s not just a bright spring song but one that gently conveys a certain wistfulness and emotional sway.

Koyanagi’s lustrous voice seems to carry the scenery outside the train window, making you feel as if you’ve set off on a trip just by listening.

Released as a single in January 1976, it has been cherished not as a flashy hit, but as a work you want to savor slowly each time the seasons turn.

With its relaxed tempo that makes the scenes easy to picture, it’s perfect for a calm afternoon, listening while reminiscing about old travels.