[Want to know!] Songs with a fish theme. Classic fish songs
This article introduces songs with a fish theme.
Fish songs—rarely explored in depth—are surprisingly familiar, led by the supermarket classic Osakana Tengoku (Fish Heaven).
You might be wondering what other songs are out there.
While metaphors are common in the music world, we’ve kept those to a minimum and focused on songs that sing directly about fish as much as possible.
From children’s songs to rock, there’s a wide variety—must-see for anyone who wants to discover fish-themed music!
- [Sea Nursery Rhymes] Fun children's songs themed around the sea
- Recommended sea songs for children: Popular Japanese songs related to the ocean
- [2026] Classic songs and love songs themed around or set at the sea and the beach — sea songs
- A song that suits the sea. A relaxed track with an emo vibe drifting through.
- [Rice Songs] A selection of tracks where food appears in the lyrics!
- Get pumped with popular songs from “Okaasan to Issho”! A collection of timeless tunes everyone will want to sing together
- Kids will love it! A collection of dance song ideas with easy-to-follow rhythms
- [Vegetable Songs] Unexpected artists too!? A roundup of recommended tracks
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Food Songs] Popular Japanese songs that use names of foods
- Hit and popular songs by SHISHAMO (Shishamo)
- Classic Western songs about the sea: recommended popular tracks
- Coming-of-age songs for your 50s: heart-thumping × heartwarming classics and popular tracks [2026]
[I Want to Know!] Songs with a Fish Theme: Classic Fish Songs (1–10)
My Story with a FishSwimy
The story “Me and the Fish,” sung by Swimy, a rock band from Shiga Prefecture, was broadcast on NHK’s Minna no Uta from December 2017 to January 2018.
With edgy male and female vocals, it portrays a mysterious world in which I wander into an aquarium and become a tuna.
It’s a dreamy song you’ll want to listen to over and over, perfectly suited to the long-beloved Minna no Uta.
Song of FishLUNKHEAD
This is a memorable “fish song” that begins with an unreal image of a fish speaking to you.
It was included on LUNKHEAD’s second album, Tsuki to Tenohira (The Moon and the Palm), released in 2005 by the dark, sharp, yet catchy and easy-to-listen-to rock band.
The lyrics overlay the singer’s own image onto that of a fish, making it a perfect match for lazy days and languid moods.
The hope and proof of being alive are things everyone surely seeks.
LUNKHEAD’s soul stays close to you in times like that—through tough stretches and weary seasons.
Mambo de MambōDōyō (NHK “Utatte Odoronpa”)
Mambo de Mambo is a lively, feel-good tune with a groovy mambo beat and a popular song from NHK’s “Utatte Odoronpa.” It vividly sings about the sunfish and its ocean friends frolicking in a daily festival-like romp.
The cheerful vibe makes you feel as if you’re being invited to an underwater showtime.
[I Want to Know!] Songs with a Fish Theme: Classic Fish Songs (11–20)
Fish HellGōruden Bonbā
Delivered as an unofficial answer song to the supermarket BGM staple “Osakana Tengoku,” “Osakana Jigoku” was released digitally in 2021 as a rock tune that highlights Golden Bomber’s cool appeal.
As you can see in the costumes and the sound here and there, the style evokes ’90s visual kei acts like LUNA SEA.
The lyrics, written from a fish’s perspective, sing of a cold, harsh reality and strike a powerful chord.
It overflows with Sho Kiryuin’s quirky genius.
Goldfish’s NapYuki Saori
Goldfish Napping is a popular children’s song.
It’s a deeply evocative classic that conjures the image of gazing absentmindedly at goldfish gently swaying in a bowl.
The version sung by Saori Yuki has a relaxed tempo, and its enveloping tenderness is soothing.
rainbow fishyoshida takurou
Takuro Yoshida has long been a leading figure in Japan’s music scene as a singer-songwriter.
The song “Maboroshi no Sakana” (The Phantom Fish) is included on his 1978 album Rolling 30.
The lyrics were written by none other than Takashi Matsumoto.
It’s a track that overlays the image of a fish powerfully swimming upstream with the struggles of youth.
It gives strength to those living earnestly day by day, even as they grapple with worries and wounds.
While it’s a light, refreshing song brimming with the melodic charm of Takuro as a melody-maker, the live version—intensely passionate and imbued with a rock spirit—is also fantastic, so be sure to check that out too!
The fish jumped.dōyō (ko aru hiyori)
“Sakana ga Haneta” is a popular children’s song with hand motions that is often sung at kindergartens across Japan.
It features a gentle, nursery-rhyme-like melody and cute, humorous lyrics about a fish jumping—boing!—and turning into things like a hat or a mask.