A classic Japanese folk song passed down through generations of acoustic performances
A special feature on Japanese folk songs.
Folk music originally began as arrangements of traditional songs and spread in the United States.
From around the 1960s, it was also embraced in Japan, and, reflecting the times, songs with strong anti-war and anti-government messages were delivered.
Entering the 1970s, it became especially popular with more accessible, mainstream themes and reached a peak of commercial success.
Although Japanese folk has evolved to incorporate various elements, it retains an acoustic allure and a wistful mood, with lyrics that stand out and resonate.
By all means, take your time and immerse yourself in Japanese folk music!
- [Showa Era] A roundup of nostalgic folk song classics and popular tracks you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- [Japanese Music] A Collection of Heart-Touching Hit Folk Songs from the 1970s
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that really move you. Beloved classic Japanese hits of the past.
- Timeless classics only! Showa-era hit songs perfect for acoustic sing-alongs
- A poignant ballad song. A tear-jerking masterpiece of Japanese pop music.
- From classic folk dance staples to hidden gems. Introducing recommended tracks!
- [Resonates with the Heart] Masterpiece Ballads with Beautiful, Poignant Lyrics
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- A lineup of timeless masterpieces to pass down to future generations! Ballad songs born in the Reiwa era
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- The nostalgic atmosphere tugs at your heartstrings. Tear-jerker songs from the Showa era.
- Recommended ballads for men: classic songs about love, encouragement, and youth.
Timeless Classics of Japanese Folk Songs Passed Down Through Guitar-and-Vocal Performances (61–70)
It’s a sad color, isn’t it?Ueda Masaki
Alongside BORO’s “Osaka de Umareta Onna,” this is a wonderful ballad-style folk song set in Osaka.
It became Masaki Ueda’s biggest hit, gradually gaining popularity through cable radio.
In the end, it grew into such a success that it was even used as a movie theme song.
Lullaby for Sleeping AloneKatō Tokiko
Released in 1969, Tokiko Kato’s musical style spans a wide range, including chanson and pop, but this song was written with her husband—whom she married while he was in prison—in mind.
Their connection began when her husband, then a student activist, asked her to perform at a concert.
She reportedly declined, saying she did not want her singing to be used for political activism.
Later, her husband was arrested in connection with the student movement and received a prison sentence.
Although the media created a major uproar, what stands out in my memory is how Tokiko Kato remained composed and unshaken.
Let’s get married.yoshida takurou
Released in 1972 (Showa 47), this is a song by Takuro, the well-known “god of folk.” At a time when anti-establishment songs and men’s long hair had given folk music a negative image, this song came out and ushered in an era when folk was accepted.
It’s a bright wedding song that swept away the previous image.
Although he appears on television nowadays, back then Takuro stuck to his principle that only people who truly understood his music needed to listen, and he would not perform on TV.
In Francine’s CaseShintani Noriko
This is an anti-war folk song created by a Japanese person moved by the incident in France in 1969, where a 30-year-old woman named Francine committed self-immolation to protest the Vietnam War and the Biafran famine.
During that era, there were many folk songs appealing against war and nuclear weapons.
Noriko Shintani’s calm, expressionless singing, on the contrary, leaves a strong impression.
Across this wide fieldMoriyama Ryoko
Released in 1967 (Showa 42).
Apparently, she wanted to become a jazz singer, but perhaps due to the times, she had many folk song hits.
This song is her debut single.
In it, she offers all the beauty of a vast grassland and nature, asking the person to please write her a letter.
Naturally, one might assume the recipient is a man, but given the era, it might be better to interpret it more broadly as someone she has feelings for, without limiting the gender.
Later, it was also sung on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.”