[Spring Songs Recommended for People in Their 40s] Relive Your Youth! A Selection of Nostalgic Tracks

HURRY GO ROUNDhide with Spread Beaver

hide with Spread Beaver – HURRY GO ROUND

A delicate yet grand number by hide with Spread Beaver that symbolically portrays a life that keeps circling on.

Though it employs irregular rhythms, its soothing melody and pop-leaning arrangement gently envelop the listener.

It expresses the profound themes of life and death through the changing seasons and the cycles of nature.

Released in October 1998, the track was also included on the album Ja,Zoo.

A recommended song for those who wish to quietly reflect on life’s repetitions with the arrival of spring.

A person who loves springGLAY

GLAY / A Person Who Loves Spring

A gem of a ballad born from the inspiration of witnessing people endure Iceland’s harsh winter while longing for spring.

It poetically depicts the changing of the seasons and human emotions, and its heartwarming melody—woven by delicate piano tones and the band’s dynamic groove—leaves a strong impression.

Included on the album “BELOVED,” released in November 1996, this GLAY number also gained popularity the following year as the B-side to the single “Kuchibiru,” and has been featured on numerous classic releases, including the best-of album “DRIVE-GLAY complete BEST.” It’s a song we especially recommend to those who, while awaiting the arrival of spring, hold dear the feelings they have for someone special.

Cherry Blossom Timeaiko

aiko - “Sakura no Toki” music video

A beautiful song by aiko that vividly captures the budding feelings of love that come with the arrival of spring.

Her gentle voice and flowing melody blend pleasantly, making it perfect for the spring season.

Released in February 2000, the song gained recognition after being featured in a Calpis Water commercial and was also included on the album “Under the Cherry Tree.” Tenderly singing about the courage to look toward the future and the feelings for a loved one, this is a track you’ll want to listen to when you want your heart to feel as clear as the spring sky.

O-Shichi and the Night Cherry BlossomsSakamoto Fuyumi

Fuyumi Sakamoto – Yozakura O-Shichi

This is a celebrated enka masterpiece that beautifully sings of ardent longing against a backdrop of cherry blossoms.

From full bloom to the moment the petals fall, the subtle shifts in a woman’s heart are vividly portrayed through a delicate yet powerful melody and a lustrous vocal performance.

The story-like world it evokes is brought to life by Fuyumi Sakamoto’s assured expressiveness.

Released in September 1994, this elegant work features lyrics by Amari Hayashi and composition by Takashi Miki.

It’s a perfect song for the cherry blossom season—at times poignant, at times nostalgic—when you feel like immersing yourself in memories of days gone by.

cherry blossomKawamoto Makoto

[MV] Makoto Kawamoto “Sakura”

A signature song by singer-songwriter Makoto Kawamoto that beautifully depicts a graduation scene from student days.

A buoyant, piano-driven riff intertwines with a bittersweet melody and delicate vocals, gently expressing the many emotions of youth.

From the sorrow of parting with friends to anxiety about new surroundings, and even the stirrings of a faint crush, this gem of a work vividly captures the fluctuations of a young heart.

Released in April 1998, it reached No.

2 on the Oricon charts.

The single also includes the track “Donuts no Ring,” which was later featured on the album gobbledygook.

It’s a graduation- and cherry blossom–themed song perfect for listening to as spring arrives.

10-year cherry blossomsAKB48

[MV full] 10nen Zakura / AKB48 [Official]

A song themed around graduation, parting, and reunion has arrived from AKB48 with the coming of spring.

Centered by Atsuko Maeda and Jurina Matsui, it weaves a story of farewells and reunions with fresh, vivid expression.

Set to an upbeat rhythm, its wishes for the future offer a reassuring message that resonates with the graduation scenes everyone experiences.

Released in March 2009, the single reached No.

3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to during this season when partings and encounters intersect, as you reflect on memories with someone special.

SAKURA GoodbyeSCANDAL

SCANDAL “SAKURA Goodbye” / Sakura Goodbye – Music Video

A number that became one of SCANDAL’s signature early works, beautifully capturing both the bittersweetness and freshness that accompany graduation scenes.

Its message, told from a true-to-life perspective, carries a power that evokes universal empathy.

The song had existed since the band’s formation and drew attention when it was used as the ending theme for Fuji TV’s variety show “Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!” Its up-tempo rock sound and the sense of parting—and anticipation for a new journey—set against the season of cherry blossoms are sure to resonate as spring arrives.

It can be called a gem of a pop tune that colors a page of youth, perfect for listening to at life’s important milestones.