Ghibli’s famous BGM. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks for work and study BGM.

Ghibli rain to listen to when you're tired

[Ghibli in the Rain to Listen to When You’re Tired] Music to Relieve COVID Fatigue and Stress (Relaxing, Soothing) Studio Ghibli Piano / Ko Miura

Why not soothe your heart with “Ghibli Rain to Listen to When You’re Tired,” performed by pianist Kou Miura, who turns feelings into sound? The set features six pieces, including “One Summer’s Day,” “Merry-Go-Round of Life,” “Carrying You,” and “The Path of the Wind.” Each track has a gentle timbre, offering a relaxation effect like listening to the sound of rain.

It’s a perfect Ghibli medley for quiet moments at home or when you want to drift into a comfortable sleep.

It also works well as unobtrusive background music, making it an ideal companion for reading.

Ghibli Piano Medley

Good Night Ghibli: Piano Medley [BGM for Sleep, No Ads Mid-Video] — Studio Ghibli Deep Sleep Piano Collection (Piano Cover by kno)

Why is it that the quiet chirping of insects on a summer night is so soothing? This “Summer Night Piano Medley: Good Night, Ghibli” pairs gently warming Ghibli sounds with the ambience to create a blissful time of relaxation.

In addition to songs from Spirited Away and Whisper of the Heart, carefully selected numbers spanning a wide range—including Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, Castle in the Sky, Porco Rosso, and The Cat Returns—are all deeply satisfying listens that slowly seep into the heart.

Good morning, Ghibli Piano Medley

Good morning, Ghibli — Refreshing birdsong + piano medley [BGM for work, no ads in the middle] Studio Ghibli Morning Piano Medley, Piano cover by kno

With its refreshing piano sound perfectly mixed with the cheerful chirping of birds at just the right moments, “Good Morning Ghibli” feels like the ideal soundtrack to start a pleasant day.

Featuring numbers like “A Sunny Day” and “A Town with an Ocean View” from Kiki’s Delivery Service, and “Bird Person” from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the collection conjures images of wide-open blue skies and is sure to lift your spirits.

As you listen, the music’s soft yet resonant beauty brings each film’s heroine to mind and seems capable of blowing away even the muggiest mood!

Ask me why (A Mother’s Thoughts)Joe Hisaishi

Ask Me Why (A Mother's Thoughts) / Joe Hisaishi 'The Boy and the Heron' OST

This is the theme song from Studio Ghibli’s feature-length animated film The Boy and the Heron, which can be called the culmination of director Hayao Miyazaki’s work.

It is performed tenderly on a solo piano only three times during important scenes, from the opening to the late stages of the film, with no arrangements or variations for other instruments, making it clear how deeply composer Joe Hisaishi cherishes this piece.

If you listen closely, one note in the chorus melody differs from Ask Me Why (Mahito’s Resolve).

Just as Mahito returns with the stone and retains his memories of the experience, he has indeed changed from before to now.

It feels like a deliberate, meaningful misalignment.

The characters’ emotions are conveyed through live performance, as if opening the door to the heart.

Ashitaka DiaryJoe Hisaishi

Princess Mononoke – The Legend of Ashitaka

This is “The Legend of Ashitaka” from Studio Ghibli’s feature-length animated film Princess Mononoke, a work that stands proudly as a heavy and grand orchestral piece in its own right.

Studio Ghibli began as a feature animation production company with the release of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on March 11, 1984, and Princess Mononoke is its tenth film.

It is also known for elevating animation from something consumed solely by fans to a form of “art.” The production scale was immense, and from around this time, more recordings featured live orchestral performances.

Listening to the music, it is not merely background accompaniment for animation but sounds like a worthy new classical work in its own right.

The orchestral performance was by the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, and this was also the first time a permanent professional orchestra, rather than an ad hoc ensemble, was employed.

Dragon BoyJoe Hisaishi

Spirited Away – Dragon Boy ( Daizo Edit Extended)

From Studio Ghibli’s hugely famous film Spirited Away, this is “The Dragon Boy.” The “dragon” refers to Haku, and the piece is used in the scene where Haku and Chihiro meet and then depart from the bathhouse.

In the film, the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra performs it: a mystical tone born from layered harp and piano leads into flowing horn lines, while the woodwinds stack in perfect fourths to evoke a traditional Japanese atmosphere.

This performance is a longer version than the one in the film, making “The Dragon Boy” even more powerful.

Path of the WindJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro Orchestra Stories – 05. The Path of the Wind

The indispensable classic “The Path of the Wind” from Studio Ghibli’s beloved masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro is presented here in an orchestral performance.

This piece is included in “Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro,” in which composer Joe Hisaishi restructured music from My Neighbor Totoro so it can be enjoyed with narration.

In the original, Hisaishi—then influenced by minimalism—used an electronic sound, but this version becomes a grand orchestral work that brings out the beauty of acoustic instruments.

The sheet music is also available, so students and members of community orchestras who want to enjoy ensemble playing on real instruments might consider giving it a try.

After the introduction, the violin solo is superb, vividly conjuring up images of Japan’s pastoral landscapes.