[Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
In the midst of hectic days—living alone away from your familiar hometown or spending each day with a new family—you may suddenly recall the nostalgic scenery of the place you grew up.
Even if you want to go back, circumstances may keep you from doing so right away…
In times like these, why not rest your heart by listening to classic songs that sing of home?
In this article, we’ve compiled songs themed around “hometown,” focusing on timeless J-POP classics.
Let yourself be wrapped in nostalgia and enjoy these exquisite masterpieces that may gently bring warm tears to your eyes.
- A classic enka masterpiece about one's hometown. A wonderful song that evokes thoughts of home.
- A nostalgic song—a timeless classic that somehow feels familiar and touches the heart.
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- A famous song about Fukuoka. The heart of the hometown passed down through song.
- [2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth
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- Spirit of Wa: Masterpieces for the Koto — Japan’s Beautiful Melodies
- Japanese sign-language songs; sign-language song(s)
Hometown Songs: A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese Tracks That Fill Your Heart with Nostalgia (21–30)
FlowerNaka Kousuke
It was released in 2007 as Ataru Nakamura’s third single.
Written specifically for him by the duo Naotaro Moriyama and Omodaka Taito, it was used in a commercial for Satsuma Shiranami, a sweet potato shochu by Satsuma Shuzo.
Sung in the distinctive shimauta folk style of the Amami Islands, it has become one of Ataru Nakamura’s signature songs.
Naotaro Moriyama has also covered it.
It’s a song that, for some reason, feels nostalgic and brings your hometown to mind.
I’m going to Tokyo.Yoshi Ikuzo
It’s a song released by Ikuzo Yoshi in 1984.
It tells the story of leaving a rural hometown to head for Tokyo.
In 1985, Shochiku released a film based on this song as its theme.
You can really feel the strong determination to work hard in Tokyo from it.
Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi
This gem of a ballad, carried by a gentle, heart-stirring piano tone, sings of feelings for a precious person who keeps moving forward toward the future.
Aoi Teshima’s crystalline voice beautifully conveys a sense of nostalgia for one’s hometown and a pure, unadorned heart.
Included on the album “Ren’dez-vous,” released in July 2014, it was later chosen as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Love That Makes You Cry” in February 2016, and it has also been featured in a commercial for Aflac Life Insurance.
Embracing listeners with images of innocent childhood smiles and hometown scenery while encouraging them to face forward, this song offers gentle comfort to those living away from the places they call home.
Welcome back.ayaka
Families that can say “welcome home” to each other are wonderful, aren’t they? I think these words are truly words of love meant for family.
Because they come from cherishing your family, they resonate deeply in the heart.
Having a place to return to is a blessing.
It’s a warmly felt song.
Touch and changesupittsu
It’s a rock number that mentions Tenjin Station, a place name from Masamune Kusano’s hometown, the vocalist of the Japanese rock band Spitz.
It’s a powerful track featuring organ sounds.
The title is distinctive as well, and I think it’s a masterpiece that fully showcases Kusano’s unique worldview.
Song of WheatNakajima Miyuki
Miyuki Nakajima’s “Mugi no Uta” is a singer-songwriter piece characterized by a bright tone that feels like the arrival of a refreshing morning.
Unlike the darker mood of her signature songs such as “Wakare Uta” and “Akujo,” this track has a different atmosphere; it was also chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama “Massan,” and its familiar, approachable melody has made it widely known.
Incidentally, both the drama’s setting and Nakajima’s hometown are in Hokkaido, so this song is one I especially recommend to those who have moved from Hokkaido to the big city!
Shall I head home?Kitajima Saburō
Kitajima Saburō’s song “Kaerokana” expresses the feeling of worrying about the mother you left behind in your hometown.
Released in 1965 as Kitajima’s 12th single, it was produced for the “Song of the Month” segment on NHK’s variety show “Yume de Aimashou,” which also gave rise to classics like Kyu Sakamoto’s “Ue o Muite Arukō.” The lyrics, which capture the wavering sentiment of being homesick—torn between going back and deciding not to—resonated deeply with many people working away from home, became a huge hit, and went on to sell a million copies.
