RAG MusicJapanese Songs
Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs

Songs for January: Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs we want children to grow familiar with

When you hear “songs for January,” what kinds of tunes come to mind?

There are many, from those often sung in childcare settings and schools to classic pieces that have been loved in Japan for many years.

Here, we’ll introduce nursery rhymes and hand-play songs that you’ll want to enjoy with children in January.

Everyone has different experiences with the songs they’ve grown up with, so try talking about them with your family and friends.

You might even come across some songs for the first time.

These are all songs that can be enjoyed across generations and that we’d love to pass on to the children who will shape the next generation.

Playlist

Songs for January: Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs we want children to grow familiar with
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1Snow KobōzuSakushi: Murayama Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Fushō
Snow KobōzuSakushi: Murayama Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Fushōplay_arrow
A song about little snow monks falling from the sky and turning into water. It can be sung with different poses.
2New Year (Japanese New Year)Sakushi: Azuma Kume / Sakkyoku: Taki Rentaro
New Year (Japanese New Year)Sakushi: Azuma Kume / Sakkyoku: Taki Rentaroplay_arrow
A children's song eagerly awaiting the New Year
3Kantarō the North Wind KidSakushi: Ide Takao / Sakkyoku: Fukuda Wakako
Kantarō the North Wind KidSakushi: Ide Takao / Sakkyoku: Fukuda Wakakoplay_arrow
Enka-style children's winter song “Kantarō” is popular
4The Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animals
The Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animalsplay_arrow
An introduction to a child-friendly song that sings the twelve zodiac signs to a catchy rhythm.
5The Snow PainterSakushi: Noritake Akihiko / Sakkyoku: Ando Takashi
The Snow PainterSakushi: Noritake Akihiko / Sakkyoku: Ando Takashiplay_arrow
A gentle song that paints the world white with snow
6little foxsakushi: Katsu Tsuguo / sakkyoku: Doitsu min’yō
little foxsakushi: Katsu Tsuguo / sakkyoku: Doitsu min'yōplay_arrow
Song of the Little Fox, a beloved classic among children
7January 1stSakushi: Senke Sonpuku / Sakkyoku: Ue Shingyō
January 1stSakushi: Senke Sonpuku / Sakkyoku: Ue Shingyōplay_arrow
New Year's staple songs, tunes that resonate with the heart
8Great Cold, Little Coldwarabeuta
Great Cold, Little Coldwarabeutaplay_arrow
A heartwarming song from a winter children’s folk song
9snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushou
snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushouplay_arrow
A children’s song depicting falling snow
10The wind and the snow are my friends.sakushi: kobayashi jun’ichi / sakkyoku: neruson & rorinz
The wind and the snow are my friends.sakushi: kobayashi jun’ichi / sakkyoku: neruson & rorinzplay_arrow
A heartwarming song that celebrates wintertime fun
11Cha-Cha-Cha of the SnowmanSakushi / Sakkyoku: Tajiga Akira
Cha-Cha-Cha of the SnowmanSakushi / Sakkyoku: Tajiga Akiraplay_arrow
Mini Story of Cha-cha-cha and the Snowman
12bonfireSakushi: Tatsumi Seika / Sakkyoku: Watanabe Shigeru
bonfireSakushi: Tatsumi Seika / Sakkyoku: Watanabe Shigeruplay_arrow
A masterpiece that depicts a bonfire scene and the warmth of winter
13Spring SeaSakushi: Shimoji Yuuki / Sakkyoku: Miyagi Michio
Spring SeaSakushi: Shimoji Yuuki / Sakkyoku: Miyagi Michioplay_arrow
Miyagi Michio’s “Haru no Umi,” which symbolizes the New Year
14snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushou
snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushouplay_arrow
Fun in the snow! Expressing winter with hand-play songs
15Nazuna Nanakusawarabeuta
Nazuna Nanakusawarabeutaplay_arrow
Traditional songs and customs related to the spring seven-herb rice porridge
16[Finger-play song] Mochi GlassesSakushi / Sakkyoku: Fushou
[Finger-play song] Mochi GlassesSakushi / Sakkyoku: Fushouplay_arrow
Classic New Year mochi dishes and hand-play songs
17Children are like the wind.Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Jidō Shōka
Children are like the wind.Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Jidō Shōkaplay_arrow
A child playing outside energetically despite the cold
18Mr./Ms. North Windsakushi: kowase tamami / sakkyoku: nakata yoshinao
Mr./Ms. North Windsakushi: kowase tamami / sakkyoku: nakata yoshinaoplay_arrow
A masterpiece whose song of the north wind enchants children
19When it becomes a festive time, it’s New YearSakushi / Sakkyoku: Aramaki Shake
When it becomes a festive time, it's New YearSakushi / Sakkyoku: Aramaki Shakeplay_arrow
A simple New Year’s hand-play song game where you represent osechi dishes with poses.
20mochi poundingSakushi: Amano Chou / Sakkyoku: Ichinomiya Michiko
mochi poundingSakushi: Amano Chou / Sakkyoku: Ichinomiya Michikoplay_arrow
Let's pound mochi with a hand play song.
21The Song of KonkonshyanSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
The Song of KonkonshyanSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
A cute song by animals wearing masks
22peta peta pettanko
peta peta pettankoplay_arrow
A hand-play song with a mochi-pounding theme is hugely popular with children
23A Morning of Steamsakushi: mado michio / sakkyoku: noritake akihiko
A Morning of Steamsakushi: mado michio / sakkyoku: noritake akihikoplay_arrow
A cold winter breath, white like a steam locomotive
24little snow monkSakushi: Murayama Toshiko
little snow monkSakushi: Murayama Toshiko
A fun hand-play song that personifies snow
25TroikaRoshia min’yō
TroikaRoshia min'yōplay_arrow
A cheerful folk song that briskly runs through a snowy landscape
26Ticotin, the winter fairySakushi / Sakkyoku: Suzuki Tsubasa
Ticotin, the winter fairySakushi / Sakkyoku: Suzuki Tsubasaplay_arrow
Songs that parents and children can enjoy together in the cold season
27fluffy snowteasobi
fluffy snowteasobiplay_arrow
Enjoy winter to the fullest with fun snowy hand-play songs!
28Snow and ChildrenSakushi: Komori Jun’ichi / Sakkyoku: Noruwē min’yō
Snow and ChildrenSakushi: Komori Jun'ichi / Sakkyoku: Noruwē min'yōplay_arrow
A melancholy nursery rhyme that loves the snow of Scandinavia
29The Spinning SongSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko/Shokyoku: Komori Akihiro
The Spinning SongSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko/Shokyoku: Komori Akihiroplay_arrow
A fun hand-play song about making shoes
30Mount FujiSakushi: Iwaya Kanao / Sakkyoku: Fushō
Mount FujiSakushi: Iwaya Kanao / Sakkyoku: Fushōplay_arrow
Let's sing a song about Mt. Fuji for New Year's
31I look forward to your continued support this year as well.Sakushi / Sakkyoku: Aramaki Shake
I look forward to your continued support this year as well.Sakushi / Sakkyoku: Aramaki Shakeplay_arrow
A hand-clapping song video in the style of a New Year’s card featuring salted salmon (Aramaki-jake)
32Octopus SongSakushi/Sakkyoku: Monbushō Shōka
Octopus SongSakushi/Sakkyoku: Monbushō Shōkaplay_arrow
The charm of kite flying to wish for children’s growth
33Snow Festivalsakushi/sakkyoku: minami ranbou
Snow Festivalsakushi/sakkyoku: minami ranbouplay_arrow
Minami Ranbō's nostalgic classic song
34Powdery snow konkoSakushi: Iijima Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Hirao Kishio
Powdery snow konkoSakushi: Iijima Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Hirao Kishioplay_arrow
A winter tradition: the nostalgic music of the kerosene truck
35Light of FirefliesSakushi: Inagaki Chisaki / Sakkyoku: Sukottorando min’yō
Light of FirefliesSakushi: Inagaki Chisaki / Sakkyoku: Sukottorando min'yōplay_arrow
Hotaru no Hikari is a staple song for graduation ceremonies.
36Winter ConstellationSakushi: Horiuchi Keizō / Sakkyoku: Heisu
Winter ConstellationSakushi: Horiuchi Keizō / Sakkyoku: Heisuplay_arrow
Winter constellations, a beautiful Japanese-lyric song
37winter songSakushi: Nakayama Tomoko / Sakkyoku: Furisto Nejyarukofu
winter songSakushi: Nakayama Tomoko / Sakkyoku: Furisto Nejyarukofuplay_arrow
A cheerful folk song about a sled gliding over a snowy field
38Even Kaze-san.Sakushi: Shibayama Kaoru / Sakkyoku: Satō Hachirō
Even Kaze-san.Sakushi: Shibayama Kaoru / Sakkyoku: Satō Hachirōplay_arrow
A gentle nursery rhyme that makes you feel the presence of the wind
39hometownSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi
hometownSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichiplay_arrow
'Furusato' is a beautiful traditional Japanese classic song.
40[Hand Play Song] Nikuman Anman
[Hand Play Song] Nikuman Anmanplay_arrow
Introduction to the hand play song of Nikuman and Anman
41The Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animalssakushi sakkyoku/miyahira rie
The Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animalssakushi sakkyoku/miyahira rieplay_arrow
A fun song featuring the animals of the Chinese zodiac
42A Town Where It SnowsSakushi: Uchimura Naoya / Sakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinao
A Town Where It SnowsSakushi: Uchimura Naoya / Sakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinaoplay_arrow
The town where snow falls, a classic winter song
43KodANUKI PonpoShimojō Atomu
KodANUKI PonpoShimojō Atomuplay_arrow
The heartwarming nursery rhyme of Ponpo the little tanuki
44Snowball fightSakushi / Sakkyoku: Fushou
Snowball fightSakushi / Sakkyoku: Fushouplay_arrow
Depicting the earnest play of a children’s snowball fight
45Goat MailSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikuma
Goat MailSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikumaplay_arrow
A nursery rhyme about a paper-loving goat that eats letters
46pine coneSakushi: Hirota Takao / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Tsuyae
pine coneSakushi: Hirota Takao / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Tsuyaeplay_arrow
Let’s have fun moving our bodies with the pine cone hand play song
47Come, springSakushi: Soma Gyofu / Sakkyoku: Hirota Ryutaro
Come, springSakushi: Soma Gyofu / Sakkyoku: Hirota Ryutaroplay_arrow
Ryutaro Hirota’s spring song, a heart-stirring masterpiece
48frost pillarsSakushi: Noguchi Ujo / Sakkyoku: Motoori Nagayo
frost pillarsSakushi: Noguchi Ujo / Sakkyoku: Motoori Nagayoplay_arrow
A child happily steps on winter frost heaves (needle ice).
49White RoadSakushi: Unno Yoji / Sakkyoku: Antonio Vivarudi
White RoadSakushi: Unno Yoji / Sakkyoku: Antonio Vivarudiplay_arrow
Vivaldi concertos with lyrics
50[Hand-play song] Konkon Kitsune
[Hand-play song] Konkon Kitsuneplay_arrow
Winter hand-play song 'Konkon Fox'
51Winter nightSakushi/Sakkyoku: Monbushō Shōka
Winter nightSakushi/Sakkyoku: Monbushō Shōkaplay_arrow
A snowy night, a family gathered around the irori hearth