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

[Warabe-uta] Beloved Classic Songs Passed Down Through Generations

Nursery rhymes that have been passed down in Japan since long ago.

There are many types of nursery rhymes, including drawing songs, counting songs, and play songs.

Many of you probably sang and played games like Kagome Kagome and Hana Ichi Monme at least once when you were children.

In this article, we introduce popular nursery rhymes.

If you want to remember the nursery rhymes you sang as a child or enjoy them with your kids, be sure to give them a listen!

Playlist

[Warabe-uta] Beloved Classic Songs Passed Down Through Generations
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastoshikura manju (a children’s pushing game)
oshikura manju (a children’s pushing game)play_arrow
Oshikura manju is a winter playground song.
2eastGoodbye, ankoro mochi.
Goodbye, ankoro mochi.play_arrow
A traditional song of wordplay that wishes for reunion
3eastOne, two, three, four, two, five
One, two, three, four, two, fiveplay_arrow
A traditional counting nursery rhyme enjoyed with finger play
4eastWhich child is a good child?warabeuta
Which child is a good child?warabeutaplay_arrow
Choosing who’s “it” with a children’s song
5eastWhere are you from?
Where are you from?play_arrow
Children’s play song from Kyushu: “Antagatadokosa”
6eastOonami Konami
Oonami Konamiplay_arrow
Popular music teaching materials for eurhythmics and jump rope
7eastfig carrot
fig carrotplay_arrow
A traditional children's song, popular among kids, that sings about numbers and ingredients.
8eastKeep crossing the bridge one after another.
Keep crossing the bridge one after another.play_arrow
A playable nursery rhyme featuring a fox
9eastDenderaryubawarabeuta
Denderaryubawarabeutaplay_arrow
Rhythmic hand-clapping song from Nagasaki
10eastPretty good.warabeuta
Pretty good.warabeutaplay_arrow
Songs to enjoy with children through rhythm play
11eastHorsetail shoots are poking up.
Horsetail shoots are poking up.play_arrow
A wordplay masterpiece that lets you feel the breath of spring
12eastChurippu sharippuwarabeuta
Churippu sharippuwarabeutaplay_arrow
Warabe-uta are play songs that connect hearts.
13eastThe Full Moon Man’s mochi poundingwarabeuta
The Full Moon Man’s mochi poundingwarabeutaplay_arrow
Enjoying mochi-pounding play in sync with each other
14eastTwo children got into a fight.warabeuta
Two children got into a fight.warabeutaplay_arrow
A comical nursery rhyme depicting a children's quarrel.
15eastInside-out pots!
Inside-out pots!play_arrow
The charm of children's hand-in-hand circle songs
16eastOne crow
One crowplay_arrow
A play song that incorporates animal sounds
17eastBamboo shoots are sprouting.warabeuta
Bamboo shoots are sprouting.warabeutaplay_arrow
Soothe children’s hearts with spring nursery rhymes
18eastSeven Herb Songwarabeuta
Seven Herb Songwarabeutaplay_arrow
Singing of nanakusa-gayu and the legends related to birds
19eastFrom inside the bamboo grove
From inside the bamboo groveplay_arrow
A rhythmic play song that nurtures children's imagination
20eastlazyboneswarabeuta
lazyboneswarabeutaplay_arrow
Saga nursery rhyme, Spring Tsukushi Song
21eastone bamboo shootwarabeuta
one bamboo shootwarabeutaplay_arrow
Let's sing and dance joyfully to spring children's songs
22easttea kettle lid stand (chatsubo)
tea kettle lid stand (chatsubo)play_arrow
Fingerplay songs are a difficult but fun activity.
23eastKagome Kagome
Kagome Kagomeplay_arrow
The mystery and scary legends of the nostalgic game “Kagome Kagome.”
24eastAbuku-tatta
Abuku-tattaplay_arrow
A game to deepen children's bonds with “Abukutatta”
25easthorse (childish/affectionate term)Sakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Matsushima Tsune
horse (childish/affectionate term)Sakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Matsushima Tsuneplay_arrow
A song story depicting the affection between a foal and its mother horse
26eastOchara-ka-hoi
Ochara-ka-hoiplay_arrow
A fun rock-paper-scissors variation: Ocharaka Hoi
27eastHana Ichi Monme
Hana Ichi Monmeplay_arrow
The Charm of the Nostalgic Children’s Game ‘Hana Ichi Monme’
28eastSong of the Resounding GrasslandsSakushi: Kubota Yuzuru Sakkyoku: Maruyama Aki
Song of the Resounding GrasslandsSakushi: Kubota Yuzuru Sakkyoku: Maruyama Akiplay_arrow
A children's song from Mongolian folklore, Melody of Light and Wind
29eastZuizui Zukkorobashi
Zuizui Zukkorobashiplay_arrow
Hand play song from the Edo period: “Zui Zui Zukkorobashi”
30eastIroha ni konpeitō
Iroha ni konpeitōplay_arrow
The word association game ‘Iroha ni Konpeitō’ is fun.
31eastthe temple’s head monk
the temple’s head monkplay_arrow
The temple monk’s fun hand-play song
32eastblack kiteSakushi: Kuzuhara Shigeru / Sakkyoku: Yanada Tadashi
black kiteSakushi: Kuzuhara Shigeru / Sakkyoku: Yanada Tadashiplay_arrow
A bird dancing in the autumn sky, a song that cleanses the heart
33eastA tadpole is a frog’s child.
A tadpole is a frog’s child.play_arrow
A fun song about tadpoles growing up
34eastThe Bento Box Song
The Bento Box Songplay_arrow
A nursery rhyme for lunchboxes that parents and children can enjoy
35eastteru teru bozu (a traditional Japanese handmade doll hung to wish for good weather)Sakushi: Asahara Kyōson / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei
teru teru bozu (a traditional Japanese handmade doll hung to wish for good weather)Sakushi: Asahara Kyōson / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpeiplay_arrow
A nursery rhyme that places wishes in a rainy day's doll
36eastTulipSakushi: Kondo Miyako / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi
TulipSakushi: Kondo Miyako / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshiplay_arrow
Tulip song, love of color and diversity
37eastThe rice cracker is done.
The rice cracker is done.play_arrow
Enjoy traditional games with beanbag juggling
38eastPlease let me pass.
Please let me pass.play_arrow
Let's have fun together with the nostalgic children's song 'Tōryanse'.
39eastThere once was a stick.
There once was a stick.play_arrow
Let's have fun with the chef drawing song
40eastpine coneSakushi: Hirota Takao / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Tsuyae
pine coneSakushi: Hirota Takao / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Tsuyaeplay_arrow
Autumn nursery rhyme of pinecones and a monkey
41eastPlease let me pass.warabeuta
Please let me pass.warabeutaplay_arrow
Nursery rhymes and children's play songs from the approach to Kawasaki Daishi Temple
42eastBet one and two
Bet one and twoplay_arrow
Nostalgic counting song, unexpected twists and traditions
43eastBrr, it’s so cold.
Brr, it's so cold.play_arrow
Oh cold, so cold — a fun round song
44eastDaruma doll
Daruma dollplay_arrow
Having fun playing Daruma-san (staring contest)
45eastSunset glow and dusk
Sunset glow and duskplay_arrow
Sunset glow, memories from childhood
46eastyomogi-jōbu nowarabeuta
yomogi-jōbu nowarabeutaplay_arrow
Warabe-uta are the natural tradition of play
47eastThis year’s peonies
This year's peoniesplay_arrow
The nostalgic children’s song “This Year’s Peony” with parent and child
48eastTanuki of Fist Mountain
Tanuki of Fist Mountainplay_arrow
Let's have fun playing with the Rock-Paper-Scissors Dance!
49eastOpened, opened
Opened, openedplay_arrow
A game that strengthens friendship through a hand-holding song