Old songs from the Showa to Heisei eras: a collection of timeless classics loved across generations
These days, thanks to the widespread use of Spotify and Apple Music, people of all ages can easily listen to a wide variety of songs.
Social media platforms like TikTok have also sparked an increase in older songs becoming revival hits among young people.
In this article, we’ll be showcasing a selection of hit tracks from the Showa and Heisei eras all at once!
There are plenty of timeless masterpieces that haven’t lost their charm, so take this opportunity to give them another listen.
- [Songs from the Showa Era] Introducing classic tracks that are easy to sing at karaoke.
- Showa-era love songs: A roundup of timeless love songs cherished across generations
- Showa-era songs that went viral on TikTok / revival hit songs
- [Classic Showa Kayō Hits] The captivating Showa-era pop songs beloved even by younger generations
- Songs from the Heisei retro era that will get any generation excited! Timeless tracks you’ll want to listen to now.
- Popular Showa-era pop. Timeless hit songs.
- Revival hits driven by social media! Classic Showa-era songs popular with Gen Z
- [Nostalgic Songs] A compilation of classic anime themes that hit home for those born in the Showa and Heisei eras
- Evokes the charm of the good old days. Showa-era inspirational songs that are still loved today.
- Hits that resonate across generations! Popular 1990s songs on TikTok
- [Showa Era] A Collection of Enka Hits: Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations
- Thrilling to Cool Showa-Era Tunes! Classic Songs from Female Singers and Artists of the Showa Period
- Songs to Enjoy in Summer! Classic Hits Special (Showa & Heisei)
Old songs from the Showa to Heisei eras. A collection of timeless classics loved across generations (71–80)
Not even worth confessingKitahara Mirei
When I listened to this song, released in October 1970, I was still just a child—barely in middle school—and I remember it being a shocking song, interpreted in my own childish way.
What is now called the “phantom fourth verse” seems to exist, and I recall the word “iron bars” sticking in my ears back then, so I believe it was sung at the time.
From the standpoint that it wouldn’t see the light of day in today’s world, I consider it a hidden masterpiece.
Northern SpringSen Masao
This is one of Masao Sen’s signature songs, filled with feelings for his hometown.
It portrays a protagonist living in the city who, with the arrival of spring, finds himself longing for his northern homeland.
Springtime scenes—blue skies, southern breezes, and cherry blossoms—are depicted with watercolor-like vividness, conveying a poignant yearning to return to a distant home.
Released in April 1977, the song became a massive hit, selling over three million copies, and was performed multiple times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
It’s a song to listen to when you step away from the city’s clamor and, in a quiet moment, find yourself missing the warmth of your hometown.
paper craneHiroko Chiba
Among the hidden gems released in August 1972, this is the first song that came to my mind.
It may have been a modest hit, but it never really became well-known.
It sounds a bit like enka, yet not quite; at times it feels like pop, but that’s not exactly right either—it has a mysterious melody.
It’s structured in three parts, with the mood of the melody changing as it goes, and it’s fairly complex, so it was hard to hum along to.
Don’t say anything.Sono Mari
Mari Sono, who was active at the forefront of Showa-era kayōkyoku with songs like “When the Acacia Rain Stops” and “Aitakute Aitakute,” also recorded this piece, which has been overshadowed by her more famous hits.
Released in 1964 (Showa 39), it became a hit and followed the so-called Japanese pop style, a trajectory that later led to Yukari Itō’s “Koyubi no Omoide” becoming a massive success.
Goodbye to sorrowanzenchitai
Released in 1985 as Anzen Chitai’s ninth single, it became a big hit thanks to Koji Tamaki’s gentle, translucent voice.
The song also marked their first appearance on the Kohaku Uta Gassen.
It continues to be passed down through covers, including by EXILE’s ATSUSHI and various female artists.