[Japanese Children's Songs] Carefully selected timeless masterpieces loved across generations!
Japanese shoka—songs everyone has hummed at least once—include classics like “Furusato,” “Haru no Ogawa,” and “Momiji.” The nostalgic melodies we learned in music class or sang with friends in childhood stay with us no matter how much time passes.
These works, which sing of seasonal landscapes and everyday scenes, are filled with the sensibilities of the Japanese people.
In this article, we introduce a selection of shoka that have been sung across generations.
Just seeing the titles will make you want to start singing—be sure to check out these beloved Japanese classics.
- [Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Masterpieces from Across Japan, Brimming with Local Pride
- [For Seniors] Spring Songs You'll Want to Hum: Feel the Season with Nostalgic Classics
- [Showa Era] A roundup of nostalgic folk song classics and popular tracks you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- A nostalgic song—a timeless classic that somehow feels familiar and touches the heart.
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- A roundup of classic Showa-era kayō songs: a comprehensive introduction to timeless tracks loved across generations.
- A masterpiece of the pastoral. A roundup of representative works that delve into the charm of the pastoral (pastorale).
- Nostalgic enka. A collection of classic enka hits from the Showa era.
- [Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
- Recommended enka set in autumn: a collection of heart-touching masterpieces
- Children’s Song Medley: A playlist of classic and popular hits everyone knows
- Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad
- For Seniors: Festive Attractions to Liven Up Festivals—Games and Recreational Activities
[Japanese Children's Songs] Carefully Selected Masterpieces Loved Across Generations! (21–30)
BELIEVE
It is the third ending theme of NHK’s “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (A Journey of Life on Earth), written and composed by Ryuichi Sugimoto.
After its release in 1998, it was arranged as a choral piece and has been sung in elementary and junior high schools.
The gently flowing melody gradually builds up, reaching its climax together with the English lyrics.
Born on this planet
Composed and written by Ryuichi Sugimoto, it was the second ending theme song for the program “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō,” included on a CD in 1996.
With the message “Don’t give up on your dreams,” its grand-scale lyrics and flowing, beautiful melody have made it widely cherished and sung.
[Japanese School Songs] A Selection of Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations (31–40)
Dona Dona
The music was composed by the American Sholom Secunda in 1938, but the Japanese version is by Kazumi Yasui.
It is a song about a calf being taken to market, and its lyrics, together with the melancholy melody, gently sink into the heart.
It is included in elementary school textbooks.
Momotaro
It was released in 1911.
The lyricist is unknown.
The lyrics recount the old folktale of Momotaro.
With its cheerful and easy-to-remember melody and a story-like lyric that thrillingly ends with the defeat of the ogres, the song has long been beloved.
Morning on the Ranch
It was released in 1932.
It is said to have been modeled after Iwase Ranch in Fukushima Prefecture.
It has been featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” and a yogurt of the same name has also been released.
The lyrics depict a fresh and invigorating morning scene on a ranch, and the melody is expansive, making it a fitting song for the morning.
Ride a hot air balloon to the ends of the earthSumida Shonen Shojo Gasshodan
The lyrics are by Tatsuo Azuma and the music is by Koku Hiyoshi.
It is a two-part choral piece and was the set piece for the elementary school division of the 1974 NHK National School Music Competition.
The song conveys a grand sense of scale, as if soaring through the sky in a hot-air balloon, and the first verse includes hand claps, making it rhythmic and fun to sing.
The Hill Where Mandarin Orange Blossoms BloomKawada Masako
It’s said to be inspired by Shizuoka’s mandarin orange orchards, and it conjures a beautiful scene of looking out over the sea and ships from a hill.
But this song also features a departed mother, which gives it a deep emotional resonance.
Since it was written right after the war, I wonder if that’s the influence of the war.
Even in such a beautiful song, there is a lingering sadness.