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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.
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[Japanese Shoka] Carefully Selected Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations (1–10)
Counting Song
A traditional Japanese counting song that has long been sung in schools as a Ministry of Education song.
Included in the July 1910 volume of “Songs for the Elementary School Reader,” this piece teaches children virtues such as loyalty, filial piety, harmony among siblings, friendship, and sincerity while counting numbers.
It adapts melodies of children’s folk songs passed down in various regions into educational material; Naoaki Fukui prepared the accompaniment score and arranged it to be easy to sing in school settings.
In 1997, it was also included on the album “Jinjō Shōgaku Shōka: Third Grade,” performed by the Suginami Children’s Choir.
Village Festival
A classic song that sings of autumn’s bounty and gratitude to the gods, evoking Japan’s quintessential pastoral scenery.
The lyrics vividly conjure a lively festival scene—you can almost hear the flutes and drums—which is a big part of its charm.
First published in March 1912 in “Jinjō Shōgaku Shōka: For Third-Year Students,” it has been beloved for generations.
Passed down in performances by artists like Saori Yuki and Shoko Yasuda, it remains a staple autumn song today.
With its playful, rhythmic onomatopoeia, this piece is perfect for savoring the exhilaration of a festival!
Winter night
Since it was published in March 1912 in “Songs for Elementary Schools: For the Third Grade,” this Ministry of Education song has been sung for over a century.
It depicts a warm family gathering around the hearth while a fierce blizzard rages outside.
Listening to their mother’s handiwork and their father’s old tales, the children exude a sense of gentle happiness and close family bonds.
Selected in 2007 as one of the “Hundred Best Japanese Songs,” this piece invites you to hum along during the cold season as you look back on memories with your family.
Rain of the Four Seasons
This is a uniquely Japanese school song that delicately captures the rich expressions of rain in each of the four seasons.
Published in 1914 in the collection Songs for Elementary Schools, Sixth Grade, it has long been cherished as a Ministry of Education song.
From the mist-like rains of spring to the sounds of winter rain that convey the cold, the lyrics—depicting the changing seasons in beautiful Japanese—leave a strong impression.
Its gentle, unhurried triple-meter melody is a classic that brings a deep sense of calm to listeners.
chick
Written for first-grade elementary school students, this song teaches the importance of siblings getting along and acting as a group.
Included in “Elementary School Songs for the First Grade,” compiled by the Ministry of Education and published in May 1911, the piece conveys a message that young children still need adult protection and bonds with their peers, illustrated through little chicks walking together and helping one another under their parent bird.
With a bright, easy-to-sing melody and a meter that matches a walking rhythm, its warm imagery offers a comforting sense of security.
The Clock Song
Since its inclusion in the 1910 textbook “Jinjō Shōgaku Tokuhon Shōka” (Elementary School Reader Songs), this Ministry of Education song has been sung for generations.
Set to a steady onomatopoeic rhythm, it depicts a clock that keeps moving tirelessly from morning till night.
Its recording history is also long: as early as 1932, an SP record by Chiyoko Fumiya and the Nippon Victor Junior Orchestra was released, among other various recordings.
Cherished in NHK educational programs and school teaching materials, it may evoke nostalgic classroom scenes for some listeners.
The Village Blacksmith
This is a children’s song that vividly portrays blacksmiths hard at work.
The pride of the craftsmen who make the farming tools that sustain daily life conveys a noble artisan spirit.
Since it was included in the textbook Elementary School Songs (4), published in December 1912, it has continued to be sung across generations, even as the lyrics have been revised.
In addition to being featured in works by Saori Yuki and Shoko Yasuda, it has also been used as a JR departure melody and in Kikkoman’s “Delicious Sauce” TV commercials.
Why not hum this song, which lets you feel the joy of working, at local gatherings or during family time?