[For Seniors] Songs to Hum in March: Heartwarming Moments with Nostalgic Classics that Evoke Spring

Suzhou SerenadeNEW!Sakushi: Saijō Yaso / Sakkyoku: Hattori Ryōichi

Suzhou Nocturne/Yamaguchi Yoshiko [With Lyrics] (covered by Mariko Miho) [Miho Mari’s Ototama]

A Showa-era standard number full of exotic atmosphere, created as an insert song for the film “China Nights.” The beautiful scenery of a watery city depicted by lyricist Yaso Saijo and the melody composed by Ryoichi Hattori are in perfect harmony, soothing the listener’s heart.

The record was released in August 1940, sung by Noboru Kirishima and Hamako Watanabe.

It also became widely beloved through the singing voice of Li Xianglan (Yoshiko Yamaguchi) in the film, and has been handed down by many singers over the years, so many older adults are likely familiar with it.

It’s nice to enjoy it at a relaxed pace while imagining a spring night with a hazy moon and the sound of bells.

Why not hum along with older adults, together with nostalgic memories?

Farewell at 22NEW!kaguya hime

Parting at 22 / Kaze (with lyrics)

This quintessential work by Kaguya-hime, beloved as a milestone in folk music, features lyrics and composition by Shozo Ise, and many people carry it deeply in their hearts.

The lyrics, which delicately depict the parting of two lovers like a scene from a film, are truly moving.

The melody, which conveys a will to look forward even amid sadness, never loses its luster no matter when you listen to it.

Originally included on the album “Sankaidate no Uta,” released in March 1974, the song was later used as the ending theme for a TV drama in 1984 and was released as a single.

It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to in spring, when farewells and encounters intersect, overlaying it with bittersweet memories of youth.

Why not listen slowly under the gentle sunlight?

Anemone flaccida (nirinsō; literally “two-flowered anemone”)NEW!kawanaka miyuki

【MV】Miyuki Kawanaka / Nirinso (Two Buttercups)

Have you heard of the delicate white flowers that bloom in clusters after enduring a harsh winter? This masterpiece, one of Miyuki Kawanaka’s signature songs, overlays their image with the bond of a married couple.

Released as a single in 1998, it later became a massive hit, selling over one million copies.

The story of a monument to the song being erected in a park in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, also speaks to how deeply loved it is by so many people.

The warm lyrics addressing “you” evoke the very scene of a couple who have spent many years together.

Just humming it brings a gentle feeling, and it’s best enjoyed while listening slowly in the spring sunshine.

How about spending a peaceful moment recalling the days you spent with someone dear?

strollNEW!Inoue Azumi

[My Neighbor Totoro] ♪ Stroll / Azumi Inoue

When you feel the warm spring sunshine, it makes you want to go outside and get moving, doesn’t it? The perfect choice for times like that is this piece, known as the opening theme song of Studio Ghibli’s film My Neighbor Totoro.

Although it’s a song from the film released in 1988, it had actually already been included on the image album My Neighbor Totoro: Image Song Collection, which came out in November 1987, before the movie’s release.

Azumi Inoue’s clear vocals and Joe Hisaishi’s march-like rhythm alone are enough to put a spring in your step.

The lyrics feature familiar scenes like hills and tunnels one after another, brimming with an exciting sense of setting off on an adventure.

How about enjoying it during rehab or exercise time, imagining everyone swinging their arms energetically as they walk together?

butterflySakushi: Nomura Akio / Sakkyoku: Supein min’yō

[Children's Song] Butterfly / Daisuke Yokoyama

Butterflies fluttering amid a landscape where beautiful flowers bloom is a scene that truly evokes spring, isn’t it? This children’s song, a classic of the season, captures the image of such butterflies.

Its gently flowing tempo conjures the softness of the butterflies and the sight of them drifting leisurely through the air.

By depicting butterflies flying among various flowers, it also seems to convey what kinds of flowers are there, making the beauty of spring even more vivid in our minds.

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Height comparisonNEW!Sakushi: Umino Atsushi / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei

Height Comparison – Sei Kurabe | The mark on the pillar was from the year before last [Japanese Song / Shoka]

As Children’s Day approaches, many people may find themselves recalling the marks on the pillar.

This children’s song, written by Atsushi Unno with his younger brother in mind—seventeen years his junior—depicts a warm scene where the older brother measures his little brother’s height.

It is said that the lyrics also capture the loneliness of not having met the previous year, preserved as a two-year record.

With music composed by Shinpei Nakayama, it was published as a collection of sheet music in May 1923.

The song has continued to be sung for many years and was selected in 2007 as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” As you feel the May breeze, why not look back on nostalgic memories with your siblings and family? Enjoy this seasonal song with a bright, uplifting spirit, as if gazing up at the majestic Mount Fuji.

When the white flowers bloom

When the White Flowers Bloom – Song by Chieko Baisho (Japanese actress, singer, and voice actress)

A perfect song for March, when we sense the arrival of spring yet still feel traces of winter, is “Shiroi Hana no Saku Koro” (“When the White Flowers Bloom”).

Sung by Atsuro Okamoto, this piece has been cherished by many across generations.

Its memorable lyrics poetically portray parting from an irreplaceable person, while evoking personal landscapes of memory.

Whether in a senior care facility or at home, why not listen to this song with someone dear and reflect on the past in the gentle spring sunlight?