[Japanese Military Songs and Marches] A collection of famous Japanese pieces deeply etched in the hearts of the Showa and wartime generations

Month Month Fire Water Wood Gold GoldKasuga Hachirō

Month Month Fire Water Wood Gold Gold

When it comes to Japanese military songs, “Getsu-Getsu-Ka-Sui-Moku-Kin-Kin” (Monday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday) rivals “Warship March,” composed by Tokichi Setoguchi, in name recognition.

The title phrase “Getsu-Getsu-Ka-Sui-Moku-Kin-Kin” is said to have spread from a remark by Yuzo Tsuru, who, observing that the Imperial Japanese Navy trained without taking days off, complained to a colleague, “At this rate, it’s like Monday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Friday,” and it eventually became the basis for the song.

Thereafter, it came to be used among the public as a phrase praising tireless work, reflecting the diligence of the Japanese even back then.

The melody is, of course, martial and spirited, but it also has a bright character—perhaps intentionally, so that ordinary citizens could sing it—and it’s the kind of tune you might even hear on variety shows.

It is especially familiar to the generation of grandparents who lived through the Showa era and the war.

March “Warship Flag”Saitō Ushimatsu

March “The Naval Ensign”

This celebrated piece, emblematic of the naval band tradition, opens with a stately and imposing brass fanfare before unfolding into a valiant march.

Composed in October 1938 by Uimatsu Saito, a leading composer for the Imperial Japanese Navy Band, it was crafted to align with the disciplined performance style of military bands.

The trio section skillfully weaves in a song written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the naval ensign.

Included on the album “Walking with the Military Band… Japanese Wind Music 3: Works of Uimatsu Saito,” the piece has a track record of performances at numerous official events, such as fleet reviews and navy-related ceremonies.

With its powerful wind ensemble sonorities and solemn character, it evokes the history of prewar military music and remains enduringly popular among today’s wind band enthusiasts.

Grand Naval March (Big March)kaigun gungakutai

[March: Big Navy March (Big March)] Conducted by Music Director Genji Fujisaki, Yokosuka Naval Training Division Band, recorded in October, Showa 8 (1933)

A certain rousing march by the Naval Band brims with a power that stirs the listener’s heart.

Its allure lies in its vigorous rhythm and inspiring melody, and within a brief 2 minutes and 36 seconds it unfolds with superb craftsmanship—from the prelude to the main section and on to a brilliant trio.

First released as an SP record in October 1933, the piece transcended its era and drew renewed attention when it was included in albums such as “Masterpieces of Prewar Japanese Marches: Naval Band Edition” in 1995.

It has also been performed at official occasions such as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Fleet Review, attesting to its dignified character.

This is a work I recommend to anyone interested in the history of Japanese wind music or in stirring, heroic compositions.

Funeral MarchSetoguchi Fujikichi

Funeral March

A dignified and ceremonious masterpiece of wind band music takes on a splendid form at the hands of Tokichi Setoguchi, a leading military musician of Japan’s Meiji era.

Elevating the familiar melody of “Auld Lang Syne” into a solemn march, this work was included on an SP record introduced as a new release at the main Tenshodo store in 1897.

Performed by the German Polydor Military Band, it unfolds in a powerful Western-style three-part structure tinged with melancholy, fully drawing out the virtues of the graded wind band instrumentation—from 12 to 45 players—that Setoguchi valued.

To this day, it retains an undimmed allure as a piece that resonates in the heart during ceremonies and formal occasions where an atmosphere of gravitas is desired.

March “Patriotism”Saitō Ushimatsu

March “Patriotism” / Patriotic March

This march, with a powerful wind band melody ringing out, was composed by Ushimatsu Saito in December 1937 for the Navy Band.

Its dignified, weighty atmosphere and the solemn lyrical melody of the middle section are beautifully balanced, and its high level of craftsmanship led to its selection as an official piece jointly adopted by the Navy and Army.

An SP record was released at the time by Polydor, featuring a performance by the Imperial Japanese Navy Band under the baton of Seigo Naitō.

From the wartime period through the postwar years, it was widely performed at ceremonies and events throughout the Asia-Pacific region and became familiar to local audiences in places like Indonesia and Palau.

The trio section incorporates Tokichi Setoguchi’s nationally beloved song “Aikoku Koshinkyoku” (Patriotic March), the composer also known for “Gunkan March.” This is a must-hear for those who wish to savor the rich sonorities and solemn melodic beauty of wind band music, as well as for anyone interested in the history of Japanese military music.

Hinomaru MarchOrii Shigeko

[Military Song] Hinomaru March

As a classic national song, Hinomaru March, with lyrics by Kenji Arimoto and music by Takeo Hosokawa, is indispensable.

While it is also a military song, it was widely sung as a national song of the time that roused people to prosper and not be beaten by any country, and if you walked through town you would hear it playing from records in department stores.

Although it is called a march, rather than having the brash spirit of a military band, it was intended to be familiar and singable by children and adults alike, fitting the image of a piece used in popular songs and even Bon Odori.

As a prize song solicited by the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun and the Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun, it drew 23,805 submissions, reflecting strong public interest, and reportedly sold 150,000 records.

March in the SnowNagai Tateko

Military Song: Snowy March

Born of the harsh experiences he endured on campaign during the First Sino-Japanese War, this song was composed with heartfelt sincerity by Takeko Nagai, a Japanese Army officer and composer.

Unlike the bold and heroic military songs of the time, it offers something different: it sets the soldiers’ unvarnished feelings—hunger and cold as they trudge through snow, and a crushing sense of despair—to a somewhat plaintive yet sprightly melody built on the yo (pentatonic) scale.

Believed to have been composed around February 1895, its melody can be heard on albums such as Immortal Masterpieces of Japanese Marches, Vol.

2.

It is memorably featured in the film Mount Hakkoda and the anime Girls und Panzer, where it serves as a theme that reflects both harsh circumstances and the hearts of those who endure them—lingering in the memories of many.

When you wish to reflect deeply on the power of music born of history and the stories behind it, you might quietly lend it your ear.