Enthralling mood kayō: A collection of classic Showa-era songs
Suddenly, but what kind of image do you all have of “mood kayō” (mood ballads)?
If you’re from a younger generation, you may not have even heard of the genre “mood kayō” in the first place.
Born in the postwar era, mood kayō is, as the name suggests, a form of kayōkyoku (Japanese popular song), but its definition is actually quite ambiguous.
You could say it’s a genre that values sentiment—indeed, the very “mood”—more than strictly musical elements.
This time, we’re focusing on this uniquely alluring, adult music born of the Shōwa era—mood kayō—and have gathered some representative classics.
Whether you’re a young music fan curious about Shōwa-era kayōkyoku or someone who lived through those times, please enjoy!
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Enthralling mood kayō: A collection of Showa-era masterpieces (41–50)
Yanagase BluesMikawa Ken’ichi
Released in 1966 (Showa 41).
One of Kenichi Mikawa’s signature songs and a pioneer of regional-themed songs, it made Yanagase in Gifu Prefecture instantly famous.
Although Mikawa himself apparently didn’t care for it, saying, “I have a cheerful personality, so dark songs don’t suit me,” the way he begins in a very low register leaves a strong impression.
Rather than a ‘dark’ song, it’s a fine piece whose flavor deepens with age—the older you get, the more you appreciate it.
Enthralling mood kayō: A collection of Showa-era masterpieces (51–60)
North AirportKatsura Ginshuku, Hama Keisuke
Released in 1987 as the first duet by the mentor–student duo of composer Keisuke Hama and Gin Lee Katsura, the song portrays a couple’s love as they depart from a northern airport, set against the backdrop of a night in Sapporo.
It has become a classic duet standard and still ranks high on karaoke charts today—especially a favorite in snack bars.
Tokyoyashiki takajin
It was released in 1993 as Takajin Yashiki’s 20th single.
The song won the All Japan Cable Broadcasting Award’s Yomiuri TV Grand Prize and the Special Prize, and became Yashiki’s biggest hit.
Although the title is “Tokyo,” the lyrics are in Kansai dialect, and the song served as the catalyst for Yashiki—who had been most active in the Kansai region at the time—to be accepted for the first time in the Kanto area as well.
SachikoNikku Nyūsa
This song by Nick Newsa, whose husky singing voice splendidly conveys a man’s ruggedness and melancholy, gained popularity with the unusual twist of repeatedly chanting the specific name “Sachiko” in the chorus.
Because it’s a straightforward, non-flashy name, it’s easy to sing.
Don’t look back.hanī naitsu
Released in 1970 (Showa 45).
In a sense, it was like a local song and was used for many years as the commercial jingle for a certain cosmetics company’s rinse and shampoo.
At the end of the commercial, they would insert the local place name and sing “The Woman of XX,” and in those days it wasn’t staged—they actually interviewed passersby live.
Since the product was rinse and the like, they wanted to evoke hair, so they interviewed women from behind.
A classmate from my high school happened to be interviewed back then, and it aired in the commercial, so there’s no mistake about it.
The one I still love even after we’ve broken upRosu Indiosu & Shiruvia
Portrayed from a fresh angle as if the romance between a separated couple were reigniting, this song became an explosive hit.
Despite the lyrics, the two singers’ clean, beautiful voices give it an easy, un-gritty appeal that glides smoothly into the ears and won over listeners.
rainMiyoshi Eiji
As the postwar years wore on, even mood enka songs released in 1972 began to feature a different kind of lyricism.
It’s a sad love song about a woman who isn’t the lawful wife, yet what left a strong impression was Eiji Miyoshi standing perfectly still, singing in a slightly higher register, calmly delivering a difficult piece with dramatic interval leaps.
The line that describes umbrellas as flowers in bloom conveys the beauty of the Japanese language.