[Elementary School Music] List of Popular and Nostalgic Songs That Have Appeared in Textbooks

Flower of Thanks

Flower of Thanks

This is a song that conveys gratitude in a way that leaves a deep impression on children’s hearts.

Since it was featured on NHK Educational TV’s popular program “Okaasan to Issho” in October 2009, it has come to be widely sung in music classes at kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools.

Set to a bright and cheerful melody, the key point is how it communicates the importance of the word “thank you.” The lyrics depict gratitude spreading throughout the town, warming the hearts of those who listen.

It is often sung at graduation ceremonies and school events, and by holding hands and singing together, it fosters a sense of camaraderie and unity.

Wish ~Believing in Dreams

Wish Believe in Dreams Children's Chorus Ryuichi Sugiyama Chorus

This is a moving choral piece that conveys the importance of having dreams and hopes, resonating deeply with the heart.

Since it’s included in elementary school music textbooks, it’s well loved by many children.

Its bright, warm melody combines with lyrics themed around hope and courage, carrying a powerful message to step forward into the future.

The composer, Ryuichi Sugimoto, is said to have given over 2,000 school concerts at elementary and junior high schools across Japan.

Frequently performed at choral competitions and music recitals, this work also serves as an important educational tool that communicates dreams and hope to children.

Why not enjoy the harmonies and call-and-response while recalling the dreams that lie dormant in your own heart?

hometown

hometown (one's native place)

I remember singing a parody of the opening lyrics as “usagi oishii” and then joking over and over like kids, “Are you really saying the rabbit tastes good?” It’s a song everyone sang at least once in elementary school, right? As you get older, for some reason these nostalgic lyrics start to really resonate.

The lyrics were written by Tatsuyuki Takano, and the music was composed by Teiichi Okano.

In fact, for a long time the lyricist and composer were unknown and it was considered “author unknown.” Also, in a Kubota TV commercial, Yuko Hara sings this song.

It’s a perfect match for Hara’s clear, translucent voice.

hazy moonlit night

Song: Oborozukiyo (Hazy Moonlit Night) — Sung by Yoko Shozan

This is a Ministry of Education song printed in textbooks in June 1914.

It portrays a spring evening— the setting sun over a field of rapeseed blossoms and the moon hanging along the mountain ridge—set to a gentle triple-meter melody.

The lyrics are lovely, conveying not only the visual scene but also the atmosphere of a spring night, with sounds like croaking frogs and distant temple bells.

Sung by many performers, including the sisters Saori Yuki and Shoko Yasuda, it was selected in 2006 as one of the 100 Best Japanese Songs.

As you feel the arrival of spring, try humming it together with someone dear to you.

To the Sun in the Palm of Your Hand

[♪ Song Anime] Hold Your Palms Up to the Sun (Sung by: Icchi & Naru) We’re All Alive~ ♪ [Children’s Song / Nursery Rhyme]

Back in elementary school, I was so happy during music and singing time, but somehow by the time I got to junior high, I started feeling embarrassed to sing in front of others and would just pretend to sing without really raising my voice.

I remember having so much fun singing this song, “Teno Hira o Taiyou ni” (Palms to the Sun), when I was in elementary school.

Even the lyrics that seem obvious—“We are alive”—rest on the moving realization that “being alive is not something to be taken for granted.” The lyrics are by the well-known Takashi Yanase, and the music by Tak Izumi.

It’s a song that’s truly enjoyable precisely when you sing it.

Red sky at duskFurēberu Shōnen Gasshōdan

Yuyake Koyake, Froebel Boys' Choir Song

When it comes to sunset songs, many people probably think of this one.

It’s a quintessential Japanese children’s song that many of us heard in school.

It might even be the first sunset song you ever recognized in your life.

The lyrics were written in 1919 by Uko Nakamura, a poet who was then an elementary school teacher, and the music was later composed by Shin Kusakawa.

The word “koyake” is said to have two theories behind it: one suggests it was chosen for its pleasing sound, and another ties it to shifting scenes of the evening glow.

The lyrics depict feelings experienced when returning home and beautiful scenery, offering a gentle companion for the journey back to one’s hometown.

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KEI

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Summer has come

Summer Has Come (Children's Song)

One of the indispensable songs for summer is “Natsu wa Kinu” (Summer Has Come).

It evocatively describes scenes like rice planting and spotting fireflies, conveying the arrival of summer with rich sentiment.

Some people may have mistakenly thought as children that the title meant “Summer Won’t Come.” In 2007, it was selected as one of the 100 Greatest Japanese Songs, and it’s used as the departure melody at Joetsumyoko Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

Since the piece was composed in 1896, the wording of the lyrics feels rather formal, but they beautifully depict summer scenes.

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Hamada Takuya

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