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

Do you remember the songs you sang in elementary school music class or the pieces you played on the recorder?

Songs learned in childhood are deeply engraved in our memories, and sometimes a fragment of the melody pops into your head out of the blue.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that were featured in elementary school textbooks, as well as pieces that are still included today.

From nostalgic children’s songs to recent J-pop, the genres are diverse.

Of course, you can simply listen and reminisce, but it’s also great to listen with family or friends and let the conversation bloom with memories!

[Elementary School Music] List of Popular and Nostalgic Songs That Have Appeared in Textbooks (31–40)

Moon over the Ruined Castle

Moon over the Ruined Castle / Full version with easy-to-read lyric subtitles (Verses 1–4) Music: Rentaro Taki Arrangement: Kósçak Yamada Lyrics: Bansui Doi
Moon over the Ruined Castle

A quintessential choral piece that almost everyone has heard at least once—or perhaps found themselves humming its wistful melody.

“Kojo no Tsuki” (Moon over the Ruined Castle) was released in 1901 (Meiji 34).

It sets a poem by Bansui Doi, a poet and scholar of English literature, to music composed by Rentaro Taki—one of the representative musicians of the Meiji era, who tragically died at the age of 23.

Historically, this song is extremely significant: it is considered the first Western-style art song composed in Japanese music history.

Up until then, Japanese folk songs and children’s songs were typically built on the so-called yonanuki scale.

By introducing Western melodic idioms to a distinctly Japanese shichigocho (7-5 syllabic) poetic structure, the piece broke new ground.

Keeping this historical background in mind as you sing it might lead to new discoveries!

KOH-1
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strollInoue Azumi

Sampo (My Neighbor Totoro) Sato no Uta Hey Let’s Go (Totoro)
strollInoue Azumi

I think many kindergartens and nursery schools use this song for their recitals.

On TV, the film My Neighbor Totoro is broadcast regularly, so it feels like people have been humming this song since they were little.

Its march-like tempo makes it a great teaching material for elementary school music classes when practicing instruments.

You often hear it as a marching piece at sports days, too—truly an all-around song.

The lyrics are by Rieko Nakagawa, and the music is by Joe Hisaishi, who composes widely for Ghibli films.

Azumi Inoue’s singing voice also fits this song perfectly!

Taki no namida pin ku
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Sugarcane field

Ryoko Moriyama “Sugarcane Field” (from ‘Concert Tour 2007–2008’)
Sugarcane field

The classic song “Sugarcane Field,” which expresses the sound of the wind in words and quietly sings of searing sorrow, anger, and prayers for peace, has been passed down by many singers since its premiere at a 1967 concert.

The version recorded by Ryoko Moriyama in 2001 won the Best Vocal Performance at the 44th Japan Record Awards in 2002.

In 2003, a drama of the same title starring Sanma Akashiya, inspired by this song, was released and deeply moved many people in Japan.

If you’re interested in how Naohiko Terashima, who wrote the lyrics and composed the music, created this piece and the stories behind it, please look into it yourself.

KOH-1
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In conclusion

Were there any songs you remember singing, or ones included in your child’s textbook? If you’re a parent, you might find it fun just to flip through your child’s music textbook. This playlist could spark lively conversations at home—please enjoy it during your family time!