[New Year BGM] New Year Songs Loved Across Generations

Genroku Cherry-Blossom Viewing DanceSandaime Kineya Shojiro

The 5th “Playing with Wa”: Nagauta — Genroku Cherry-Blossom Dance

Around New Year’s, you tend to hear more pleasant performances of traditional Japanese instruments, don’t you? It’s even kind of charming that convenience stores and family restaurants play popular songs arranged with Japanese-instrument percussion.

Speaking of Japanese instruments, the nagauta piece “Genroku Hanami Odori” is another tune you often hear at New Year’s.

In fact, this piece is considered most fitting for the cherry-blossom viewing season, but perhaps its famous “chan-cha-cha-chan~” melody evokes a bright, festive feeling of the new year, and it’s become a New Year’s staple as well.

Does that “chan-cha-cha~” ring a bell for you? If not, be sure to give it a listen at least once.

mochi poundingSakushi: Kobayashi Junichi / Sakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinao

Children’s song “Mochitsuki” (Mochi Pounding), lyrics by Jun’ichi Kobayashi, music by Yoshinao Nakata

This song splendidly captures traditional New Year’s scenes in Japan, masterfully expressed by the renowned duo of children’s music! Jun’ichi Kobayashi’s warm lyrics pair perfectly with Yoshinao Nakada’s friendly melody, joyfully portraying the lively atmosphere of rice-cake pounding.

Released in the 1950s, the song has continued to be sung by many people and cherished as a classic New Year’s tune.

It’s an excellent choice for setting a festive New Year mood or introducing children to Japan’s traditional culture.

Sing it together with family and friends, and it will surely become a delightful memory.

The Song of the Twelve Zodiac AnimalsMiyahira Rie

The Twelve Zodiac Animals Song with Piano Accompaniment ♪ (Lyrics and Music by Rie Miyahira)

Even though more people are getting by with email and LINE these days, New Year’s cards that arrive on New Year’s Day are still one of the fun parts of the holiday.

You look at the zodiac animal pictured and think, “Oh, so this year is the Year of the ___.” With that, let me introduce a fun song called “The Twelve Zodiac Signs.” The lyrics simply sing the twelve animals in order, but this tune makes it easy to memorize them.

And why isn’t the cat—an animal so familiar to us—part of the zodiac? The story goes that a mouse, who never got along with the cat to begin with, gave it the wrong date, so the cat missed the meeting where the zodiac was decided.

It’s a song with a neat little punchline, and highly recommended.

Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushiSawai Tadao

Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushi (composed by Tadao Sawai)

This “Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushi,” originally sung by former retainers of the Kuroda clan and arranged into a modern style by Mr.

Tadao Sawai, uses traditional Japanese instruments, yet its structure is entirely classical—making it a highly innovative and fascinating work.

The melody expressing the brilliance of spring is particularly striking.

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Hakone HachiriTaki Rentarō

Hakone Hachiri

Rentaro Taki, who left a profound mark on the history of Japanese music and gave the world numerous timeless songs that are still sung today.

Active during the early Meiji era when Western music was being introduced, Taki is known for works that blend Japanese lyrics with Western melodies.

But did you know he actually released a piece that’s perfect for the New Year season? This song is a Japanese shoka (school song) published in 1901 in “Chugaku Shoka,” featuring a poem by Makoto Torii set to music by Taki.

The lyrics depict the harshness of Hakone’s mountains in the past and present, and the valor of the samurai who crossed them, conveying both the beauty and severity of Hakone’s nature as well as the lives and history of its people.

If New Year’s immediately makes you think of the Hakone Ekiden, be sure to use this song as your BGM as you welcome the New Year.