[For Seniors] Recommended spring songs for people in their 90s: A collection of Shōwa-era spring tunes

Japanese bush warblerSakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi

Uguisu (♬ On a plum twig, the bush warbler—) by Himawari 🌻 with lyrics | Ministry of Education Song | Japanese bush warbler

Do you know the children’s song that takes as its theme the charming call of the bird beloved as a herald of spring? With lyrics by Yanagiha Hayashi and music by Takeshi Inoue, this piece was included in the government-issued textbook “Uta no Hon: Upper” published in March 1941.

You can almost picture it descending from plum-blossomed twigs and snow-dappled mountains down into the village.

Its light, lilting melody—like the bird’s distinctive call set straight to music—has a delight you can’t forget once you hear it.

Although it appeared in a wartime textbook, it is a gentle work that evokes a tranquil spring scene.

Hum it under the warm sunshine, and memories of childhood classrooms and nostalgic landscapes will come back, surely brightening your heart.

When the violets bloomSakushi: Fritz Rotter Shirai Tetsuzō / Sakkyoku: Franz Doelle

[Cinderella herself appears 🏰✨] When the Violets Bloom – Takarazuka Revue [Yoriko Suzuki feat. Hoshino]

“When the Violets Bloom,” created as the theme song for the revue Parisette.

Director Tetsuzō Shirai wrote the Japanese lyrics, and it became established as a song symbolizing the Takarazuka Revue.

The original music was composed by Franz Doelle and was a popular tune in Germany in the late 1920s.

With the arrival of spring, memories of first love are revived, and its dreamlike, sweet melody resonates in the heart.

Since its debut in the August 1930 performance, it has been passed down by numerous stars, sung at ceremonies and finales.

Elegant and romantic, it’s a piece that makes you naturally hum along when violet season comes.

Why not sing it together with older adults, recalling the excitement of youth? It’s a perfect song for a bright, springtime moment.

White Plum Blossoms of YushimaObata Minoru

White Plum Blossoms of Yushima (Song from Onna Keizu), 1942 (Vocals: Minoru Obata), Lyrics: Takao Saeki, Music: Yasuo Shimizu

Minoru Obata’s “Yushima no Shirayume (White Plum Blossoms of Yushima)” is a poignant masterpiece inspired by Kyoka Izumi’s classic Fuedzuka (Onna Keizu).

Set at Yushima Tenjin Shrine, it portrays the sorrowful love of Otsuta and Chikara, who must part despite their deep affection.

Obata’s sweet, heartrending voice vividly brings back the scene of the shrine grounds where white plum blossoms bloom.

This historically significant song was released as the theme for Toho’s film Fuedzuka, and at the time it was fondly known as “The Song of Fuedzuka.” Many listeners will surely remember shedding tears over the film or the Shinpaha stage productions.

As March ushers in the feeling of spring, why not listen to this nostalgic melody and say, “Back in those days…,” letting memories blossom into conversation?

Height comparisonSakushi: Umino Atsushi / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei

Height Comparison – Sei Kurabe | The mark on the pillar was from the year before last [Japanese Song / Shoka]

As Children’s Day approaches, many people may find themselves recalling the marks on the pillar.

This children’s song, written by Atsushi Unno with his younger brother in mind—seventeen years his junior—depicts a warm scene where the older brother measures his little brother’s height.

It is said that the lyrics also capture the loneliness of not having met the previous year, preserved as a two-year record.

With music composed by Shinpei Nakayama, it was published as a collection of sheet music in May 1923.

The song has continued to be sung for many years and was selected in 2007 as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” As you feel the May breeze, why not look back on nostalgic memories with your siblings and family? Enjoy this seasonal song with a bright, uplifting spirit, as if gazing up at the majestic Mount Fuji.

SaraiKayama Yūzō

Yuzo Kayama - Sarai (with lyrics)

This is a heartwarming classic that brings back nostalgic memories.

It delicately portrays the feelings of people who leave their hometowns to chase their dreams, and was created by Yuzo Kayama and Shinji Tanimura in November 1992 as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “24-Hour Television.” Its title derives from a Persian word meaning a desert oasis or a staging post, and the soothing melody—like a spiritual homeland—leaves a lasting impression.

The piece was composed based on messages of love sent in by viewers from across the country, and even after more than 30 years, it remains deeply etched in many hearts.

It’s a recommended song for times when you want to quietly bask in memories or connect heart-to-heart with someone special.