[For Seniors] Classic Autumn Songs to Sing in November: From Children’s Songs to Popular Enka and Kayōkyoku

dragonfly glassesSakushi: Nukaga Seishi / Sakkyoku: Hirai Kōzaburō

Dragonfly’s Glasses [One Hundred Selections of Japanese Songs] by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics | Children’s Song | Tonbo no Megane | Glasses of Dragonfly

This charming children’s song captures the uniquely free imagination of seeing autumn scenery through the eyes of a dragonfly in flight.

With lyrics by Seishi Nukaga and music by Kozaburo Hirai, the piece was inspired by children playing with dragonflies that the creators encountered during a house call.

First broadcast on NHK’s “Infants’ Hour” in 1949, it soon became widely beloved.

Its light, buoyant melody makes you want to gaze up at the clear autumn sky, and the vividly colored lyrics—mentioning shades like light blue and red—leave a strong impression.

It’s perfect for gatherings of older adults, inviting them to hum along and return to a nostalgic, childlike state.

Adding simple choreography can make it even more enjoyable to sing.

That Town, This TownNoguchi Ujō:sakushi/Nakayama Shimpei:sakkyoku

Children’s song: That Town, This Town (Ano Machi Kono Machi). Lyrics by Ujō Noguchi, music by Shinpei Nakayama.

This is a children’s song about the walk home on an autumn evening.

With lyrics by Ujo Noguchi and music by Shimpei Nakayama, it was published in 1924 in the magazine “Kodomo no Kuni.” The piece was also selected in 2007 as one of Japan’s 100 Best Songs and has long been cherished as a classic.

It gently portrays a call to children hurrying home at dusk.

You can almost picture the autumn scenery as the sun gradually sets.

For older adults who remember playing until dark when they were young, it’s a song that may stir nostalgic feelings.

Why not sing it together with friends at your facility, or hum it on your way back from an autumn stroll?

Harvest MoonSakusha:Noguchi Ujo/Sakushi:Motori Nagayo

♪ Full Moon on the Fifteenth Night – 15-ya Otsuki-san | ♪ Full Moon on the Fifteenth Night, how are you, dear Moon? [Japanese Song / Shoka]

This is a representative work by Noguchi Ujō that overflows with feelings for family as one looks up at the full harvest moon.

It was published in a children’s magazine in September 1920, with Motoori Nagayo composing the music.

The piece depicts a protagonist whose grandmother who raised them has taken leave and returned home, and whose younger sister has married into a rural family, speaking to the moon and wishing to see their mother.

The quiet nostalgia for family that floats on a moonlit night seeps gently into the heart in this song.

When you find yourself thinking of loved ones who live far away, why not gaze at the autumn moon on a long evening and softly hum along?

Desert of the MoonSakushi: Katou Masao / Sakkyoku: Sasaki Suguru

Moon Desert by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics [One Hundred Selected Japanese Songs]

Beloved as a children’s song, this work was created by poet and painter Masao Kato, who produced the poem together with accompanying illustrations.

After its publication in a magazine in 1923, composer Suguru Sasaki set it to music, and it came to be widely sung.

It depicts a prince and princess riding a camel, quietly traveling across moonlit sands, unfolding a fantastical and beautiful world.

Its wistful melody gently accompanies the reflective mood of autumn.

Why not spend a moment singing it together and sharing nostalgic memories? It is a somewhat romantic, unforgettable autumn classic.

Yakiimo goo-choki-pasakushi: sakata hiroo / sakkyoku: yamamoto naozumi

[Sing-Along Anime] Yakiimo Goo-Chokii-Paa (Sung by Icchi & Naru) - Baked Sweet Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes, My Stomach Goes Growl ~♫

When it comes to the flavors of autumn, nothing beats roasted sweet potatoes.

Just picturing a piping-hot, fluffy roasted sweet potato is enough to warm the heart, isn’t it? This children’s song, with lyrics by Hiroo Sakata and music by Naozumi Yamamoto, has been sung on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” and cherished by both children and adults.

It’s a hand-play song you can enjoy singing along to with the calls for rock-paper-scissors, and the rhythm of rock, scissors, and paper bounces along lightly.

How about singing it together while playing rock-paper-scissors at your autumn recreation? May you spend a delightful autumn moment humming this nostalgic song.

hazy moonlit nightSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi

Oborozukiyo | With Lyrics | One Hundred Selected Japanese Songs | In the rape-blossom fields, the setting sun fades

This famous song gently paints a misty rural landscape at dusk, carried by a tender melody.

The lyrics were written by Tatsuyuki Takano, the music composed by Teiichi Okano, and it was included in the 1914 collection Elementary School Songs for Sixth Grade.

Its calm words describe scenes such as the setting sun over a field of rapeseed blossoms and a spring night bathed in the pale light of the moon.

The lyrics vividly bring the scenery to life, and the melody touches the heart.

In 2006, it was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Songs, and it continues to be cherished by many people today.

Why not hum it together with friends as you share memories of spring? It’s a heartwarming school song that wraps you in a nostalgic feeling.

The world is for the two of us.Sara Naomi

Naomi Sagara: “The World Is for the Two of Us”

Naomi Sagara’s debut single was released on May 15, 1967, and became a massive hit, selling over 1.2 million copies.

Its lyrics, which praise the value of time and space shared with a loved one, likely resonated with many people.

It was also used as the commercial song for Meiji Seika’s Alpha Chocolate, earning affection across a wide audience.

For older adults, it may be a song that brings back memories of their youth.

The piece has been covered by numerous artists in Japan and abroad and has been sung in various languages.

Singing it together with older adults could offer a delightful time while savoring nostalgic memories.