Children’s Song Medley: A playlist of classic and popular hits everyone knows

Close It, Open ItSakkyoku: Janjakku Rusō

♪Close Them, Open Them

I have memories of singing it in kindergarten and with my mother.

While singing, we would open and close our hands, right? At the end, you think up your own lyrics about where to place your hands.

It’s a song that’s enjoyed by little children when sung and played as a dance.

It’s a tune you can sing while playing.

Mr. ElephantSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikuma Sakkyoku

“Elephant – Zou San | Elephant, elephant, your nose is so long, isn’t it? [Japanese Song / Children’s Song]”

Just when you think it’s a warm, laid-back song, it turns out to be about a bullied baby elephant who tells its mother, “They made fun of me for having a long trunk,” and the song carries the message that there’s nothing to worry about because both the mother and the baby have long trunks.

Bullying is something that often happens in children’s worlds, isn’t it?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerSakushi: Sakkyoku: Jonī Māku-su

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas song Santa Claus children’s song nursery rhyme Japanese song Minna no Uta ♬ Rudolph with the bright red nose~ Melody Line♪

This song, a Christmas classic, is based on the best-selling children’s book “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and was written and composed by American songwriter Johnny Marks.

It, too, became a hit that reached No.

1 on the Billboard charts.

Although it’s a Christmas song, its story—conveying courage and hope to children, along with Santa’s kindness—is the reason it continues to be loved today.

Cute Fish ShopSakushi: Katō Shōgo / Sakkyoku: Yamaguchi Yasuji

Cute fishmonger

This is a children’s song about kids playing fishmonger.

Its snappy Edo-style rhythm and cute lyrics make your spirits lift—it’s a lively tune.

It also has a nostalgic Showa-era vibe.

It reminds us that fish used to be sold door-to-door.

rainfallsakushi: kitahara hakushū / sakkyoku: nakayama shinpei

Rainfall - children's song - with lyrics

It’s a cheerful melody that feels as if you’re enjoying a rainy day, almost like skipping along.

The lyricist, Hakushu Kitahara, was a great poet renowned not only for children’s songs but also for poetry, tanka, and folk songs.

This masterpiece evokes a story within the song: a child frolicking with their mother, concern for a child in trouble, and a mother watching over her child.

Santa Claus the ScatterbrainSakushi: Yoshioka Osamu / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Asei

Santa Claus the Scatterbrain

This song is a huge hit with children as a classic Christmas tune.

Since Japan originally didn’t have the custom of celebrating Christmas, there naturally weren’t any Christmas songs.

That’s why this song, “Awatenbō no Santa Claus” (The Hasty Santa Claus), was created.

In other words, it isn’t an English translation but a song written by a Japanese composer.

The catchy melody was composed by Asei Kobayashi, famous not only as a TV personality but also for writing numerous commercial jingles.

Happy HinamatsuriSakushi: Yamano Saburou / Sakkyoku: Kawamura Naonori

Happy Hinamatsuri (with lyrics) Uresii Hinamaturi

Hinamatsuri, the Peach Festival, is a celebration that prays for girls’ healthy growth.

It features a song so important to the Japanese that there is hardly a year when one doesn’t hear it.

Despite the title including the word “happy,” there are various theories as to why the melody is in a minor key.

One explanation links to the lyricist Saburo Yamano (Sato Hachiro): it is said that around the time his older sister was about to be married, she passed away from tuberculosis—an event thought to resonate with the song’s lyrics.