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

Chorus of FrogsSakushi: Okamoto Toshiaki / Sakkyoku: Doitsu Min’yō

Japanese Children’s Song – Dōyō – Chorus of Frogs – Kaeru no Gasshō

“Kaeru no Gassho” (The Frog Chorus) is a quintessential round in which singers imitate the frogs that burst into a grand chorus during the rainy season.

It originally comes from a German folk song, with Japanese lyrics by Toshiaki Okamoto.

In addition to this song, Okamoto also worked on pieces such as “Dojokko Funakko” and composed numerous school anthems across Japan.

We’ll take care of the demon here.Sakushi: Shinzawa Toshihiko / Sakkyoku: Nakagawa Hirotaka

We’ll Take In the Oni at Our Place (Lyrics by Toshihiko Shinzawa / Music by Hirotaka Nakagawa) — A Setsubun Song / February Song

A fresh song that adopts a modern, European-style waltz in 3/4 time while centering on Japan’s Setsubun.

As the first collaboration by Toshihiko Shinzawa and Hirotaka Nakagawa, it carries special significance.

Its warm lyrics, which welcome the oni as a member of the family, spark children’s imaginations.

Perfect for bean-throwing events at kindergartens and nursery schools, and equally enjoyable at home with parents and guardians.

Since its release in 1991, it has been loved by children for over 30 years.

A hidden gem for Setsubun, it’s a song that lets you feel the season as you sing.

Tanabata-samasakushi: gondō hanayo / hoshi: hayashi ryūha / sakkyoku: shimofusa kan’ichi

Tanabata Sama – Tanabata Sama | Sasa leaves rustle, swaying under the eaves [Japanese songs and shoka]

When July comes, this melody can be heard all across Japan.

It conjures an image of families enjoying the cool of the evening together.

The song “Tanabata-sama” is short, so it’s easy for children to learn, but it contains difficult words in the lyrics, such as nokiba, sunago, and goshiki no tanzaku.

Nokiba is written in kanji as “軒端” and refers to the eaves under the roof.

Sunago is “砂子” — decorative paper scattered with gold or silver flakes, used on colored paper or shoji screens, evoking a starry sky like sprinkled “sand.” Then there are the “five-colored tanzaku.” The lyrics are arranged so that the first verse ends with the go sound in sunago and the second verse begins with the go in goshiki (“five-colored”), making it easier for children to sing.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starsakushi: Takeshika Etsuko / sakkyoku: Furansu min

[With Vocals] Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star with Lyrics (Kirakira Boshi, Kirakira-boshi)

Originally, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star was a French chanson.

It is said to have been remade into a nursery rhyme by an English poet and spread around the world.

Many lyricists have written Japanese lyrics for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, but the most widely known in Japan are considered to be by Etsuko Takega.

In addition, the nursery rhyme used by children to learn the alphabet, the ABC song, also uses this melody.

soap bubbleSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Suppei

[With Vocals] Soap Bubbles – Children's Nursery Rhyme

It’s a slightly wistful, fleeting melody, isn’t it? In fact, it’s a song for the lyricist’s child, composed in memory of his daughter who passed away at the age of two.

The song expresses feelings for a child who suddenly left this world so young, likening them to soap bubbles.

Toy Cha-Cha-Chasakushi: nosaka akiyuki/yoshioka osamu ho/sakkyoku: koshibe nobuyoshi

Japanese Children’s Song – Doyo – Omocha no Cha Cha Cha – Omocha no Cha Cha Cha

It’s a fantastical song about toys throwing a party at night after humans have fallen asleep.

It’s dreamy and lovely.

As a child, I used to get excited wondering whether my toys and dolls might come alive at night, moving around freely and having a fun party.

Sacchansakushi: sakata hiroo / sakkyoku: onaka megumi

Sacchan, Children's Song

This is a song the lyricist wrote while reminiscing about a girl who lived nearby.

When you listen to “Sacchan,” doesn’t it make you remember the “Sacchan” who was close to you? It’s a song full of Showa-era atmosphere.

In the end, it’s a song about seeing off “Sacchan,” who is moving away.