[For Seniors] Recommended Songs for Care Activities and Events! Crowd-Pleasers That Bring Joy

tea pickingsakushi sakkyoku: fushō

4K Nursery Rhyme Song: “The 88th Night” (Tea-Picking Song) with Lyrics

As summer approaches, many people may find themselves humming this tune without thinking.

The song introduced here, “Chatsumi” (Tea Picking), is a Ministry of Education shoka published in 1912, with both lyricist and composer unknown.

Even if the title doesn’t ring a bell, once you start singing it, you’ll likely realize, “Oh, that song.” “Chatsumi” is often featured in music therapy settings as well, and it’s especially famous for the hand game that begins with the chant “Sesse-sse no yoi yoi yoi.” Some of you may have enjoyed the “Chatsumi” hand game with your grandchildren, and it can also be used as part of recreational activities.

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Ringo OiwakeMisora Hibari

Ringo Oiwake (Recorded in 1982)

Ringo Oiwake is one of the signature songs of Hibari Misora, a postwar Japanese superstar, and a classic from the Showa era that became a massive hit.

Even generations who may not know Misora’s original performance have likely heard the song many times through the countless covers by later artists, so they’ll recognize it as soon as it starts.

Delivering a mature vocal style in her early teens, Misora was truly a prodigy, so we definitely recommend checking out the original recording.

Many of you probably have this song as your go-to number at karaoke, and choosing it for events like karaoke contests is sure to be a big hit.

If facility staff perform it for users, mastering the spoken lines between sections will make it even more exciting!

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March of 365 StepsSuizenji Kiyoko

Kiyoko Suizenji - “365-Step March” (Official Audio)

Released in 1968, the energetic smash hit “365-Step March,” which seems to symbolize Japan’s period of rapid economic growth, is a famous song also known as one of Kiyoko Suizenji’s signature numbers.

In fact, for Suizenji—who was already popular as an enka singer—the release of “365-Step March,” a work of a different style, is said to have been something she accepted with mixed feelings.

In the end, however, it not only became the biggest hit of her career but has continued to be loved as a classic in Japanese music history.

We can be truly glad that Suizenji sang it wholeheartedly.

As the title suggests, the song has a march rhythm, which makes it well-suited for creating original exercise routines.

There are exercise programs for seniors available online, so why not use them as references for recreational activities?

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Blue MountainsFujiyama Ichirō

Blue Mountains — Ichiro Fujiyama

Released in 1949, shortly after the war, Blue Mountain Range is a classic that represents the Showa era and continues to be sung even now in the Reiwa era.

It is widely known as a song by Ichiro Fujiyama, a great singer of the Showa period famed for his breathtakingly beautiful baritone voice and flawless vocal technique, but it was originally a duet with Mitsue Nara.

The composer was Ryoichi Hattori, who left behind many masterpieces from the prewar through the postwar years, and the lyrics—reminding us of the beauty and depth of the Japanese language—were written by Yaso Saijo, a poet and French literature scholar.

Created as the theme song for the film Blue Mountain Range released the same year, it may bring back memories for some of you who went to see the movie as children.

Of course, even those unfamiliar with the film will know the tune, as it has remained in the hearts of Japanese people across generations.

We encourage facility staff to sing it together with all the residents.

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A rose has bloomed.Maiku Maki

Maki Mike – Roses Bloomed

I’m sure there are users who, prompted by the release of “Bara ga Saita,” picked up a guitar and spent their youth immersed in folk music.

Actor and folk singer Mike Maki’s 1966 single “Bara ga Saita” not only sparked the folk song boom in Japan, but was also broadcast on Minna no Uta, becoming a beloved Showa-era classic in living rooms across the country.

The lyrics and music were written by singer-songwriter Kunosuke Hamaguchi, known for “Hoshi no Flamenco” and “Jinsei Iroiro.” As a performance during events, having facility staff do a guitar-and-vocal rendition would likely delight the users!

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Always keep your dreamsHashi Yukio to Yoshinaga Sayuri

Yukio Hashi & Sayuri Yoshinaga / Itsudemo Yume o (Always Dream)

This is a classic male–female duet by Yukio Hashi and Sayuri Yoshinaga.

The film “Itsudemo Yume wo” (Always Dreaming of You) was based on this song, and it’s well known that Hashi and Yoshinaga starred in it.

Long beloved, the song is often used in dramas and films with a 1960s theme because it vividly conveys the atmosphere of popular music from that era.

While male–female duets often feature conversational lyrics, this song evokes a sense of unity and gentleness, as if the two are gazing at something precious from the same perspective.

The warm vocals and lyrics, together with the calm sound, are striking, allowing you to feel the closeness of the two hearts and gently awaken memories and emotions from the past.

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Waltz of StarlightSen Masao

Waltz of Starlight

Hoshikage no Waltz is one of the early hit songs by Masao Sen, one of the most iconic enka singers of the Showa era, and it’s the masterpiece that helped propel him to stardom.

When it was released in March 1966, it apparently didn’t attract much attention.

However, Sen himself was fond of the song, and despite it originally being the B-side to Kimi Hitori, he kept performing it and actively encouraged people to request it.

Thanks to those efforts, it began drawing attention from 1967 onward, leading to a re-release with Hoshikage no Waltz as the A-side—and it became a major hit.

While many people may associate Sen primarily with Kitaguni no Haru, there are certainly listeners who love this song as well; choosing it at a karaoke contest might just spark an unexpected burst of excitement!

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