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

Song to sing at the end of the gathering

Big Laugh Recreation: If You're Happy and You Know It [Light Exercise for Brain Training and Elderly Care Prevention]

We’d like to introduce an exercise routine to do at the end of events and recreational activities.

By doing the same exercise to the same song each time, participants can recognize that “the session has ended.” If you choose a song that is familiar to older adults, it will likely be easier for them to join in.

It’s said that exercising while singing can have brain-training benefits.

Performing simultaneous movements is also expected to activate the brain efficiently.

You might consider adding playful variations to the routine to create fun, laughter-filled movements.

Be sure to select songs that older adults are familiar with.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Love VacationZa Pīnattsu

Love Vacation – Sung by The Peanuts [With Lyrics] (Including Harmony Chorus)

A refreshing love story unfolding by the summer seaside resonates in the heart with a light, buoyant rhythm.

With a swinging feel that incorporates jazz’s four-beat, it’s a song everyone can enjoy together with handclaps.

Its lovely lyrics and melody bring back nostalgic memories of youth.

The beautiful harmonies of The Peanuts gently wrap the sweet moments by the shore.

Released in April 1963 and performed at that year’s 14th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the piece was also used as the campaign song for Toray’s summer wear “Vacance Look.” It’s a gentle, singable number, perfect for recreational activities at care facilities.

Since it’s a melody everyone knows, simply clapping along or swaying to the beat is more than enough to enjoy it.

tea pickingMonbushō shōka

Tea Picking | With Lyrics | Ministry of Education Song | One Hundred Japanese Songs | The 88th Night as Summer Approaches

This is a celebrated song from the Ministry of Education’s school song repertoire, passed down since the Meiji era, beautifully portraying the changing seasons.

It vividly depicts the refreshing early-summer scenery and the peaceful scene of people picking tea.

With images of fresh greenery around the Eighty-Eighth Night, tea-pickers’ work garments, and rural landscapes, it conveys traditional Japanese life along with a gentle melody.

Since its inclusion in 1912 in “Elementary School Songs for the Third Grade (Jinjō Shōgaku Shōka),” it has been widely loved through school education.

This piece is a song everyone can enjoy singing together, often tied to fond memories.

Its charm also lies in incorporating simple hand motions while singing, allowing for a heartwarming time.

It’s okayHikawa Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi Hikawa / Daijoubu [Official]

Life brings various hardships and joys, and Kiyoshi Hikawa delivers a warm, gentle song that embraces them all.

Released in 2019, this work expresses the sadness and feelings of love that everyone experiences through his beautiful vocals.

Like the moon setting and the sun rising, its hopeful message—that tomorrow will surely come—resonates in the heart.

Also included on the album “Shin Enka Meikyoku Collection 9,” this piece is perfect for singing along at recreational gatherings.

Its friendly, singable melody and uplifting lyrics are part of its charm.

Hanjirō of the Hakone Eight RiHikawa Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi Hikawa / Hanzirō of Hakone Hachiri [Official]

This work fully conveys the appeal of a traditional traveling-swordsman enka.

Its lyrics delicately depict the loneliness, melancholy, and inner conflict of a drifter, and when combined with Kiyoshi Hikawa’s emotionally rich vocals, you can’t help but be drawn in.

The lone-wolf protagonist, sword in hand, is moved by the warmth of the people he meets in post towns and by his feelings for his mother—truly touching.

Released in February 2000, it became the first debut song in history to win the Grand Prize at the 33rd Japan Lyricist Awards.

It was also used in Taisho Pharmaceutical’s Tiovita Drink commercial.

This piece is recommended for older listeners who love enka.

It’s even more enjoyable when everyone claps along while singing.

Ozasiki SongMatsuo Kazuko Mahina Sutāzu

Ozasiki Song

A gem of a classic in which a nostalgic, quintessentially Japanese melody blends beautifully with the sprightly Dodonpa rhythm.

Released in 1964 by Kazuko Matsuo with Hiroshi Wada and the Mahina Stars, it became a massive hit, selling over 1.5 million copies that same year.

Set in Kyoto’s Pontocho district, this highly narrative song portrays a fleeting romance between a geisha and a married man, expressing pure love and poignant resignation with exquisite sensitivity.

It was adapted into a film by Shochiku in February 1965 and won support across generations.

It’s a tune everyone can enjoy together—humming along, clapping in time with the rhythm.

Its catchy melody sticks in your head, making you want to sing along.

365-Step March Exercise

Seated Exercises to the Song “365-Step March” [Seniors] [Day Service]

This is about moving your body energetically to the rhythm of Kiyoko Suizenji’s song “365-Step March.” By matching the powerful yet steady tempo characteristic of a march, you can put real strength into the exercises.

The routine mainly involves moving the upper body while seated in a chair, and by keeping proper posture in mind, it can lead to a full-body workout.

Incorporating steps and hand claps, and even singing along as you go, will make it more enjoyable to move—highly recommended.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem