[Songs Praying for Peace] To Prevent Repeating Tragic History | A Collection of Peace Songs That Resonate with the Heart
Songs of peace that resonate in our hearts in every era.
Many timeless classics that wish for a world without war or conflict and embody the preciousness of peace in song have long continued to stay close to people’s hearts.
In this article, we introduce songs—mainly from Japanese music—that are imbued with prayers and hopes for peace.
Powerful messages like “Don’t forget the painful history,” and warm sentiments such as “Let’s build a Japan and a world without conflict together.” You’re sure to find a message of peace that resonates with your heart.
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[Songs Wishing for Peace] To Prevent the Repetition of Tragic History | A Collection of Heart-Touching Peace Songs (1–10)
HanahikariRīgaru Rirī
What this floating alternative rock sound depicts is a desperate plea to hold back a loved one heading to war.
Words like “fighter jet” and “soldier” thrust the brutal reality that borders our peaceful everyday life before us, powerfully shaking the listener’s heart.
Released in September 2019, this song is Regal Lily’s milestone debut single, written as the theme for the film The Flowers of Evil.
When we long for a world without conflict, its quietly prayerful vocals are sure to resonate deeply within you.
peaceKOOTARO
Set to a laid-back reggae rhythm, this song delivers a heartwarming message.
Rather than grand visions of peace, KOOTARO, a reggae singer from Kumamoto, paints a picture of the small happiness found close to home.
In simple, unadorned words, he offers a pure prayer while gazing at everyday scenes—family relaxing on the sofa, moments with a beloved dog—wishing, “May this happiness last forever.” The track is included on the album “Love is a Message,” released in June 2024.
Instead of speaking about lofty ideals, it gently teaches that protecting the cherished moments within our reach is the first step toward peace.
Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi
This is a signature song by Rimi Natsukawa, whose title in the Okinawan dialect means “tears falling in drops.” The lyricist’s personal feelings for a brother who passed away at a young age may resonate with listeners’ own memories of someone dear to them.
Woven by Natsukawa’s crystal-clear voice, the yearning for someone you can no longer meet evokes the profound sorrow of people torn apart by the tragedies of war and reminds us of the preciousness of peace.
Originally written in 1998 for Ryoko Moriyama, the song became a major hit with Natsukawa’s 2001 cover, which stayed on the Oricon charts for 157 weeks.
In 2006, a film inspired by the song was also released.
[Songs Wishing for Peace] To Prevent Repeating Tragic History | A Collection of Heart-Touching Peace Songs (11–20)
Come on over.TEE & HIPPY
This duet song overflows with deep love for their hometown, conveyed through the warm voices of TEE and HIPPY, both from Hiroshima.
Included on HIPPY’s album “HomeBase ~Arigatou~,” released in March 2017, the track was also used as the ending theme for a program on NHK Hiroshima.
Gently welcoming listeners with the Hiroshima dialect’s “irasshai” (come on in), the song weaves in messages like “walk without rushing” and “smile instead of crying,” alongside words that evoke the image of Hiroshima reduced to ashes by war.
A song of bonds sent from the atomic-bombed city, it softly reminds us that the everyday ordinary is the very cornerstone of peace.
Poem of the Frontier Guardssadamasashi
This is a moving song that portrays the eternity of nature and the fragility of human existence, questioning the very roots of life.
Inspired by the Manyoshu, its lyrics philosophically express the suffering and sorrow of living, as well as the pain of losing what we love.
Released in July 1980 as the theme song for the film “The Battle of Port Arthur (203 Kōchi),” it reached No.
2 on the Oricon charts.
Precisely because it depicts the impermanence of life fading away amid the tragedy of war, it brings the preciousness of peace all the more powerfully to the fore.
It is a soul-stirring work that we hope everyone will listen to—so that we do not forget a sorrowful history, and so that we can more deeply cherish the lives we have now.
Reason for Lifesadamasashi
This is a deeply moving song by Masashi Sada that asks about the meaning of life, its preciousness, and why people exist.
It conveys a warm yet universal message: people are born to meet their father, mother, and someone dear, and to weave those bonds into the future.
When we reflect on the sanctity of this chain of life, our hearts fill with a prayer for peace—an urge never to repeat tragic histories.
Released in June 2009 on the acclaimed album “Utsukushii Asa” (A Beautiful Morning), the piece was created at the request of the Jodo sect of Buddhism.
As you wish for a world without conflict, let the message embedded in this song take root in your heart.
Flower ~Flowers in Everyone’s Heart~Lyrics and Composition: Kanō Shōkichi
It’s a warm, heartfelt song that, like the flow of a river, accepts both tears and smiles, and sings of making beautiful flowers bloom in our hearts.
Its somewhat nostalgic melody, rooted in Okinawan folk music, and its lyrics filled with an earnest prayer for peace resonate deeply with listeners.
Released in June 1980, the piece was also used as the ending theme for the 1995 film “Himeyuri no Tō” (The Tower of Himeyuri).
The fact that it is beloved in more than 60 countries speaks to the universality of its message.
It is a song that reminds us not to forget tragic history and teaches the importance of building a future without conflict.