Masterpieces of Japanese music that delve into various social issues, such as war and environmental problems
Around the world, we are confronted daily with a wide range of social issues, from war to environmental problems.
Some people work tirelessly to address these issues, while others are left frustrated by policies that feel unacceptable.
In this article, we introduce songs that express feelings toward various social problems.
We’ve gathered tracks that delve into all kinds of issues—opposition to war, the horrors of the atomic bomb, children exposed to conflict, nature lost to environmental destruction, animal welfare, and more.
Through music, let’s take another look at the social challenges the world is facing today.
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- Anti-war songs that pierce the heart: Japan’s masterpieces conveying prayers for peace
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Japanese masterpieces that delve into various social issues such as war and environmental problems (41–50)
Smiles to the worldUinzu Hirasaka
It’s a grand message song that wishes to transcend borders and language barriers, filling the world with kindness and smiles.
Released as a single in September 1993, it was featured in a Yoshinoya TV commercial and became widely beloved across Japan.
Rejecting conflict and embracing the universal theme that those who share the same Earth can love one another, it stands as a fitting anti-war song imbued with a prayer for peace.
The clear, pure voice of Yoshihisa Hirasaka and the beautifully hopeful strings weave a sound that seems to gently embrace the world.
When the daily news weighs heavy on your heart, this song may once again remind you of the preciousness of peace.
Masterpieces of Japanese music that delve into various social issues such as war and environmental problems (51–60)
The bell of peace ringsSazan Ōrusutāzu
This is a song by Southern All Stars that, within a grand worldview, quietly yet powerfully sings a prayer for peace.
Its sound, combining warmth and stillness, gently embraces the listener’s heart.
Written and composed by Keisuke Kuwata, who was inspired by an NHK documentary program, the song uses words born from the color of a sky reflecting sorrow as a clue to depict the preciousness of life and dreams for the future.
Included on the album “Budou,” released in March 2015—the milestone year marking 70 years since the end of the war—it also became familiar as NHK’s 90th anniversary image song.
Hiroshima, River of LoveSakushi: Nakazawa Keiji sakushi / Sakkyoku: Yamamoto Katsuhiko
This is a solemn prayer song born from the only poem left by Keiji Nakazawa, the creator of the manga Barefoot Gen.
You can almost see the scene of countless lights floating on the flow of Hiroshima’s rivers, entrusted with the sorrow of the atomic bombing and hopes for the future.
Released in June 2014, this piece has been cherished as a symbol of peace, sung every year at Hiroshima’s peace events on August 6, the anniversary of the bombing.
It’s a song to listen to when you want to quietly honor the memories etched in history and reflect anew on the preciousness of peace.
Muddy up to the waistHajime Chitose
A single, quiet yet piercingly poignant song, like a short story.
This piece was written in 1966 by American folk singer Pete Seeger.
It tells a sorrowful tale based on a real incident in the United States, in which subordinates were sacrificed due to a leader’s misguided judgment.
The voice of Chitose Hajime—whose roots lie in the Amami “Shima-uta” tradition—conveys a deep, quiet anger, blending beautifully with the lyrics that calmly recount the irrationality of war.
Included on the acclaimed album Heiwa Gannen (Year One of Peace), released in July 2015, this song may prompt listeners to once again reflect on the preciousness of peace in the face of the unjust reality depicted in the story.
The way homeYūki., Misu
Conceived under the theme “A Reiwa anti-war song created by those born in the 2000s,” this grand piece was crafted by singer Yuki and composer Misu.
The work portrays the folly of war and the preciousness of peace as seen through everyday, ordinary scenes.
It’s striking how the song gives voice to the complex emotions of today’s generation—the guilt surrounding a peace that rests on someone else’s sacrifice, and the helplessness of feeling unable to change anything.
The track was released in October 2024 as part of a music project.
If you listen when you want to rediscover the value of the everyday, it’s sure to resonate deeply with your heart.
About happinesssadamasashi
An introspective ballad by Masashi Sada imbued with a fervent prayer for peace.
The quiet piano and solemn strings leave a strong impression.
The question “Are you happy?” posed again and again pierces deeply into the hearts of those of us living in peaceful times.
Released in May 1982 as the theme song for the film “The Tower of Himeyuri,” which depicts the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa, the song also became familiar as a commercial jingle for Duskin, spreading its universal message widely.
It’s a work that makes us reconsider just how precious our ordinary, everyday lives truly are.
Camphor Tree — Blown by 500 Years of Wind —Fukuyama Masaharu
This work centers on a camphor tree in Nagasaki that survived the atomic bombing and continues to live today.
Spanning 500 years, it embodies the resilience of life that has endured a harsh history, expressed through Masaharu Fukuyama’s steadfast, resonant vocals.
The piece is a rearrangement of a track included on the album “HUMAN,” released in April 2014, newly orchestrated with chorus after roughly eleven years.
Its majestic sonority evokes an even deeper prayer for peace.
It’s also wonderful to feel the power of music in the fact that a portion of the proceeds from this work will be donated to a fund for preserving A-bombed trees.
It is a masterpiece that stirs thoughts of history, gives us strength to face tomorrow, and leaves a lasting mark on the heart.