A Nationwide Compilation of Timelessly Beloved Railway Songs
The nostalgic sound of the steam whistle and melodies that have been loved across time.
Songs related to railways—beginning with the Railway Songs—carry a warmly familiar charm.
They evoke memories encountered at stations and on trains, scenes of departures and homecomings, images that anyone can relate to.
So in this article, we’ll be compiling railway songs from all over Japan! We’ll feature a variety of works, from early pieces to modern ones.
These are the songs of the railway that are deeply etched in our hearts.
- [Train and Shinkansen Song] Popular with kids! Vehicle song
- A classic song about Nagano. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- [Local Songs] Recommended tracks packed with Japan’s nationwide classics and hometown pride
- Classic travel songs. Travel tunes that color your journeys—perfect for both the everyday and the extraordinary.
- A classic Japanese folk song passed down through generations of acoustic performances
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- A roundup of regional enka songs: classic hits that feature places from all across Japan in their lyrics.
- [Elementary School Music] List of Popular and Nostalgic Songs That Have Appeared in Textbooks
- A lineup of classic hits! Karaoke songs recommended for the yutori generation
- Today's recommended ballads: A carefully curated selection of heartwarming, gem-like masterpieces!
- [Song of Osaka] A selection of passionate, warm-hearted Osaka tunes
- A classic song about Kumamoto. The enduring spirit of our hometown passed down through song.
- [Let's Enjoy Japanese Festival Songs!] Songs about festivals. Famous songs related to festivals.
Timelessly Beloved Railway Songs Compilation [Nationwide] (11–20)
Railway Songs: Hokkaido Editionsakushi: oowada kenki/sakkyoku: tamura torazou
Created in August 1906 by Kenki Owada and Torazō Tamura, this work likens a railway journey to a song that celebrates Hokkaido’s grand nature, industries, and history of settlement.
Spanning forty sections that trace the line from Hakodate Port to Sapporo, Otaru, and Muroran, it showcases successive scenes such as the scenic views of Mount Komagatake and Lake Ōnuma, as well as tondenhei villages and pastoral ranch landscapes.
Its melody, crafted to be easy to sing, features a march-like duple meter.
Be sure to experience the soundscape of the railway.
red trainSakushi: Kishida Shigeru/Sakkyoku: Kishida Shigeru/Utai: Quruli
This is a railway anthem born from a collaboration between Quruli, a rock band from Kyoto, and Keikyu Corporation.
The lyrics carefully weave in station names and streets along the Keikyu line, and the brisk sound is pleasantly resonant.
Fans will love that the actual VVVF inverter sound of Keikyu trains is used in the intro.
Since its single release in September 2005, it has been adopted as the approaching train melody at Haneda Airport Station and Shinagawa Station, so many people have probably heard it at the station.
The song conveys a palpable love for the red trains that connect the city and the suburbs.
Believe in TearsSakushi: Fukushima Takahiro/Sakkyoku: Fukushima Takahiro, Hoshi Masaru/Uta: Fukushima Takahiro
Released in 1992 by For Life Music Entertainment, this is a work by Takahiro Fukushima that became widely beloved as a JR Freight commercial song.
Guided by the image of a child encountered in a dream, the lyrics weave together the pain of loss and a yearning for renewal.
Through concrete scenes—letters carved into asphalt, the hint of a passing shower, streets before dawn—it expresses themes of urban solitude and self-reinvention.
It’s a song we especially recommend to those who have experienced loss or are ready to take a new step forward.
Sotetsu Railway Company SongSakushi: Fujiura Takashi/Sakkyoku: Koseki Yuji
Composed in September 1967, this song was created by the master Showa-era duo of Hiroshi Fujiura (lyricist) and Yuji Koseki (composer) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sagami Railway’s founding.
While opening with imagery of the natural landscape of Sagamino, it builds into a powerful march that sings of ideals such as unity and mission, with a memorable refrain that repeatedly invokes the company name.
In recent years, it has been included in the compilation “Yuji Koseki Hidden Gems: Company Anthems and Corporate Songs,” and has been reappraised as a work that transcends corporate boundaries.
Because I love people — Keikyū’s companionsSakushi: Tanaka Kyōko/ Hosaku-shi: Araki Toyohisa/ Sakkyoku: Hattori Katsuhisa/ Uta: Sākasu
This is the company song of Keikyu Corporation (Keihin Kyuko Railway).
A horn sound is used at the end of the track, making it popular among railway enthusiasts.
It is used not only for trains but also as background music for highway buses operated by Keikyu.
In addition to this song, Keikyu has also produced a theme song titled “Akai Densha” (The Red Train).
Minobu Line Railway SongSakushi: Ozawa Hajime/Sakkyoku: Ta Umechi/Uta: Fumei
This song was produced in 2016 by the Minobu Line Railway Song Association.
A body called the Minobu Line Railway Song Promotion Council has been active, and citywide promotion efforts are underway in Fujinomiya.
It is also being sold at junior high and high schools within the city.
The association was selected for Fujinomiya City’s FY2016 Project to Promote Citizen Activities such as NPOs.
Railway Songs Loved Across the Ages: Nationwide Compilation (21–30)
Railway Songs (Sanyō Main Line)Sakushi: Owada Kenki/Sakkyoku: Obachi/Uta: Bonii Jakkusu
This is a piece composed with themes of stations on the Sanyo Main Line as well as local specialties and scenery from various areas.
It used to be performed at events such as the full-line opening ceremony of the Sanyo Shinkansen, but in recent years it is scarcely performed.
Also, station names and the like have changed over time; incidentally, “Bakan” in number 30 refers to Shimonoseki Station.