Rankings of Yoshinao Nakada’s Popular Songs [2026]
Yoshinao Nakada was a professional composer known as the author of children’s songs that virtually everyone in Japan has sung at least once in childhood, such as “Chiisai Aki Mitsuketa” (I Found a Little Autumn) and “Medaka no Gakkō” (The Medaka Fish School).
It’s said that he composed nearly 3,000 pieces over his lifetime, creating not only children’s songs but also school anthems, company songs, and songs for local governments.
He was also known as an educator, serving from 1953 as a lecturer in the Music Department of Ferris Junior College.
In this article, we present a ranking of Yoshinao Nakada’s most popular songs.
Why not listen with the feeling of returning to your childhood?
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Nakata Yoshinao Popular Song Rankings [2026] (11–20)
a big drumSakushi: Kobayashi Junichi / Sakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinao11rank/position
This is a hand play song you can enjoy with rhythmic choreography that mimics drumming.
Created by Junichi Kobayashi and Yoshinao Nakata in January 1955 for NHK Radio’s preschool program “Rhythm Play,” it features an appealing, easy-to-follow melody that expresses the sounds of a big drum and a small drum.
There are also cover versions by Shoko Haida and characters from “Inai Inai Baa!,” and it’s loved across generations.
The structure alternates between the sounds of the big drum and the small drum, packed with ideas that help children naturally grow familiar with music through hand play.
If you sing it while making drumming motions, you’re sure to have a great time.
A Town Where It SnowsSakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinao12rank/position
Yuki no Furu Machi o is a slightly melancholic children’s song that depicts a town where cold snow falls.
First introduced in 1951 as an insert song for the radio drama Eriko to Tomo ni broadcast on NHK Radio, it has a long history.
It was later featured on Minna no Uta, which helped it gain wider recognition.
Winter’s chill has a way of making us feel lonelier and more desolate than in other seasons, stirring a bittersweet mood.
This subtly mature children’s song expresses the hope that such feelings will drift away with the cold winter wind as we move toward the warmth of spring.
speed carNakata Yoshinao13rank/position
This piece, often used as a piano practice work, is filled with a crisp rhythm and a lively sense of momentum.
It vividly evokes the feeling of a car speeding down the road, and it’s the kind of music that makes you smile as you play.
The effective use of performance markings such as accents and staccato makes it a compelling piece for learning technical elements like rhythmic precision and varied touch.
It’s a perfect choice for a boy to perform at a piano recital, inviting him to imagine scenes as he plays and capturing the audience’s hearts.
Highly recommended for those who want to create an energetic stage presence or develop expressive power through music.
Dance of the nativesNakata Yoshinao14rank/position
For a six-year-old looking for a powerful and cool piece, how about a work by the Japanese composer Yoshinao Nakata? It conjures up a wild, energetic scene, as if one were dancing and stamping the earth with vigor.
Clearly differentiating staccatos and accents will be key to expressing the piece’s dynamism.
In fact, there’s a record of it winning first prize at a competition held in 2004.
This piece is perfect for practicing dynamic contrasts and is recommended for children who want to play a slightly more advanced, cool piece at a recital.
Spring has come, and the cherry blossoms are in bloom.Nakata Yoshinao15rank/position
The first piece of the suite “The Four Seasons of Japan,” which portrays Japan’s four seasons through music.
It expresses the joy of the arrival of spring and the blooming of cherry blossoms.
Scored for piano four hands, two performers collaborate to vividly depict spring scenes.
Multiple melodies symbolizing Japanese spring are artfully interwoven, featuring beautiful lines that evoke fluttering cherry blossom petals and the gentle air of the season.
This lyrical work blends traditional Japanese melodies with elements of contemporary music and is recommended for those who wish to feel the essence of spring in Japan.
The Moon and the Little BoySakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao16rank/position
Speaking of the moon, one of its defining features is how it changes into various shapes, like the full moon and the crescent.
“The Moon and the Little Boy” is a charming song that conveys the delight of looking at the moon’s different shapes and imagining animals they resemble.
Its gentle, unhurried tempo is memorable as well, evoking the calm feelings of a cool autumn night or the moments just before falling asleep.
The way the animals are addressed clearly conveys how the little boy is making associations from the moon.
It’s a tender piece that lets you feel both the boy’s sweet imagination and the serene atmosphere of an autumn night.
Santa Claus is mysterious.Sakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao17rank/position
For small children, Santa Claus is such a mysterious figure! Here’s a fun song about that wonderfully mysterious Santa.
There are parts where the same lyrics are repeated many times, but if you sing those with expressive emotion, the kids are sure to love it! The words used in the lyrics aren’t difficult, so it’s also great for singing along together.
Song of the cicadasakushi: satou yoshimi / sakkyoku: nakata yoshinao18rank/position
When the sound of cicadas reaches your ears, you can’t help but feel that summer has arrived.
If their chorus is too loud it can seem noisy, but the chirping of cicadas is closely linked with summer in Japan.
The children’s song “Cicada Song,” which is popular among kids, is highly recommended—if you sing it together while catching cicadas on a hot summer day, it makes the game even more fun.
Coming up with your own original dance moves could be enjoyable too!
A line of ducklingsNakata Yoshinao19rank/position
The nursery rhyme “The Duck Parade” depicts ducklings toddling and smoothly swimming as they follow their mother duck.
It was a designated song for the 2021 Nursery Teacher Certification Exam.
The light dotted rhythm evokes the image of ducks walking earnestly, wagging their tails.
To express this adorable scene, focus on the rhythm of the melody! Play clearly to avoid sounding too sweet, and let your voice bounce with energy as you sing and play.
The note with an ornamental pitch one octave higher that appears partway through serves as an accent in the piece, so try to play it with a sparkling, standout sound.
motherNakata Yoshinao20rank/position
“Okaasan” (Mother), composed by Yoshinao Nakada, a composer known for numerous children’s songs and nursery rhymes, was a set piece for the 2018 nursery teacher certification exam.
It’s a heartwarming work that pairs a gentle melody with lyrics depicting a tender scene: a child speaking to their mother—who is doing laundry and housework—saying, “Mom, you smell nice.” Because the tempo is relaxed and the number of notes is small, it’s also easy to perform as a sing-and-play piece.
Start by practicing singing along with the right-hand melody; once you’re comfortable, add the left hand on the first beat of each measure, and as you gain confidence, gradually increase the number of accompaniment notes.