Shinpei Nakayama Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

shoulder tapsakushi: saijou hachi / sakkyoku: nakayama shinpei15rank/position

shoulder tap

Mother’s Day, when we express gratitude to our mothers and acknowledge their daily efforts, is an important event in May.

Thinking about how to show appreciation and choosing something that will make her happy is part of the fun of this occasion.

The song “Katatataki” is a classic piece that depicts the act of caring for one’s mother.

It portrays a child patting their mother’s shoulders and the various scenes that unfold around them, conveying a joyful feeling.

The sound made while patting the shoulders is also an important element, lightly expressing kindness and gratitude toward the mother.

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kappamaki

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Rainy moonSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei16rank/position

Rainy Moon (Rainy moon hiding behind the clouds~♪) [One Hundred Selections of Japanese Songs] by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics

“Amefuri Otsuki,” which depicts a bride going off to be married alone on a rainy night, is a children’s song with a hauntingly melancholy atmosphere.

When you read the lyrics closely, the image of a bride setting off by herself evokes a curious, slightly mysterious feeling.

Some say that behind it lies a poignant theory: the song as a requiem for a departed daughter.

On the other hand, a heartwarming anecdote survives that the author modeled it on his own wife, who came to him as a bride in the rain.

As you listen, try to imagine the different possibilities and let your thoughts wander through the world the lyrics create.

That Town, This TownSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei17rank/position

That Town, This Town | With Lyrics | 100 Selected Japanese Songs | That town, this town, the sun is setting

This song is the work of the golden duo of the children’s song world: lyrics by Ujō Noguchi and music by Shimpei Nakayama.

The buoyant rhythm, known as the “Pyonko-bushi,” naturally lifts your spirits as you listen.

The piece depicts the slightly lonely yet somehow nostalgic feeling of looking back at your home growing distant on the way back at dusk.

It was published in a magazine in January 1924, and some say the poem was influenced by the sadness and isolation felt after the Great Kanto Earthquake the previous year.

There’s also an anecdote that composer Shimpei Nakayama would hum this song in his later years, which speaks to its profound appeal.

It’s a moving classic, perfect for listening to on an autumn evening while gazing at the crimson sky.

Why not share it with someone dear and let it stir thoughts of each of your hometowns?

soap bubbleSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei18rank/position

Soap Bubbles – Soap bubbles flew, they flew up to the roof ~ [Japanese song/children’s song]

A classic adorned with a gentle melody that resonates in children’s hearts and lyrics that are fragile yet beautiful.

Created hand in hand by Ujo Noguchi and Shinpei Nakayama, this work left a profound mark on the history of Japanese children’s songs and continues to be loved by many today.

In a 2003 survey conducted by the NPO “Japan Doyo Association,” it was ranked ninth among favorite children’s songs and was also selected for the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “100 Best Songs of Japan.” At Yumoto Station in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, it is even used as the departure melody.

Why not enjoy a hand-play game while singing it with your child on Children’s Day? You’re sure to have a heartwarming time.

Soap bubbleSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei19rank/position

Simple Pianica Performance: “Soap Bubbles” – A song even toddlers can play ☆ Tried playing it on the key harmonica

This song is a children’s tune with a bright melody yet a profound meaning.

Through the fragility of soap bubbles, it expresses the preciousness of life and the brevity of our time.

Since its release in 1923, it has remained beloved by many and was also featured in the anime Maison Ikkoku.

Created by Ujo Noguchi and Shinpei Nakayama, this classic is not only fun for children to sing but also deeply moving for adults.

When played on a melodica, its gentle tone perfectly matches the song’s mood.

It’s also recommended to sing it together with four-year-olds while playing with soap bubbles.

Boatman’s BalladSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei20rank/position

1923 (Taisho 12) “Boatman's Song (Withered Pampas Grass)” Lyrics: Ujo Noguchi / Music: Shinpei Nakayama

Sentokuwata (Boatman’s Lament) features lyrics by poet Ujō Noguchi from Kitaibaraki City.

It is a poignant masterpiece that reflects Noguchi’s own wandering life.

The image of a boatman who can only surrender himself to the current is layered with feelings of life’s helplessness and impermanence.

The melancholy scene calls to mind the vast winter waterscapes of Noguchi’s beloved Ibaraki—places like Lake Kasumigaura or the Tone River.

The lyrics, which touch each listener’s heartstrings in their own way, merge with the desolate melody to sink deeply into the listener’s chest.

It is a song that quietly questions the sorrows of life across the ages.

homesickness for one’s hometown; nostalgic longing to return to one’s rural rootssakushi: kitahara hakushū / sakkyoku: nakayama shinpei21rank/position

Satogokoro (Homesickness) — Lyrics by Hakushu Kitahara, Music by Shinpei Nakayama

Satogokoro, which leaves you with a faintly bittersweet feeling after joining an autumn festival.

Drawn by the lively sounds of the festivities, you came to have fun, but the scene of the festival stirs up memories of your hometown and makes you homesick.

Many of us probably have vivid memories of the local festivals we attended as children.

Even if you now live away from your hometown and join festivals elsewhere, recalling that childhood hometown festival can make you feel a little sentimental.

This is a song that, when you listen to it, deepens the longing to return home.

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SAKI

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