Popular Songs by Teiichi Okano [2026]

Momotarosakushi: fushō / sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi11rank/position

Momotarō Song [Children’s Song/Anime] ~ Momotarō

This song, themed around a traditional Japanese folktale, is a lively march that instantly captivates children.

The lyrics, centered on courage and friendship, depict Momotaro and his companions joining forces to defeat the ogres.

The way they gain new allies through kibi dango (millet dumplings) teaches the importance of cooperation.

It’s perfect for everyone to sing together in classrooms or at sports festivals.

If you sing while moving energetically, it’s sure to bring out plenty of smiles from the children!

Momotarosakushi: fushō / sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi12rank/position

♪Momotaro – Peach Boy | ♪Momotaro-san, Momotaro-san [Japanese Song / Shoka]

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the familiar children’s song “Momotaro” has been sung across Japan for generations.

Many of us likely remember feeling excited by Momotaro’s exploits.

However, listening to the lyrics all the way through can be startlingly eye-opening, as your impression may change completely.

Lines like “defeat all the demons” and “heave-ho, seize the loot” can be heard as the deeds of a righteous hero, yet they can also sound a bit like the actions of an aggressive invader.

Behind this jarring development lies, in fact, a deep historical background.

It might be a good opportunity to explore another side of the story by discussing it together as a parent and child.

hazy moonlit nightSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi13rank/position

Oborozukiyo: Easy Two-Hand Piano with Do-Re-Mi Subtitles for Beginners

This children’s song depicts a springtime rural landscape at dusk, vividly expressing scenes like fields of canola blossoms, a hazy sky, and the soft light of the pale moon.

Created by the duo of Tatsuyuki Takano and Teiichi Okano, it was published in 1914 in “Elementary School Songs for the Sixth Grade.” Its gentle, easy-to-remember melody is one many people have found themselves humming.

If the tune is etched in your memory, it should be relatively approachable to recreate on the piano.

Try singing while playing the melody with your right hand, and as you get comfortable, gradually add the left hand.

It might also become a moment to reminisce about days gone by.

autumn leavesSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi14rank/position

Autumn Leaves: Piano for Beginners / With Sheet Music

When it comes to autumn songs, many people probably think of “Momiji” (Autumn Leaves)! There may be many facilities where it’s always sung during recreation time in the fall.

Songs that we’ve hummed for years and are deeply etched in our memories are easier to reproduce on the piano, so this piece is recommended even for seniors trying the piano for the first time! Practice the right-hand melody while singing, and once you get used to it, start adding the left hand at about one note per measure.

Adjust the number of notes as you go so it doesn’t make people feel, “It’s surprisingly difficult on the piano.”

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yuri

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maple leavesOkanoteiichi15rank/position

Maple Leaf – chord piano arrangement of a children’s song – free sheet music

Momiji, a children’s song composed by Teiichi Okano that vividly portrays mountains turning colors as autumn deepens.

Since its inclusion in a textbook published in June 1911, it has been handed down across generations as a beloved classic.

In 2006, it was selected as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs,” and its beautiful melody remains cherished by many.

Its worldview likens sunlit mountain slopes at dusk and fallen leaves floating on the water’s surface to brocade, nurturing rich emotional expression simply through performance.

The melody features few leaps and smooth fingering, making it ideal for those just beginning the piano.

Once you’re comfortable, try incorporating a round-like arrangement that echoes the melody in succession to savor the beauty of overlapping harmonies.

hometownOkanoteiichi16rank/position

Furusato [Recorder] Japanese Song with Do-Re-Mi-Fa Sheet Music

This song is a Ministry of Education shoka first released in 1914 as a song for ordinary elementary schools, and it’s one of those pieces that somehow evokes a nostalgic feeling just from hearing the melody—something worth cherishing.

It’s often used in commercials and as train departure melodies, so we hear it from time to time.

The lyrics are familiar too—so much so that most people have them memorized—but it might be nice to deliberately perform it on the recorder with plenty of emotion.

The recorder’s simple tone suits the beautiful melody very well.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Spring StreamOkanoteiichi17rank/position

Recorder | Elementary School | 3rd Grade "Spring Brook"

Here is a song that was published in 1912—over a hundred years ago—as a Ministry of Education school song for elementary students.

It has taken root in Japan and has been loved by people of all ages for many years.

After the river in present-day Yoyogi, Shibuya Ward, which is said to be the model for the river in the song, a monument to “Haru no Ogawa” (Spring Brook) has been erected; if you’re interested, why not go see it? Playing this refreshingly nostalgic tune on the recorder is sure to put you in a very pleasant mood.

It’s also well suited for performing as a round.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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A Hazy Moonlit NightOkanoteiichi18rank/position

Oborozukiyo (Teiichi Okano) flute: Kirio Matsuda

“Oborozukiyo,” a song that has long been loved in Japan, is also perfect for flute practice.

Try working on dynamics while paying close attention to the resonance of your sound.

Compared to major flute solo pieces, this song allows the flute’s tone quality to shine more clearly, so take your time and finish it carefully.

Meeting at ShuishiyingOkanoteiichi19rank/position

Meeting at Shuishiying

The celebrated song that extols a sincere reconciliation between soldiers is a work by Teiichi Okano, included in 1910 (Meiji 43) in the fifth-year edition of the Elementary School Songbook.

While praising morale and valor, it portrays deep human compassion with the idea that “yesterday’s enemy is today’s friend,” and its message of respect and friendship toward a former foe still resonates today.

Recorded by the Barn Jacks on the album “Songs of Sorrow from the Battlefield” and featured as well in “Koichi Miura Collection: Masterpieces of Military Songs,” this piece vividly depicts raw scenes—bullet-scarred battle sites and collapsed homes—while powerfully singing of reconciliation and the wish for peace.

It is a song we especially recommend to those who wish to pass on the history of war and the preciousness of peace to the next generation, and to those who want to experience the spirit of Japan’s school songs and military songs.

autumn leaves (momiji)Sakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi20rank/position

“Autumn Leaves (Momiji)” by Yoko Seri

It is a gentle Japanese classic that evokes the feeling of autumn.

It has been included in elementary school textbooks since 1951 and was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs” in 2006.

The comparison of various colored leaves scattered on the water, illuminated by the autumn sunset, beautifully expresses the essence of autumn as if looking at a painting.