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Hiromi Ohta, the singer-songwriter whose song “Cotton Handkerchief” was a huge hit.
Skilled at the piano, she started out with a folk style in her early career and often performed piano-and-vocal pieces.
Here’s a ranking of some of her popular songs.
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Hiromi Ohta Popular Song Ranking [2026] (1–10)
Cotton HandkerchiefŌta Hiromi1rank/position
A classic song in the history of Showa-era pop that portrays a long-distance romance between someone leaving their rural hometown for the big city and the lover waiting back home.
With lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and music by Kyohei Tsutsumi, the piece is structured like an exchange of letters, a dialogue.
Set to a sprightly melody, it poignantly sings of the drifting emotions between the one being swept up in the city’s glamour and the one longing for unchanging love.
Released in December 1975 as Hiromi Ota’s fourth single, it became a major hit that earned her first appearance at the 27th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen at the end of 1976.
The track was single-cut from the acclaimed album “Kokoro ga Kaze o Hiita Hi” (The Day My Heart Caught a Cold).
Give it a listen on nights when you’re thinking of someone dear, or when you want to soak in a nostalgic, retro mood.
September RainŌta Hiromi2rank/position
This song evokes a scene wrapped in the stillness of autumn.
It’s a masterpiece woven with tenderness and wistfulness, as if autumn rain were gently falling on the listener’s heart.
Released in September 1977 as Hiromi Ohta’s ninth single, it became one of her signature works.
She performed it at the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen at the end of the same year, captivating many hearts.
It’s perfect for listening alone on a long autumn night, or together with someone special.
Why not savor it while reminiscing about the love of those days? It offers a lovely time filled with nostalgia that soothes the soul.
South Wind – SOUTH WIND –Ōta Hiromi3rank/position
If you want to savor an open, summery vibe, Hiromi Ohta’s “Minamikaze – SOUTH WIND -” is perfect.
Released in 1980 as her 17th single, it was used in a commercial for Kirin Beer’s “Kirin Orange” at the time.
Its refreshing sound, fitting for a soft drink commercial, puts you in a pleasant mood.
The lyrics, told from the perspective of young people who can’t wait for summer, feel charmingly fresh.
Definitely give “Minamikaze – SOUTH WIND -” a listen and soak up the summer atmosphere!
The youth I walked through with youŌta Hiromi4rank/position
A song by Hiromi Ohta that captured the hearts of many and stands as a signature work from the golden age of folk music.
Written and composed by Shozo Ise, it was released as a single in December 1977 and is also included on the album “12-Page Poetry Collection.” Its lyrics and melody gently embrace the loneliness of the end of youth and the parting from someone dear.
Ohta’s clear, pure voice resonates deeply with listeners.
When you feel like looking back on your youthful days, give it a listen.
Red high heelsŌta Hiromi5rank/position
A poignant story woven from Takashi Matsumoto’s delicate lyrics, which portray a young girl’s heart wavering between pure dreams and urban reality, and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s melody.
Hiromi Ohta’s transparent voice beautifully expresses the loneliness and inner conflict of city life, symbolized by the motif of red shoes.
Released in June 1976, the song became a major hit, reaching No.
2 on the Oricon charts and winning the Excellence in Vocal Performance Award at that year’s Japan Record Awards.
It was also included on the album “Handmade Picture Book” and was frequently featured on music programs of the time.
For those who long for life in the big city or who live far from their hometown, this is a song that will resonate deeply.
Farewell, Siberian RailwayŌta Hiromi6rank/position
With lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and music by Eiichi Ohtaki, this song is a classic winter piece that poignantly portrays a bittersweet farewell as someone departs for the distant northern lands on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Released as a single in November 1980, it was originally intended to be sung by Ohtaki himself, but since the lyrics were written from a woman’s perspective, it was offered to Hiromi Ohta instead.
Against a wintry backdrop of white ice fields and biting cold, the protagonist’s attempt to accept parting from a loved one is deeply moving.
Ohta’s clear, translucent vocals delicately convey the wistful scene, making it a song you’ll want to savor.
Why not listen quietly at dusk on a cold day?
Daddy and Your ShadowŌta Hiromi7rank/position
It’s a song from NHK’s “Minna no Uta.” The lyrics and music are by Hitomi Konno.
The song has very straightforward lyrics that convey important things to children.
Above all, we must not forget the earnest determination to live strongly.
On the night of the full moon, I went to your place.Ōta Hiromi8rank/position
The funky groove makes your body sway before you know it.
It’s a song by Hiromi Ota, the singer also known for “Cotton Handkerchief,” released as a single in 1983.
Electric and Latin-tinged, its unique sound arrangement is perfectly matched by Ota’s cheerful vocals.
And then there are these suggestive lyrics… What exactly is the relationship between the protagonist and “you”? Drawn in by its enigmatic storytelling, it’s an avant-garde full-moon song.
dandelionŌta Hiromi9rank/position
A classic that captures delicate feelings of first love from a unique perspective.
The emotions of a modest yet pure-hearted girl in love are overlapped with the image of dandelions blooming by the roadside, gently singing of the bittersweet feelings everyone experiences.
Takashi Matsumoto’s poetic lyrics and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s melody blend beautifully, and Hiromi Ohta’s pure voice perfectly conveys the song’s world.
Released in April 1975, it was later included on the album “Tanshūhen” (Short Stories) and gained popularity.
It’s a song that comforts those who strive to live strongly—like a dandelion that keeps blooming while facing forward—even when they carry loneliness in their hearts.
Recommended for anyone who wants to relate to the ache of unrequited love and the feelings of being in love.
younger sisterŌta Hiromi10rank/position
Track 8 from Hiromi Ohta’s 1975 original album “Tanshūhen” (Short Stories).
This song portrays the feelings of an older sister for her younger sister.
Though her own romance has ended, she wishes for her sister to find happiness.
Alongside her words of encouragement, you can sense the older sister’s own regrets seeping through here and there.