Children’s songs, school songs, and nursery rhymes with a river theme. Beloved classics about nostalgic watersides.

Sea? River? A mnemonic song about where fish livekawachan

[Fish Trivia♪] Sea? River? A quick-remember song about where fish live!!

It’s an educational song that helps you rhythmically remember where fish live—not just in rivers, but also in the sea and ponds.

Created by “Sakana no Oniisan Kawachan” in response to a child’s letter asking, “Where does this fish live?”, the song comes with a heartwarming backstory.

It not only briskly introduces sea fish and river fish, but also teaches about species that live in both environments and creatures that inhabit surprising places.

If parents and children sing it like a quiz back and forth, it might naturally spark curiosity about living things.

It’s the sea, it’s the river.warabeuta

[KBS Children's Songs] It's the Sea, It's the River

Spread out a big piece of cloth, and it becomes a majestic sea or river.

This children’s song is a playful piece that sparks rich imagination.

In fact, its original version is a composed song by the Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály, and in Japan it is widely loved as a traditional children’s song.

The image of a blue, spreading water surface and lively, darting fish matches beautifully with the easy-to-remember, rhythmic melody.

One of its charms is that it can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages, from one-year-olds to elementary school children.

In childcare settings, a popular activity is to shake a blue cloth like waves while the children pretend to be fish and jump around.

It’s a delightful classic, perfect for parents and children to sing while moving their bodies.

basket basketwarabeuta

Warabe-uta “Kago Kago” (Palanquin) — Knee Bounce Rhyme for Babies

This is a charming traditional play song passed down since the Edo period, where children are rocked in time with the lyrics to decide whether the river is deep or shallow.

The song weaves in the journey from Edo to Kyoto and the feel of the currency of the time, with references like “sixteen mon” and “three momme,” giving the play a hint of history.

There are many ways to play—facing each other and holding hands, striking a pose as if carrying a basket, and more.

The thrill of seeming to fall into the water at the final word is one of the charms that captivates children.

It’s a warm song that teaches the joy of physical, person-to-person communication.

A Day of the RiverSakushi: Shinzawa Toshihiko / Sakkyoku: Nakagawa Hirotaka

A Day of the River

It’s a charming song that feels like a direct musical snapshot of a child’s day by the riverside.

The lyrics are by Toshihiko Shinzawa, and the music is by Hirotaka Nakagawa.

It depicts simple childhood play—lining up stones to make a little pond, gently letting the tiny fish they’ve caught swim away.

The piece is included on the album “Sora o Mezashite,” released in January 1999.

It’s a lovely song that brings back those sparkling memories of being absorbed in play out in nature.

It might be nice to hum it while taking a walk with your child.

KawanakajimaSakushi: Hatano Jūichirō / Sakkyoku: Koyama Sakunosuke

Kawanakajima — Lyrics by Juichiro Hatano, Music by Sakunosuke Koyama, Sung by Haruki Obara, Illustrations by Nakumi

This is a highly valiant song woven around a famed historical battle.

The lyrics were written by the classical literature scholar Juichirō Hatano, with music composed by Sakunosuke Koyama.

In the lyrics, a mist-laden mountain and the fiercely churning Chikuma River set the stage for a battle on the verge of breaking out, capturing its tense atmosphere.

Composed around May 1896 as an elementary school song, it later became beloved as a beanbag-chanting song.

Distinct from gentle river songs, this is the perfect school song for when you want to experience the sweeping drama of history.

boatmanSakushi: Takeuchi Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Kawamura Mitsuyo

Boatman-san | With Lyrics | The boatman of my village

This charming piece, with its comforting “gitchirako” rowing rhythm, is a children’s song created by the golden duo of lyricist Toshiko Takeuchi and composer Koyo Kawamura.

It was composed in July 1941, but the lyrics were revised after the war, transforming it into a gentle, heartwarming depiction of the daily life of an old man who works on the village ferry.

The simple lyrics evoke scenes along the rivers of Hiroshima, Takeuchi’s hometown.

Listening to Kawamura’s familiar, friendly melody, you can almost feel the calm flow of the river and a peaceful passage of time washing over you.

Watermill in the ForestSakushi: Shimizu Minoru / Sakkyoku: Yoneyama Masao

Watermill in the Forest | Radio Kayō (Radio Songs) | With Lyrics | From Beyond the Green Forest

At the edge of a lush, green forest, you can almost picture a waterwheel turning rhythmically in the river’s current.

With lyrics by Minoru Shimizu and music by Masao Yoneyama, this is a bright, hope-filled work.

The pure feelings of a girl eagerly awaiting spring, and the image of a waterwheel that keeps turning despite wind and rain, overlap to convey the vitality to face tomorrow.

The piece was first produced in 1942, but was promptly banned from release due to wartime circumstances.

Later, in 1951, a record sung by Michiko Namiki was released, and it came to be widely loved.

It was also included in music textbooks, and in Hamamatsu—closely associated with the lyricist—a monument to the song has been erected.