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Recommended for cherry-blossom viewing season! Classic sakura songs and spring tunes

As cherry blossoms begin to bud and the full-fledged hanami season arrives, many of you might find yourselves in the mood for cherry blossom songs and spring tunes.

You might want to play them as background music at your hanami gathering, or sing them at karaoke afterward! But sometimes it’s hard to find just the right tracks…

This article introduces must-hear classics for the hanami season, focusing on staple cherry blossom songs and spring songs.

We’ve also picked out tracks released within the past year, so please enjoy to the very end!

Recommended for cherry blossom viewing season! Classic sakura songs & spring songs (111–120)

SakurairoSaitō Takumi

Released on February 22, 2012.

This is a song by Takumi Saitoh, who quickly became famous as that sexy actor.

A film inspired by this song, “Sakurairo,” was also produced starring Takumi Saitoh.

It’s a great track with a masculine vibe, capturing a man who, while reluctant to part, looks at the cherry blossoms and remembers the one he loved.

Sakura (2020 Chorus)Moriyama Naotaro

Calorie Mate CM | “Invisible Things” Full Version – Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (2020 Chorus)
Sakura (2020 Chorus)Moriyama Naotaro

Singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama commands a strong presence with his uniquely angled lyrics and warmly enveloping voice.

This arranged version of his second single and signature song “Sakura” also drew attention when it was featured in Calorie Mate’s commercial “Invisible Things,” starring Satoshi Iizuka of the comedy trio Tokyo 03.

Moriyama’s distinctive vocals layer with a resonant chorus to make the cherry-blossom scenery feel even more dreamlike.

As a staple among cherry-blossom songs, it’s an essential number for spring events like hanami.

cherry blossomKawaguchi Kyogo

This is the sixth single by singer-songwriter Kyogo Kawaguchi, which won the Wired Music Award at the 2003 Japan Cable Radio Awards.

Not only was the original a hit, but it has been covered by numerous musicians, and is known as Kawaguchi’s biggest success.

At first glance the lyrics seem like a love song, but did you know it was actually created with the TV anime Doraemon in mind? With a poignant vocal and beautiful melody that conjure scenes of fragile, fluttering cherry blossoms, it’s a quintessential “sakura song” that adds color to any hanami gathering.

Gachi SakuraShonan no Kaze

Shonan no Kaze “Gachi Zakura” MUSIC VIDEO
Gachi SakuraShonan no Kaze

This is a motivational song about spring by the four-member reggae group Shonan no Kaze.

It’s filled with a strong determination to push away the anxieties that come with a new life and move forward.

It was released in 2010 as Shonan no Kaze’s 10th single.

SAKURA -We Must Sing of Spring-Yajima Biyōshitsu

Yajima Beauty Salon / SAKURA -We Must Sing of Spring-
SAKURA -We Must Sing of Spring-Yajima Biyōshitsu

This is the second single by the musical unit Yajima Biyoshitsu, formed by the comedy duo Tunnels and DJ OZMA, the alter ego of Show Ayanocozey, who is also active as the vocalist of Kishidan.

Its impactful lyrics sprinkled with intriguing phrases and its brisk, dance-inducing beat make it irresistibly catchy.

The catchy melody and pop arrangement evoke scenic images of cherry blossoms, just like the title suggests.

It’s a karaoke staple that everyone can sing together to get the party going.

SAKURA, I love you?Nishino Kana

Kana Nishino - “SAKURA, I love you?” (short ver.)
SAKURA, I love you?Nishino Kana

This is the 16th single by Kana Nishino, a female singer who enjoys overwhelming support from younger generations thanks to her cute vocals and emotionally resonant lyrics that many women relate to.

Chosen as a song for a SONY WALKMAN commercial, its melody carries a traditional Japanese vibe that evokes scenes of cherry blossoms.

The experience of losing your way about your true feelings after a breakup is something anyone who has been in love can painfully relate to.

It’s a perfect number to color springtime events—the season of farewells—and one you’ll want to use as BGM for cherry-blossom viewing.

Taiwan cherryren

Ren – Taiwan Cherry (Music Video)
Taiwan cherryren

Ren’s 2023 number “Hikan-zakura” is a song about someone you can never forget.

The more important a person is, the harder it is to let them go, no matter what you do.

Memories resurface, bringing pain and sorrow…

Even so, as time refuses to stop, the song portrays the resolve to finally face forward and shift one’s heart.

It leaves you with the hope that, ahead on that path, spring will arrive with beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom.