[Elementary School Chorus Songs] A comprehensive showcase from moving masterpieces to the latest hit tunes!

In the country where Hiroshima isYamamoto Satoshi

Chorus in the country where Hiroshima is

This is a song that reflects on Hiroshima, where many lives were taken by war, and sings about the preciousness of life.

The lyrics are straightforward and may be a bit shocking.

Since many elementary schools have peace education, I think this song is perfect for facing and understanding what things were like at the time.

The key to performing this song is not just to sing the lyrics, but to sing with a wish for peace.

GraduationKobukuro

Kobukuro "Graduation ~Chorus~"

This is a warm ballad created to send heartfelt cheers to those celebrating their graduation.

Kobukuro, the duo behind masterpieces like “Tsubomi,” produced it with the wish that it would be sung at graduation ceremonies.

Through down-to-earth scenes—like the classroom chalkboard and the view on the way home—it delicately portrays farewells with friends and hopes for the future.

Released in March 2020 as their 31st single, it drew attention as their first non-tie-in single in about 16 and a half years.

There’s also a version by a children’s choir, and its structure makes it easy to sing at actual ceremonies—another welcome point.

Its powerful message, one that turns unspoken gratitude and small regrets into cherished memories, is sure to gently support elementary school students as they take their first steps forward.

I am a kitten.Okuma Takako

[N-Contest Required Piece] I Am a Kitten / Eiko Kadono & Takako Okuma

This was the required piece for the 2019 NHK Chorus Contest, Elementary School Division.

It’s a charming song themed around kittens.

The key points are the rhythmic feel of the introduction and the singing style that follows.

While the rhythm carries through to the end, the presence of complex scales makes the piece fairly challenging.

It also tests the class’s unity.

How you handle the tricky section at the end is crucial.

In springKinoshita Makiko

Makiko Kinoshita / “In Spring” (poem by Shuntaro Tanikawa) from the mixed chorus collection “Beyond the Horizon” — Shuichi Toma, Taiyo Kinoshita, Osaka Heinrich Schütz Chamber Choir

Makiko Kinoshita set one of Shuntaro Tanikawa’s poems to music, and a three-part mixed chorus version was released in 1989.

Because versions also exist in B-flat major for three-part treble voices and four-part male voices, the piece is popular as a choral work sung by a wide range of ages—from elementary school children to mothers’ choruses.

Many schools choose this piece as their free-choice work in nationwide choral competitions.

Green Tiger

N-Con Required Piece 2023, Elementary School Division: “Green Tiger” — Both Parts

A dramatic choral piece that feels like reading a story, “Midori no Tora” (The Green Tiger).

It was chosen as the required piece for the elementary school division of the 90th NHK All-Japan School Music Competition in 2023.

The lyrics were written by novelist Reiko Hiroshima, known for works such as The Mysterious Candy Shop Zenitendō, and the music was composed by Takatsugu Muramatsu, who has scored Studio Ghibli films as well as numerous movies and TV dramas.

The lyrics depict magical journeys to various wondrous places, and singing them will fill you with excitement.

Be sure to listen for the phrases that sound like magic spells, too—they’re a must-hear! Sing with innocent energy, and let yourself feel as if you’re traveling right along with the song.

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