[For Seniors] September Song Special: Introducing Nostalgic Classics and Children’s Songs that Evoke Autumn

Harvest MoonSakusha:Noguchi Ujo/Sakushi:Motori Nagayo

♪ Full Moon on the Fifteenth Night – 15-ya Otsuki-san | ♪ Full Moon on the Fifteenth Night, how are you, dear Moon? [Japanese Song / Shoka]

This is a representative work by Noguchi Ujō that overflows with feelings for family as one looks up at the full harvest moon.

It was published in a children’s magazine in September 1920, with Motoori Nagayo composing the music.

The piece depicts a protagonist whose grandmother who raised them has taken leave and returned home, and whose younger sister has married into a rural family, speaking to the moon and wishing to see their mother.

The quiet nostalgia for family that floats on a moonlit night seeps gently into the heart in this song.

When you find yourself thinking of loved ones who live far away, why not gaze at the autumn moon on a long evening and softly hum along?

Sky of my hometownsakushi: oowada kenki

Hometown Sky (Autumn Children's Song / School Song)

This is a school song that sings of gazing up at the autumn evening sky and letting one’s thoughts wander to a distant hometown.

Set to a traditional Scottish folk tune, the Japanese lyrics were written by the Meiji-era poet Takeki Owada.

It was published in May 1888 in Meiji Shoka, Volume 1, and expresses the anxious hope that one’s parents and siblings back home are living well.

For older adults who have spent many years away from their hometowns, the lyrics may evoke fond memories.

On these long autumn nights, try humming it while picturing the landscape of your own hometown.

wild chrysanthemumSakushi:Ishimori Nobuo/Sakkyoku:Ishimori Nobuo

Wild Chrysanthemum (♫ Blowing from the distant mountains) by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics

This is a 1942 children’s song with lyrics by Nobuo Ishimori and music by Kan’ichi Shimofusa.

It charmingly depicts the pale purple wild chrysanthemums blooming in an autumn field.

The first verse portrays the delicate figure of the quietly blooming flowers; the second presents a peaceful scene of an insect alighting on a blossom; and the third conveys a warm wish for the flowers to keep blooming even when the cold winter arrives.

With its relaxed tempo and easy-to-sing melody, it’s well suited for singing together at gatherings of older adults.

If you come across wild chrysanthemums on an autumn stroll, think of this piece and savor the changing of the seasons.

Tanuki-bayashi of Shojoji (The Raccoon Dogs’ Festival Drumming at Shojoji Temple)Sakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei

Shojoji no Tanuki-bayashi [with song] – Children’s Song

This is a children’s song written by Ujo Noguchi and composed by Shinpei Nakayama, based on the raccoon dog festival legend handed down in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture.

You can just picture the lively scene of tanuki drumming their bellies “ponpoko” and dancing at the temple on a moonlit night.

Since it was introduced in a children’s magazine in 1925, it has been loved by people of all ages.

It was even used with new lyrics for the NHK radio program “English Conversation,” so some listeners may find it familiar.

Its many repeated phrases make it easy to sing.

On a long autumn night, why not hum it while moon-viewing? If seniors gather together, try moving your bodies for fun—pat your bellies or beckon with your hands in time with the lyrics.

dragonfly glassesSakushi: Nukaga Seishi / Sakkyoku: Hirai Kōzaburō

Dragonfly’s Glasses [One Hundred Selections of Japanese Songs] by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics | Children’s Song | Tonbo no Megane | Glasses of Dragonfly

This charming children’s song captures the uniquely free imagination of seeing autumn scenery through the eyes of a dragonfly in flight.

With lyrics by Seishi Nukaga and music by Kozaburo Hirai, the piece was inspired by children playing with dragonflies that the creators encountered during a house call.

First broadcast on NHK’s “Infants’ Hour” in 1949, it soon became widely beloved.

Its light, buoyant melody makes you want to gaze up at the clear autumn sky, and the vividly colored lyrics—mentioning shades like light blue and red—leave a strong impression.

It’s perfect for gatherings of older adults, inviting them to hum along and return to a nostalgic, childlike state.

Adding simple choreography can make it even more enjoyable to sing.

rabbitMonbushō shōka

♪Rabbit, Rabbit – Usagi Usagi | ♪Rabbit, rabbit, what do you see as you hop? [Japanese song/children’s song]

A song from the Ministry of Education’s collection that sings of rabbits hopping as they gaze up at the harvest moon.

Since its inclusion in Elementary School Songs, Volume 2 in 1892, it has been cherished by many as a children’s song.

It is characterized by short phrases that convey the atmosphere of moon-viewing culture, and despite its simplicity, it features a melody that lingers in the heart.

This piece is also used as a practice tune for shamisen and koto, and has been recorded in various arrangements, such as King Records’ collection of seasonal school songs and Teichiku’s album “Heart and Mind: The Breeze of Ryukyu Played on the Sanshin.” On long autumn nights, why not line up some dumplings, gaze at the moon, and hum along? The melody is easy to remember, so you can enjoy singing it together with everyone.

MoonMonbushō shōka

Moon

The descriptive passages praising the beauty of the perfectly round full moon leave a lasting impression.

First published in May 1911 in the Ministry of Education’s songbook “Jinjō Shōgaku Shōka: For First Grade,” it has been sung by many generations ever since.

Created through a committee-based process by editors from the Tokyo Music School, it is characterized by its simple, easy-to-sing melody.

Long beloved as a school song in music education, recordings by children’s choirs still exist today.

It’s a tune that makes you want to hum while gazing at the moon from your window on an autumn night.

Why not enjoy this nostalgic melody together with everyone at your facility?