[Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that really move you. Beloved classic Japanese hits of the past.

Please give me wingsakai tori

Red Bird “Please Give Me Wings” 1971

A moving classic that sings of young people’s pure desire for freedom and the wish to live true to oneself.

The beautiful harmonies by Akai Tori are striking, and the blend of lyrics by Mito Yamagami and melody by Kunihiko Murai is superb.

Released in February 1971 as the B-side to “Takeda no Komoriuta,” it was also included on the album Takeda no Komoriuta released in July of the same year.

Since 1997, it has been used as a cheer song for Japan’s national soccer team and was also chosen as the theme song for the film Whisper of the Heart.

This song teaches the importance of holding onto dreams and hopes from childhood while continuing to move toward them.

It’s a recommended track for when you want to release pent-up feelings or take a new step forward.

Farewell in MayInoue Yosui

May Farewell

As we welcome this refreshing season, we’d like to introduce a work in which Yosui Inoue’s lyrical melodies resonate in the heart.

Its gentle tune and lyrics interwoven with landscapes carry a clear, breezy feeling—almost like breathing in the air of May—and are perfect for the fresh green season.

Delicately portraying the transition from spring to early summer, the song’s tender vocals evoke nostalgic memories, from wedding scenes to stars in the night sky.

Released in March 1993, it was also included on the album “UNDER THE SUN,” which came out the same year.

Used in a Kirin Beer commercial, it became a memorable song for many.

Why not enjoy reminiscing together with older adults through music while feeling the calm flow of time? It’s a wonderful piece that promises a heartwarming moment.

A Letter Waiting for Springyoshida takurou

Takuro Yoshida / A Letter Waiting for Spring (’79, 17th single), I'm Fine (’80, 20th single)

This is a gem of a melody by Takuro Yoshida, warmly depicting a heartfelt exchange through letters that gently convey the feelings and memories of a man and a woman.

The image of two people far apart, drawing close to each other through their letters, carries a nostalgic sentiment that many have felt.

Accompanied by a calm guitar tone, the feelings of a couple trying to connect while awaiting the arrival of spring leave a lingering resonance.

Released in October 1979, it reached No.

52 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It was also included on the album “ONLY YOU 〜since coming For Life〜,” and has long been loved by many.

It’s a perfect song for those moments when you want to relax and enjoy music while looking back on memories with someone special.

wintering swallowMori Masako

wintering swallow

This gem of a ballad, which eloquently sings of the aching melancholy of painful love, is a masterpiece that showcases Masako Mori’s outstanding vocal prowess.

Its poetic world is striking: the feelings of a woman who has thrown herself into a forbidden romance are overlaid with the image of a lone swallow that defies the seasons and makes its home out of place.

Mori’s limpid voice intertwines with the heartrending melody, where sorrow and passion cross, creating a deeply moving song.

After its 1983 release, her tearful performance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen drew widespread attention, and the song earned her the Best Vocal Performance award at the 25th Japan Record Awards.

Even among enka songs that give voice to bittersweet longing, this work stands out for its richly expressive phrasing.

It’s the perfect piece for those moments when you want to pour your emotions into the song and sing your heart out, as if setting your soul free.

Keiko’s Dream Opens at NightFuji Keiko

Keiko Fuji - Keiko’s Dream Opens at Night

Keiko Fuji’s “Keiko no Yume wa Yoru Hiraku” is a deeply moving classic.

Sung in her distinctive husky voice, the lyrics portray a woman who continues to chase her dreams.

After its 1970 release, it became a huge hit, spending 10 consecutive weeks at No.

1 on the Oricon charts.

The song was also used as a theme for a Toei film and is beloved by many.

In Fuji’s vocals, you can feel a strength that holds on to hope despite the hardships and sorrows of life.

It’s a song that brings a warm sense of comfort along with nostalgic memories.

Why not listen to it during a calm, unhurried moment?

Good-bye, My LoveAn Ruisu

Ann Lewis - Goodbye My Love

Good-Bye My Love is filled with melodies that colored the Showa era and pierce the heart.

Ann Lewis’s vocals radiate the same charm they had when the song was released in 1974.

Even decades after its release, the lyrical world remains unfaded, where bittersweetness and warmth coexist, inviting us into the past as if riding a time machine.

The reason this song remains evergreen seems to go beyond its lyrics that depict pure romantic feelings.

Perhaps it spins a new story in the heart of each listener, entwined with their own memories.

The Izu DancerMisora Hibari

The Izu Dancer

This is the song Hibari Misora sang as the theme for the 1954 film based on a novel by Yasunari Kawabata.

In the movie, Misora herself plays the lead role, and the wistful melody blends beautifully with her emotionally rich vocals to create a gem of a track.

Upon the film’s release, the song quickly became a major talking point, and Misora’s powerful yet delicate singing captivated many hearts.

As a classic that represents the Showa era, it’s sure to stir nostalgic memories of youth.

Why not reminisce about those days with friends who lived through the same era, listening together to Misora’s voice? You’re sure to enjoy a delightful time.