[For Seniors] Recommended Spring Songs for People in Their 70s: A Collection of Nostalgic Spring Tunes

Height comparisonSakushi: Umino Atsushi / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei

Height Comparison – Sei Kurabe | The mark on the pillar was from the year before last [Japanese Song / Shoka]

As Children’s Day approaches, many people may find themselves recalling the marks on the pillar.

This children’s song, written by Atsushi Unno with his younger brother in mind—seventeen years his junior—depicts a warm scene where the older brother measures his little brother’s height.

It is said that the lyrics also capture the loneliness of not having met the previous year, preserved as a two-year record.

With music composed by Shinpei Nakayama, it was published as a collection of sheet music in May 1923.

The song has continued to be sung for many years and was selected in 2007 as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” As you feel the May breeze, why not look back on nostalgic memories with your siblings and family? Enjoy this seasonal song with a bright, uplifting spirit, as if gazing up at the majestic Mount Fuji.

Spring StreamSakushi: Takano Tatsuyuki / Sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi

Spring Brook | With Lyrics | 100 Selected Japanese Songs | The spring brook flows along with a gentle murmur

It’s a traditional song with a gentle melody that makes you want to hum along as spring arrives.

The lyrics, which depict violets and Chinese milk vetch blooming by the riverbank and creatures in the water, are said to be modeled on the Kobunegawa River in Yoyogi, where Tatsuyuki Takano lived at the time.

Published in December 1912 in “Songs for Elementary School, Fourth Grade,” the piece features a tender tune by Teiichi Okano and has long been cherished on programs such as NHK’s “Minna no Doyō.” Its simple, repeated melody is perfect for a round, and when seniors raise their voices together, it naturally creates a lovely sense of unity.

Why not enjoy layering your voices as you imagine the tranquil scenes of spring?

Album of MemoriesSakushi: Masuko Toshi / Sakkyoku: Honda Tetsuma

Memory Album / Opening lyrics: ♪ Before we knew it / With easy-to-read lyrics / [Children’s Song]

This song, which evokes a sense of spring, gently recounts memories from kindergarten.

It paints scenes from the changing seasons and brings a warm nostalgia to listeners.

Since its release in 1961, it has continued to be beloved by many.

It has been featured on TV Asahi’s children’s program “Tobidase! Panpororin” and NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” making it familiar to a wide range of generations.

It’s lovely for seniors to hum along with their grandchildren, too.

A wonderful piece that can be enjoyed across generations while reminiscing about the past.

Always keep your dreamsHashi Yukio / Yoshinaga Sayuri

Yukio Hashi & Sayuri Yoshinaga / Itsudemo Yume o (Always Dream)

Because it’s used as an insert song in NHK’s morning drama series “Amachan,” in SoftBank commercials, and in various other contexts, it hardly feels like an old tune.

Of course, for older listeners it’s famous as a duet by Yukio Hashi and Sayuri Yoshinaga.

It even won the Japan Record Award, was performed on the Red and White Song Battle, and inspired a film—what we’d now call a mega-viral hit! Just hearing the intro will bring back fond memories of days gone by.

It’s also a great choice for karaoke with someone special!

Blue MountainsFujiyama Ichirō

[With Large Lyrics] Blue Mountain Range [Recreation]

The celebrated song, which beautifully depicts postwar hope and the breath of a new era, was performed by Ichirō Fujiyama and Mitsue Nara as the theme for a film of the same name released in 1949.

Along with the splendor of nature, it warmly portrays young people forging a bright future, like flowers that bloom after enduring a harsh winter.

For those who lived in the years immediately following the war, it is surely a piece filled with memories.

Beloved across generations, it was chosen as No.

1 in NHK’s 1989 program “Songs of the Showa Era: 200 Unforgettable Songs.” Its beautiful melody, infused with elements of classical music, and its heartwarming lyrics are sure to evoke fond recollections of days gone by.

Aizen BridgeYamaguchi Momoe

Aizen Bridge

A song that delicately portrays a woman’s complex feelings—her desire not to be bound by the institution of marriage and her anxiety that her partner might grow tired of her in the future—set against the scenery of Kyoto.

Released by Momoe Yamaguchi in December 1979, this track is her 28th single.

The performance strongly emphasizes traditional Japanese elements, and the lyrics incorporating Kyoto dialect leave a strong impression.

The song carefully expresses the emotional pull she feels even as she hesitates over her lover’s proposal.

How about listening to it together with older folks and letting it spark conversations about memories of love and marriage from days gone by? It’s sure to be a lovely conversation starter.

Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

“Sakura” is a classic song that entrusts cherry blossoms with life’s milestones, farewells, and bonds that never change.

Even as the seasons shift, it is cherished as a song that preserves promises in the heart and cheers on those embarking on new journeys.

Sung with heartfelt emotion by Naotaro Moriyama, the track was released in March 2003 and became a massive hit after being chosen as the theme for the TV program “Sekai Ururun Taizai-ki.” Though a hit from the Heisei era, it’s likely familiar even to people in their 70s.

Whether you’re facing a life milestone with the coming of spring or experiencing a farewell with someone important, why not turn to this song? It will surely give you the courage to take a new step forward.