Autumn songs from the Showa era: A collection of classic masterpieces that colored the J-POP scene
On a somewhat wistful autumn evening, standing by the window and watching the sunset, it’s the season when you feel like listening to nostalgic Showa-era pop songs.
As the maples and ginkgoes turn color, a trove of gem-like autumn classics soothes the heart.
Songs of autumn we heard as children reveal a strangely different expression when we listen to them now as adults.
In this article, we’ll introduce beloved autumn-themed masterpieces from the Showa period, along with numbers that evoke an autumnal mood.
Whether you’re reminiscing about your youth or discovering them for the first time, please enjoy the wonderful world of song.
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Songs of Autumn from the Showa Era: A collection of classic masterpieces that colored the J-POP scene (31–40)
Summer Time from AutumnNitō Yūko
Yuko Nito’s “Summer Time from Autumn” can be counted among the classic songs that color the autumn of the Showa era.
Keiko Aso’s sensitively crafted lyrics and Hideya Nakazaki’s melody harmonize beautifully, creating a piece that conveys feminine delicacy and love.
Yet beneath it all there is a sense of sorrow and poignancy, giving the song real depth.
Expressing the unique charm of the autumn season through music, this track offers a refreshing, gentle comfort.
Lend your ear to its tender melody and let Yuko Nito’s clear, translucent voice soothe your heart.
Look up at the stars in the nightSakamoto Kyu
This is the smash hit by Kyu Sakamoto, who passed away in the Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash on August 12, 1985.
It happened just as people were looking forward to seeing even more from him, both as a singer and a TV personality.
Countless listeners have surely been comforted by the lyrics that say, “If you’re feeling sad, look up at the night sky.” Autumn can be a melancholy season, but listening to this song will surely lift your spirits.
It has been covered by many artists, including Four Leaves, DEEN, and Yuzu.
A truly monumental track in Japanese pop music, loved across generations.
Perfect for a long autumn night!
Embraced by the wintry windKoizumi Kyoko
A wistful and beautiful song about unrequited love, written and composed by Toshihiko Takamizawa of THE ALFEE.
The marching drum–like intro is striking, isn’t it? The interlude also features bagpipe-like sounds, and the arrangement—evoking the melancholy and nostalgia of Celtic music—feels fresh and really complements Kyoko Koizumi’s ennui-tinged vocals.
While many Showa-era kayōkyoku build to a big, dramatic chorus, this song doesn’t go that far; its gentle, flowing restraint is one of its charms.
It’s a masterpiece that’s perfect for those long autumn nights.
Autumn wind is you.Shimura Kaori
You can’t leave this song out when talking about classic autumn hits from the Showa era.
Kaori Shimura’s crystal-clear voice captures the atmosphere of fall beautifully.
The lyrics—melding vivid autumn scenery with the flutter of romance—are sure to leave a deep impression on listeners.
Released in October 1985, it was Shimura’s third single.
With its refreshing melody and sophisticated, European-style arrangement, the track stood out from other idol pop of the time and drew considerable attention.
It’s a perfect song for quiet autumn nights spent with a loved one, or for reminiscing about the gentle ache of unrequited love.
A deserted seaToa e moa
Toi et Moi’s “Daremo Inai Umi” (No One at the Seaside) depicts a seascape after summer has passed, when no one comes to play anymore.
Released in 1970, the song was originally created for Julie Itō to sing on a program featuring singer Jerry Itō.
In addition to Julie Itō, it has been performed by chanson singer Yasuko Ōki and Fubuki Koshiji, and by Mao Daichi in the drama Koshiji Fubuki Monogatari.
It portrays a lonely autumn sea, as if everyone has forgotten it, while conveying a strong will: I, at least, remember, and I will live strongly through the coming seasons.
Autumn songs of the Showa era: A collection of classic masterpieces that colored the J-POP scene (41–50)
Before winter comeskami fuusen
Kami Fusen is a folk duo formed in 1974 that has been active for a long time.
Their biggest hit, “Before Winter Comes,” is surely one of the quintessential autumn songs of the Showa era.
The lyrics, written from a woman’s perspective, express her wish to reconcile with the lover she parted with at summer’s end before winter arrives.
The image of her unable to forget her former lover, spending time alone in autumn scenery while recalling traces of the summer they shared, is deeply moving.
Their beautiful vocals, in contrast to the sorrowful lyrics, heighten the sense of poignancy even further.
autumn and winterMizue Takada
Singer Mizue Takada, who debuted as an idol after becoming the 18th Grand Champion on the audition show “You Are the Star!”, is known for her 22nd single “Shūtō” (Autumn/Winter), a cover song that has been performed by various artists throughout the 1980s.
The lyrics, which depict a lover’s changing emotions along with the shifting seasons, grow more poignant as time moves from autumn into winter.
It’s a wistful number whose melancholic vocals and ensemble stir the heart.
