Everyone must have heard it at least once! A quintessential ballad number representing the Showa era.
The Showa era was a time when popular music in Japan underwent major changes.
Even today, thanks to revival booms and renewed appreciation overseas, we’re hearing more and more timeless songs born in the Showa period.
In particular, many songs that bring a distinctly Japanese sense of wistful melancholy to the forefront still move the heart even now.
With that in mind, we’d like to introduce some quintessential Showa ballads—why not lend an ear to the good old sounds of Japan?
You might just feel the differences from the Heisei and Reiwa eras!
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Everyone must have heard these at least once! Showa-era signature ballad numbers (11–20)
Ballad of the RainYubara Masayuki
As a song that symbolizes the shift from the decline of Group Sounds in 1971 to the era of kayō ballads, Masayuki Yuhara’s signature solo work is indispensable.
Set against a backdrop of urban rain, this piece quietly gives voice to lingering feelings for a departed lover, with baritone-centered vocals and strings heightening its wistful mood.
Released as a single in April 1971, it is a self-cover of a track that originally appeared as a B-side during his Swing West days.
In October, it topped the weekly charts for three consecutive weeks and ranked eighth on Oricon’s year-end chart.
It also won the Hope Prize at the Japan Cable Awards, cementing Yuhara’s status as a vocalist.
A classic perfectly suited for reflecting on a lost love alone on a rainy day.
Goodbye to sorrowanzenchitai
Anzen Chitai is a band that has built an era with a uniquely Japanese sound brimming with originality, fusing kayōkyoku, pop music, and rock.
They have so many hit songs that whatever you sing will likely get the crowd going, but this time I’d like to introduce “Kanashimi ni Sayonara,” which is especially easy to sing among their repertoire.
This work is a major-key ballad that, despite its sorrowful lyrics, somehow retains a refreshing tone.
The vocal range is quite narrow at mid1B to mid2F#, so if you adjust it to your optimal key, you should be able to sing it without difficulty.
Lapis-Lazuli EarthMatsuda Seiko
This is a grand piece that sings of deep love and hope for the Earth.
Released by Seiko Matsuda on her 1986 June album “SUPREME,” the work features lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and music by Natsumi Hirai, depicting the story of people traveling around the Earth as if aboard a spaceship.
The image of a beautifully gleaming lapis-lazuli Earth and the feelings for the people living upon it unfold alongside a sweeping melody that resonates deeply with listeners.
It also carries wishes for world peace and environmental protection, and it has been included in high school music textbooks and embraced as a choral piece.
In April 2010, it was used as a wake-up call on the International Space Station, coloring the moment of gazing at the Earth from space.
It is a moving song that speaks to the heart when you want to feel the Earth’s beauty and the preciousness of life.
In conclusion
This time, we introduced Showa-era ballad songs—what did you think? Not only the melodies, but reading the lyrics also reveals the social backdrop and mindset of the time, which is fascinating, isn’t it? Take this opportunity to discover some masterpieces you haven’t encountered yet!