[J-Pop] Showa-era Christmas songs: nostalgic yet fresh Christmas classics

The Last Holy NightSugiyama Kiyotaka

Kiyotaka Sugiyama – Saigono Holy Night［OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO］

Released in 1986, this song became the biggest hit of Kiyotaka Sugiyama’s solo career and a true classic.

With Masanori Sasaji’s brilliant arrangement, it’s a Christmas ballad that’s both wistful and warmly comforting.

The lyrics, delicately penned by Masao Urino, shine with evocative imagery that feels like reminiscing about special moments with someone dear.

It ranked high on the Oricon charts at the time and was included on the album “realtime to paradise.” It was later featured on best-of collections like “greatest hits.” and has become one of Sugiyama’s signature songs.

It’s a gem of a Showa-era Christmas tune—perfect for a quiet winter night, thinking of someone important.

The Checkers’ Christmas SongChekkāzu

Checkers’ Christmas Song

This Christmas song was created by The Checkers as the B-side to the single “Julia ni Heartbreak,” released in November 1984.

The lyrics were written by Fumiya Fujii, and the music was composed by band leader Takashi Takeuchi—an original piece by the members themselves.

The lyrics paint scenes of pledging eternal love beneath a sparkling tree and the romantic atmosphere of a star-studded holy night, brimming with anticipation for spending Christmas with a loved one.

With a medium-tempo melody and gentle guitar and piano accompaniment, it’s a ballad-style love song that resonates warmly.

Thanks to the A-side “Julia ni Heartbreak” becoming a major hit and winning the Japan Record Awards’ Top Star Award, this track has also remained beloved over the years despite being a B-side.

It was included on the best-of album EARLY SINGLES and continued to be performed even after the band’s breakup, standing as a perennial Christmas favorite.

It’s the perfect song to play when spending Christmas Eve with someone special.

Star XMAS-BERRY: A Tender StarNakamori Akina

Hoshino X’mas Berry: A Tender Star

Akina Nakamori, the songstress who evolved from an idol into a powerhouse artist in the 1980s.

Featured on her mini-album “SILENT LOVE,” released in December 1984, this piece is a ballad that portrays a romance revolving around a pink card sent at Christmas.

The narrative lyrics by Ayumu Date delicately weave emotions that are both heartrending and warm.

Its structure—shifting from a minor key with a resonant guitar solo to a gentler atmosphere—evokes both the stillness of the holy night and the quickening of the heart.

Despite its roughly six-minute length, the composition by Daisuke Inoue and arrangement by Ichizo Seo keep it engaging throughout, making it a quintessential number that symbolizes a Showa-era Christmas.

Snow FantasyMatsuda Seiko

Snow Fantasy

Seiko Matsuda, who led the music scene as a top idol of the 1980s.

This song, included on the winter-themed album “Snow Garden,” is a fantastical winter tune with lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and composition/arrangement by Masaaki Ōmura.

Set in the stillness of a snowy night, it portrays a journey guided by a snow spirit toward a beloved person, sprinkled with Christmas-evoking motifs like reindeer-drawn carriages and fir trees.

Its vividly scenic sound—woven from a romantic melody and strings—conveys both the tenderness and the aching longing of thinking about someone special on Christmas Eve.

Released in November 1987, the album was a concept record built around insert songs from the film “Mild Fever,” and this track was also used in the movie.

A gem of a Showa-era Christmas song, perfect for quietly listening to on a snowy night.

LAST CHRISTMAS EVEYazawa Eikichi

Last Christmas Eve (Remastered 2022)

Eikichi Yazawa, the eternal charismatic figure who has continued to lead Japan’s rock scene.

His 15th single, released in November 1983, is a lyrical number imbued with feelings for the holy night.

Set to a medium-tempo arrangement that evokes gently falling snow, the lyrics conjure a romantic scene of entrusting wishes to the stars.

Though rooted in rock, the song carries the delicacy of a ballad, and it became a hot topic when it was featured in a whisky brand’s commercial.

With the memorable anecdote that the melody came to him while riding a train, it stands as a classic that symbolizes Christmas in the Showa era.