[J-Pop] Showa-era Christmas songs: nostalgic yet fresh Christmas classics
As Christmas draws near, we hear Christmas songs everywhere—from city streets to the radio.
What kind of Christmas songs do you like?
In this article, we’re featuring Japanese Christmas songs released in the Showa era!
Focusing on hit songs, we’ve selected a variety ranging from timeless classics that have been passed down for years to tracks with a refined charm.
For those who experienced them in real time, it’s a chance to look back with fond memories.
And for anyone curious about Showa-era Christmas songs, there may be new discoveries in store.
Make them the perfect companion to a wonderful Christmas!
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- [Winter Songs] Classic Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs you’ll want to listen to in winter.
- [For people in their 90s] Recommended Christmas songs: from nostalgic school songs and hymns to timeless classics
- Christmas Love Songs: Romantic Tracks to Listen to on a Holy Night
- [1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!
- Nostalgic yet new! Hit songs from the Showa era you’ll want to use as BGM
- Recommended for Christmas posts! Songs you can use for Instagram Reels
- So nostalgic it feels new? Showa retro classics that colored Japan’s period of rapid economic growth
[J-Pop] Christmas Songs from the Showa Era: Nostalgic yet Fresh Christmas Classics (21–30)
All on this nightYoshikawa Koji
Kōji Kikkawa, who made his name resound from Hiroshima in 1984, has been active at the forefront not only as a rock musician but also as an actor.
His 9th single, released in September 1986, features lyrics and music by Motoharu Sano and is a cover of a song originally provided to Kenji Sawada.
Set on Christmas night, the passionate lyrics evoke a longing for and anticipation of those special moments spent with someone on the holy evening.
The song reached No.
4 on the Oricon weekly chart, and it symbolizes his shift from an idol image to a rock artist.
Its appeal lies in the simple guitar sound and Kikkawa’s energetic vocals.
It’s a track that lets you savor both nostalgia and freshness on a night when you want to spend a grown-up Christmas.
April Fools in DecemberEPO
It’s a bittersweet ballad where the festive sparkle of a winter city at Christmastime overlaps with the sorrow of a love’s end—an irony that cuts deep.
The song by EPO was released as a single in November 1985 and included on the album “PUMP! PUMP!” With lyrics and composition by EPO herself and arrangement by Hiroshi Sato, its sophisticated sound blends AOR balladry with city pop.
The lyrics are striking for how they overlay the pain of heartbreak—realizing the person you believed was your only one was not—onto a title that deliberately invokes a “day of lies.” A self-cover version was released in 1993, and a completely re-arranged re-recording in 1999, keeping the song loved for many years.
It’s a track that quietly stays by your side when you feel a little distant from the dazzling Christmas scene.
Flying Santa ClausMurata Kazuhito
This is a Christmas song included on GO POP, the first album Kazuhito Murata—one of the masters of ’80s city pop—made after moving to Toshiba EMI.
Released in October 1988, it drew attention for its ambitious sound design incorporating programmed beats.
The sophisticated arrangement, evocative of an urban nightscape, and Murata’s clear, soaring high-tone vocals gently wrap the winter air.
Its warm atmosphere—like spending Christmas Eve in the tropics—is especially appealing, striking a comfortable balance that avoids becoming overly sentimental.
Long out of print, it was passed down as a hidden gem, but its remastered reissue has spurred a fresh wave of appreciation.
It’s a song you’ll want to share with someone special on a quiet Christmas night.
Snowbound Party -Tonight Visitors OK!-Hamada Shogo
A lively dance number that depicts a single night with a special someone met on a street corner as powdery snow falls.
It was included on the mini-album “CLUB SNOWBOUND,” released in November 1985, and later appeared on the album “CLUB SURF & SNOWBOUND.” The track features layered sounds reminiscent of oldies and doo-wop, with a pop arrangement that weaves in saxophone and backing vocals.
The lyrics intertwine the glamorous atmosphere of a Christmas party with the poignancy of parting, portraying a one-night, dreamlike romance.
Masakazu Itakura’s arrangement creates a three-dimensional sound image that simultaneously conveys the giddy cheer and bittersweetness of Christmas.
Crafted with a playful spirit by Shogo Hamada, this piece is perfect when you’re in the mood for upbeat rock ’n’ roll.
As if singing a Christmas songNakajima Miyuki
Miyuki Nakajima, a leading figure among Japanese singer-songwriters.
The rare track included on her 1987 live album “Uta Goyomi” is a number that portrays a one-night-only romance entrusted to the special night of Christmas.
Against a backdrop of snow-covered streets and gently passing people, a tender yet fleeting sentiment is quietly spun.
The delicate expression of her live, guitar-and-voice performance—coupled with the restrained melody—seems to resonate deeply in the heart.
It is a winter love song for adults, overlaying the enchantment of the Christmas season with the reality of a relationship that returns to strangers when the calendar turns.