[Showa × Halloween] A roundup of chilling songs with scary lyrics and an unsettling atmosphere!
Back in the Showa era, when Halloween hadn’t yet really caught on in Japan—even though it’s now a huge annual celebration—there were actually plenty of songs that perfectly fit the spooky vibe of ghosts, witches, and skeletons dancing about, even if they didn’t directly use Halloween as a theme! In this article, we’ve gathered Showa-era songs that are perfect for Halloween.
Enjoy tracks that capture the distinct “Showa feel,” from anime theme songs featuring witches and yokai to tunes whose lyrics and atmosphere are delightfully eerie.
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- [Ghosts & Yokai] Horror Song Collection [Monsters & Zombies]
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[Showa × Halloween] A roundup of chilling songs with scary lyrics and eerie vibes! (1–10)
The Woman of MetamorphosisTogawa Jun
This song wishes to become as lowly as an insect for the sake of a loved one.
From its devoted expressions of love, the lyrics reveal an extreme that might send chills down anyone’s spine.
The performer is Jun Togawa, who blazed through the music scene of the 1980s.
The track appears on the classic album “Tamahime-sama,” released in January 1984, and later served as an insert song in the film Helter Skelter.
The way single-minded love turns into madness may feel less like affection and more like a curse.
Listen to it on Halloween night, and you may find yourself drawn into its uniquely chilling world.
Demon-Counting SongKarashima Midori
Even Midori Karashima, famed as a master of winter ballads like “Silent Eve,” sang spine-chilling songs like this in her early career.
With each number counted—one, two—the song depicts a curse-like world where a burning love plunges into hell and the underworld.
Her pure, beautiful voice only heightens the icy despair in the lyrics, and that contrast sends shivers down your spine.
This piece was produced in February 1989 as an insert song for the OVA “Yoma.” Listen to it on Halloween night, and its beautiful melody may amplify the terror so much that you won’t be able to spend the night alone!
witchKoizumi Kyoko
A delicate, literary world of witches—quite different from the images of vampires or zombies.
Sung by Kyoko Koizumi, this song portrays a woman’s earnest wishes and inner conflict.
Released in July 1985, it reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts.
Despite having no tie-ins with TV dramas or commercials, it captured many hearts with a charm that transcended the idol pop genre.
The lyrics, expressing the feelings of a woman suffering in love, depict themes of love and jealousy through a longing to transform into a witch.
It might be the perfect song to listen to on Halloween night, as you think of someone dear.
[Showa × Halloween] A roundup of chilling songs with scary lyrics and an unsettling vibe! (11–20)
GeGeGe no KitaroKumakura Kazuo
Halloween is a festival of ghosts.
And when it comes to songs that the word “ghost” inevitably brings to mind, this is the one: the theme song from the anime GeGeGe no Kitaro, based on the work of Shigeru Mizuki.
The song has been remade and covered many times, but many people probably feel that the original version sung by Kazuo Kumakura is the most fitting.
If you want to pick a song to get a laugh, this one is a sure bet.
Go ahead and sing it with all the spooky flair you can muster.
It’s also a great choice for karaoke when there are little kids around.
Yokai Human Bemhanī naitsu
Performed by the Honey Knights, this anime theme song was created as the opening for a hugely popular series in 1968.
It portrays the tragic fate of the yokai humans and their earnest wish to live as ordinary people, leaving a deep impression on listeners.
Led by Masahiko Aoi, the distinctive choral vocals convey feelings of loneliness and the pain of being misunderstood to powerful effect.
Through the fusion of animation and music, the piece leaves a stronger impact on viewers and has become a classic loved for many years.
It’s a perfect track for Halloween parties when you’re dressed as yokai or monsters.
Put on a costume and sing it with friends, and you’re sure to get the party going!
The Song of Karan KoronKato Midori to Misuzu Jido Gasshodan
Known as the ending theme of the anime GeGeGe no Kitaro, this song humorously portrays the mysterious world of yokai.
The voices of Midori Kato and the Misuzu Children’s Chorus ride a lively rhythm that echoes the clacking of Kitaro’s geta sandals.
Used as the ending theme for the second series broadcast in 1971, it left a lasting impression on many children.
With lyrics by Shigeru Mizuki and music by Taku Izumi, the song poetically expresses the quiet, eerie world of yokai.
It’s also perfect as background music for Halloween parties or test-of-courage events.
Recommended for those who want to savor a delightfully spooky world brimming with Showa-era atmosphere.
curseYamazaki Hako
This work by Hako Yamasaki sings of a figure hammering nails into a straw doll.
Included on her 1979 album “Ningen Magai” (Human-like), its dark lyrics sparked significant discussion.
Yamasaki’s distinctive voice and the sound of the folk guitar further enhance the song’s world.
If you listen to it alone on Halloween night, you might immerse yourself even more deeply in its atmosphere.
Why not lend an ear to the unyielding grudge and the voice of sorrow lurking in the heart?