Showa-era masterpieces roundup: A must-listen collection of nostalgic oldies and hit songs
In the Showa era, countless masterpieces were created across genres, from pop kayokyoku to enka.
Many of them are still loved today, and we have plenty of chances to hear them.
In recent years, it’s not uncommon for Showa-era songs to experience a revival hit, and I think many younger listeners are also interested in these classics.
In this article, we’d like to reintroduce a generous selection of Showa masterpieces.
We’ve gathered many songs from various genres, so please take your time and give them a careful listen.
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Showa Masterpieces Compilation: A Must-Listen Collection of Nostalgic Tunes and Hit Songs (’71–’80)
dandelionŌta Hiromi
A classic that captures delicate feelings of first love from a unique perspective.
The emotions of a modest yet pure-hearted girl in love are overlapped with the image of dandelions blooming by the roadside, gently singing of the bittersweet feelings everyone experiences.
Takashi Matsumoto’s poetic lyrics and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s melody blend beautifully, and Hiromi Ohta’s pure voice perfectly conveys the song’s world.
Released in April 1975, it was later included on the album “Tanshūhen” (Short Stories) and gained popularity.
It’s a song that comforts those who strive to live strongly—like a dandelion that keeps blooming while facing forward—even when they carry loneliness in their hearts.
Recommended for anyone who wants to relate to the ache of unrequited love and the feelings of being in love.
Swim! Taiyaki-kunShimon Masato
A children’s song released in 1975 on the TV program “Hirake! Ponkikki.” Above all, it’s famous as the best-selling single CD in Japan’s history, a representative Japanese song whose Oricon sales record has yet to be surpassed.
Woman’s PathMiya Shirō
This is one of Shiro Miyako’s signature works, with a wistful vocal delivery and heartrending lyrics that resonate deeply.
Centered on themes of women’s lives and love, the song became a million-seller just one month after its release and ultimately achieved a massive hit with about 1.5 million copies sold.
It won the Best Vocal Performance at the 1972 Japan Record Awards and was also performed on that year’s NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, making it a defining track of the music scene that year.
Its lyrics, depicting women’s inner conflicts and strength, continue to captivate many listeners today.
A classic of the Showa era that those struggling with love or life should hear.
Falling in LoveKobayashi Akiko
It was chosen as the theme song for the TBS drama series “To Friday Wives III: Falling in Love,” and it sings about the painful, heartrending feelings of a woman who has fallen for a married man.
Artists of all genders have covered it, and it remains popular at karaoke even today.
The Bride of SetoKoyanagi Rumiko
Released in 1972 as Rumiko Koyanagi’s fourth single, this song blends a woman’s resolve and loneliness as she marries into life on a Seto Inland Sea island, and her gentle, conversational vocals resonated with many women.
The lyrics are also striking for the way they evoke the beautiful scenery of the Seto Inland Sea.
MasqueradeShonentai
This is the song that shot straight to No.
1 on the Oricon chart with Shonentai’s debut single.
It became their biggest hit from the very start.
It won numerous newcomer awards in various competitions, catapulting the name Shonentai into the spotlight.
Even now, it’s a song people can liven up a party with by imitating the dance.
SherryOzaki Yutaka
The man’s raw, unvarnished confession—suggesting he has lived with a piercing glare to protect his delicate heart—overflows with a vitality that seems to sweep away anxiety, fear, and cynicism alike.
Before I know it, I find myself rooting for him, and also discovering a version of myself that urges me not to remain a mere bystander.