[Spring Songs Born in the Showa Era] Carefully Selected: Hit Tunes That Colored Their Times and Timeless Masterpieces Still Sung Today
Spring, the season of meetings and farewells.
With the long, cold winter finally over, and flowers blooming in full glory, this calm and beautiful season is surely many people’s favorite time of year.
In this article, we’re picking out spring-themed songs born in the Showa era!
From nostalgic Showa-era pop that will resonate with those who remember the time, to timeless classics still sung today, we’ll introduce a wide range of tracks.
Enjoy noting how perceptions and expressions of spring differ from those of the Reiwa era.
- Spring songs from the early Showa era: a collection of kayōkyoku and shōka that evoke spring
- [Spring Songs] Spring tunes and classic spring hits. Popular spring songs.
- [For Seniors] Spring Songs Perfect for the Warm Month of April
- Spring songs for people in their 60s: A collection of classic tracks about cherry blossoms and farewells
- [Spring Songs] Masterpieces for Mid-Spring to Listen to in March. Spring Tunes
- Youth songs you want to listen to in spring. Classic and popular spring songs.
- You'll surely remember your youth. Spring songs recommended for people in their 40s.
- [For Seniors] Popular Spring Songs: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes and Kayōkyoku Also Recommended for Music Therapy
- Time-travel back to your memories just by listening! Spring songs recommended for people in their 50s
- [Spring Songs] Masterpieces to Listen to in April: Classic Tracks that Color the Month
- Spring song medley. The best classic tunes to listen to in spring.
- Uplifting songs to listen to in spring. Classic spring tunes that warm the heart.
- Moving songs to listen to in spring. Classic and popular spring tracks.
[Spring Songs Born in the Showa Era] Carefully Selected Hits That Defined the Times and Timeless Classics Still Sung Today (1–10)
poppy flowerAgunesu Chan
This was Agnes Chan’s Japanese debut single, depicting the pure feelings of a girl who tells her fortune in love using poppies blooming on a hill.
Her clear, gentle voice weaves together her thoughts, worries, and loneliness for a lover who has gone off to a distant city.
Released in November 1972, the song became a major hit, reaching No.
5 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.
She also performed it at the 24th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1973, which helped ignite her popularity.
It remains beloved by many today as a heartwarming song that evokes the arrival of spring and is perfect for reminiscing about bittersweet memories of first love.
Lips NetworkOkada Yukiko
A signature song by Yukiko Okada with lyrics by Seiko Matsuda and music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, expressing a sweet yet heartrending love.
It captures the feelings of a woman who is both forward and cautious, brought to life by a pure, graceful voice that truly moves the listener.
Used as Shiseido’s spring campaign CM song in January 1986, the track debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Blending maidenly sentiment with a modern sound, it stands as an emblematic piece of the 1980s.
Recommended for those who want to relate to the feeling of being in love or who are interested in Showa-era idol pop.
Graduation PhotoArai Yumi
When you’re feeling sad, you open an album and gaze at the photos, or you spot someone in town but can’t bring yourself to call out… It’s a classic by Yumi Arai filled with the bittersweetness of youth that everyone has felt at least once.
Released in February 1975 as a song provided to Hi-Fi Set, it was later included in Yumi Arai’s own album “COBALT HOUR” in June of the same year.
Since then, it has been used as the theme song for the film “Watch with Me” and in the drama “Sotsu Uta,” resonating across generations.
It’s a heartwarming song that gently stays by your side when you want to bask in nostalgia or when you’ve gone through a farewell with someone dear.
[Spring Songs Born in the Showa Era] A Curated Selection of Hit Tunes That Defined the Times and Timeless Classics Still Sung Today (11–20)
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.
Beautiful SpringKayama Yūzō
A fresh, vivid song that conjures up scenes of sweet, gentle romance.
Depicting a love that sprouted with the arrival of spring, this piece is warmed by Yuzo Kayama’s soft vocals.
Released in April 1968, it was included on the album “Kimi no Tame ni” alongside tracks such as “Kimi to Itsumademo.” Beloved by many as a song that symbolizes the refreshing youth culture of its time, it’s a gem you’ll want to listen to when spring comes around.
It’s a work I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who wants to feel the changing seasons and the beginning of love.
A Letter Waiting for Springyoshida takurou
This is a classic song by Takuro Yoshida that portrays a man and a woman, far apart from each other, sharing their feelings through letters.
Released in October 1979, it peaked at No.
52 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Inspired by real letters exchanged between director Shunichi Jinyama and his wife Naoko, the song conveys the ache of longing, carried by Yoshida’s warm voice and melody.
Included on several renowned albums, such as ONLY YOU 〜since coming For Life〜 and Yoshida Takuro Best 60, it remains beloved across generations.
It is a song that resonates with those in long-distance relationships or anyone whose heart is filled with thoughts of someone dear, evoking a gentle tenderness and wistfulness like waiting for the arrival of spring.
To my distant loverSaijō Hideki
A heartwarming medium-tempo ballad by Hideki Saijo that poignantly sings of his feelings for the lover he left behind in his hometown after moving to the city.
Released in November 1978, the song reached No.
8 on the Oricon chart.
With a powerful voice, it gently embraces the yearning for a dear one far away and the hope for the arrival of spring.
The strong will to reunite with his lover after a long winter resonates with a beautiful melody, leaving a deep impression on listeners.
This work stands as a classic that conveys the preciousness of love that remains unchanged despite distance, offering comfort to everyone living apart from their loved ones.