[Spring Songs Born in the Showa Era] A Curated Selection of Kayōkyoku That Colored the Times and Timeless Classics Still Sung Today

The city is a spring breezeNakano Tadaharu

The City Is Spring Breeze by Tadaharu Nakano

It’s a piece that conjures a modern, airy scene, like a spring breeze sweeping through the city.

The song made its debut as the B-side of a record released in May 1938.

The vocalist was Tadaharu Nakano, a pioneer of Japanese pop.

The composition bears the name of America’s renowned Irving Berlin, with arrangement by Takio Niki—an exquisite translation of contemporary Western jazz into Japanese popular music of the time.

While there’s no clear record of it being a movie theme, its sophisticated melody feels straight out of the silver screen.

Its sprightly rhythm and Nakano’s vivid vocals echo the excitement of people welcoming a new season.

It’s the kind of tune you’ll want to hear on a buoyant spring day that makes you dress up and head out into the city.

Flowers of the trifoliate orangeSakushi: Kitahara Hakushū / Sakkyoku: Yamada Kōsaku

Karatachi no Hana Ryozo Okuda

This classic piece, crafted by the golden duo of Japanese music history—Hakushu Kitahara and Kósçak Yamada—is a sentimental song that portrays the changing seasons through white flowers, blue thorns, and golden fruit ripening in autumn.

The lyrics are said to be based on Yamada’s poignant childhood memories, with the composition completed in January 1925 and first published that May in the magazine Josei (Women).

In fact, a television drama of the same title aired on Nippon TV’s Yamaichi Masterpiece Theater starting in April 1958, and in 2007 it was selected for the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “100 Best Japanese Songs,” a testament to its enduring popularity.

If you’d like to reminisce about childhood memories with the arrival of spring, or savor the beautiful sound of the Japanese language, I highly recommend listening closely to this song.

spring thundersadamasashi

spring thunder

A dramatic song that overlays the fierce storms arriving with the coming of spring onto the parting of a man and a woman.

Masashi Sada’s keen eye for detail and storytelling shines, and the lyrical world that portrays the end of love as a dignified aesthetic grips the heart with every listen.

Combined with Toshiyuki Watanabe’s dynamic arrangement, it truly has the air of a sophisticated adult kayōkyoku.

Included on the B-side of the album “Glass Age — Garasu no Sedai,” released in December 1984, this piece was never released as a single, yet it remains a hidden gem beloved by fans, lovingly performed in concerts over the years.

It’s a deeply moving track we hope you’ll enjoy—perfect for those moments when you want to accept the end with poise, even while carrying the ache of a bittersweet love.

Green breezesakushi: shimizu katsura / sakkyoku: kusakawa shin

The gentle green breeze

Broadcast nationwide via NHK Radio in January 1948, shortly after the war, this work is one of the quintessential children’s songs of the Showa era, depicting the cheerful arrival of spring and children’s wholesome play.

The lyrics were written by Katsura Shimizu, known for “Kutsu ga Naru,” and the music was composed by Shin Kusakawa; the sunny melodies woven by the duo cast a warm light on Japan during its period of reconstruction.

In fact, the piece has remained beloved across generations, even being used in a 2006 TV commercial by Asahi Kasei Homes.

The lyrics feature butterflies and a brook, expressing the joy of playing amid tranquil nature, making it perfect for those who wish to reminisce about nostalgic Showa-era scenery.

A monument to the song also stands in Wako City, Saitama Prefecture, and it continues to be cherished by the local community as a classic.

spring breeze, spring rainYamaguchi Yoshiko

Spring Breeze, Spring Rain (Hold Me)

A Showa-era ballad distinguished by the exotic mood evoked by the huqin’s timbre and its heartrending vocals.

The singer is Yoshiko Yamaguchi, who enjoyed an international career.

Released in 1952 (Showa 27) as an insert song for the film “The Woman of Shanghai,” the piece actually exists in two versions—Japanese and Chinese.

The Japanese lyrics were by Tokiko Iwatani, the Chinese lyrics by Jin Ren, and the composition by Chu Min.

Its longing to be held by a loved one conjures the damp atmosphere of a spring night.

The Chinese version heard in the film was issued at the time in Hong Kong as a 78 rpm record, and the song can be seen as emblematic of Yamaguchi’s allure as an actress.

It’s a track you’ll want to play on a gently rainy spring night, when you wish to sit quietly and sink into your thoughts.