![[Winter Songs] Classic Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs you’ll want to listen to in winter.](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/3ePnR5q5V6Y/maxresdefault.webp)
[Winter Songs] Classic Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs you’ll want to listen to in winter.
In the Showa era, countless classic and hit songs were born and cherished by many listeners.
Winter, in particular, was a season packed with events like Christmas and New Year’s, and filled with dramatic themes such as snowy landscapes.
In this special feature, we introduce some of the finest winter songs from the Showa period.
We hope that those who experienced the era in real time will feel nostalgic, while those who did not will find it fresh and enjoyable.
Please enjoy!
[Winter Songs] Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs to listen to in winter (1–10)
The pavement in a cold wintry windtenchi mari
Released in December 1974, Mari Amachi’s 12th single is a winter ballad set on a street corner swept by a cold, wintry wind, expressing a poignant longing for a youth that has passed.
With lyrics by Michio Yamagami, music by Koichi Morita, and arrangement by Yusuke Hoguchi, the song overlays the protagonist’s nostalgia for past love and connections onto the chill of a winter landscape.
It reached No.
14 on the Oricon chart and sold approximately 125,000 copies, marking a work in which Mari Amachi—who had captivated the nation with her bright, refreshing image—took on a new mode of expression.
When you wish to immerse yourself in the nostalgia of lost time, why not listen quietly at dusk in the cold season?
Cactus Flowerchūrippu
Known as one of the signature songs of the Showa era, this track captivates with lyrics and a melody that blend poignancy and warmth.
Released in 1975, it has remained beloved by many as one of Tulip’s defining songs.
In 1997, a self-cover version was released as the theme song for the drama “Under One Roof 2,” bringing it back into the spotlight.
Its themes, which seem to symbolize family bonds and the complexities of life, resonate even more deeply when listened to in the winter season.
It’s a perfect song for spending a cold night alone or sharing a warm moment with someone special.
It’s recommended not only for those who feel nostalgic for the past, but also for younger listeners interested in classic Showa-era hits.
The Color of WinterYamaguchi Momoe
Momoe Yamaguchi, who enjoyed unwavering popularity as one of the defining idol singers of the 1970s.
Her seventh single, released in 1974, features a serene, ballad-like melody and restrained vocals that seep into the heart.
The lyrics—detailing the permitted shade of lipstick and a pure, budding love—delicately portray the scene of a distant romance, overlaying the chill and poignancy of winter.
Spending six weeks at No.
1 on the Oricon chart and becoming her first single to top the rankings, this work marked a turning point that signaled a deepening expressive power beyond the confines of idol pop.
An unfading winter classic you’ll want to listen to when you wish to quietly face your feelings of love.
Ishikari ElegyKitahara Mirei
A classic song set in Ishikari, Hokkaido, portraying a man devoted to the herring fishery and the bittersweet feelings of the woman who stays by his side.
Released in June 1975 as Mirei Kitahara’s eighth single, it won both the Lyricist Award and the Arrangement Award at the Tokyo Music Festival.
Rei Nakanishi’s lyrically rich words, Keisuke Hama’s wistful melody, and Shunichi Makaino’s emotionally charged arrangement come together as one to dramatically express the sorrow and resignation of people who live by the northern sea.
Brimming with deep lyricism that conjures images of mending nets on a snow-swept winter shore, this piece is perfect for moments when you want to quietly reflect on the scenes of the Showa era.
Sorrow like snowHamada Shogo
This is Shogo Hamada’s 14th single, released in 1981.
Eleven years later, in 1992, it was re-released as his 23rd single after being chosen as the theme song for the drama “Ai to Iu Na no Moto ni,” starring Honami Suzuki.
The lyrics are said to reflect Hamada’s own experience: while he was overwhelmed with deep sorrow and despair after his mother suffered a cerebral infarction, he found himself becoming kinder toward others.
Though everyone lives with loneliness in their heart, there is always someone watching over you somewhere.
It’s a classic in which a rugged vocal delivery carries a gentle warmth.
Snow, fall.Gam
This song, which opens Gam’s December 1981 album Kazabana, by the lyrical folk duo renowned in the 1980s, is a winter ballad that echoes with bittersweet feelings entrusted to gently falling snow.
Carried by soft guitar tones, it delicately portrays the tremor of a heart thinking of someone amid a scene of swirling snow.
The transparent harmonies and introspective lyrics weave a world imbued with Gam’s signature lyricism, offering a warmth that seems to nestle into winter’s stillness.
It’s a track that seeps into the heart when, alone in the cold season, you find yourself recalling days gone by or someone dear.
Winter LightningArisu
This is the 11th single by Alice, the folk group fronted by vocalists Shinji Tanimura and Takao Horiuchi.
It broke into the Oricon Weekly Top 10 and marked their first appearance on the popular music program “The Best Ten,” becoming the group’s first hit song after struggling to score a success since their 1972 debut.
The song portrays a heartbreaking farewell that leaves a deep scar on the heart.
From the rich, rugged vocals, you can feel a range of romantic pains—emptiness, frustration, and loneliness.