[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!
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[Winter Songs] Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs you want to listen to in winter (21–30)
Winter Comes Around (A Winter Day)TM NETWORK
A little-known yet beloved ballad included on the classic album CAROL ~A DAY IN A GIRL’S LIFE 1991~, released in December 1988.
Its charm lies in an atmosphere that evokes stillness and chill—like suddenly stopping on a winter street corner.
Naoto Kine’s warm, woven melodies and Mitsuko Komuro’s lyrics, which blend loss and hope, seep into the depths of the heart.
Unlike the group’s dazzling singles, the delicate soundscape crafted by strings feels as if it captures a single winter’s day.
Though it had no major tie-ins, the song has long been cherished by fans as a vital piece that colors the album’s narrative.
It’s a winter song for grown-ups—one you’ll want to listen to alone on a quiet night.
Christmas in OctoberAsaka Yui
This is Yui Asaka’s fifth single, released in September 1986.
It was used as the commercial song for “Snow Brand Yogurt,” in which she appeared, and was later included on the album “Star Lights.” Although the title references Christmas, the song endearingly portrays a world not of the day itself, but of an impatient, budding love and a promise made a little early.
Megumi Wakakusa’s lavish string arrangement creates a sophisticated wintry atmosphere within the brightness befitting an idol.
It could be called a hidden gem that blends the fresh innocence and bittersweetness of the night before her breakthrough.
Why not listen to it slowly as autumn dusks deepen and the footsteps of winter begin to sound, while letting your feelings swell for someone special?
Street Corner of SnowflakesAnri
Anri’s 1988 single “Snowflake no Machikado” is a poignant song, filled with the loneliness of remembering a former lover.
It was used as the fourth commercial song for “JT SomeTime LIGHTS.” The first verse depicts the two of them when they were still together, which makes it even more heartbreaking when you consider the heroine’s lingering feelings for her ex in the verses that follow.
The wintry scene of falling snow intensifies the melancholy.
Musically, it’s a mid-tempo disco tune, with a cool, stylish sound featuring a brass section.
April Fools in DecemberEPO
Released in 1985, this song is a ballad that captures the aching sadness lurking beneath the festive Christmas season.
As the title suggests, the paradox of “April Fool in December” symbolizes a love betrayed.
The lyrics intertwine the pain of discovering that the person believed to be the only one was not, with the loneliness of spending Christmas prioritizing work, vividly reflecting the gap between romantic ideals and reality.
Arranged by Hiroshi Sato, the adult-oriented sound weaves strings with restrained synthesizers.
Included on the album “PUMP! PUMP!” and later re-recorded in a self-cover version, it has long been cherished as one of EPO’s signature songs.
Recommended for those entering winter with a broken heart, or anyone who resonates with the less-than-glittering side of Christmas.
Winter StationKoyanagi Rumiko
This is Rumiko Koyanagi’s 13th single, released in October 1974.
The lyrics are by Rei Nakanishi, the music by Kunihiko Kase, and the arrangement by Kenichiro Morioka.
Set at a winter station where white morning mist drifts, it portrays a woman’s heart wavering between lingering feelings for a former lover and her own growth.
Aimed at moving beyond her “pure idol” image, the song features rhythmic arrangements and layered vocal techniques.
It reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts and sold 560,000 copies, making it one of Koyanagi’s signature hits.
She also performed it at the 25th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
It’s a song I recommend to anyone standing on a winter station platform, looking back on a past romance while trying to face forward.
Winter FairyMatsuda Seiko
This song, included on the masterful album The Wind Rises released in October 1981, was created by the star-studded team of Takashi Matsumoto and Eiichi Ohtaki.
It paints a fantasy-like world where a rose that blooms in winter is gifted along with mysterious powdered snow, delicately expressing the shifting emotions of a girl in love.
The shimmering, richly layered orchestration intertwined with Seiko Matsuda’s delicate vocals vividly colors winter scenes.
Despite never being released as a single, it remains a beloved hidden gem among fans.
The snowy way homeWatanabe Minayo
This was the second single released in October 1986 by Minayo Watanabe, who made her solo debut as a popular member of Onyanko Club.
Written by Yasushi Akimoto and composed by Tsugutoshi Goto, the song topped the Oricon weekly charts and became one of her signature tracks.
It portrays the protagonist walking home at night in the midwinter north wind, collar up on her coat, crying—her sorrow piling up in her heart like falling snow.
At a time when bright idol pop dominated the scene, this work stood out with its melancholic minor-key melody and sentimental lyrics.
Layering the winter landscape over a woman’s feelings as she tries to face forward despite lingering attachment to a lost love, it resonates deeply with listeners.
It’s a perfect song for nights aching with heartbreak or for a quiet evening when snow falls steadily.