[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)
From the northern innMiyako Harumi
Despite being released in 1975, this timeless masterpiece has continued to be loved across generations, even being used as the theme song for a Nissin Donbei commercial aired in 2021.
As Harumi Miyako’s 67th single, the song became a massive hit, selling over 1.4 million copies and achieving the unprecedented feat of winning both the Japan Record Award and the Japan Cable Radio Award.
The lyrics poignantly express the loneliness of longing for a lover who isn’t there—and likely never will be.
Harumi Miyako’s voice, evoking a woman’s bitter regret, pierces straight to the heart.
My lover is Santa ClausMatsutōya Yumi
When it comes to Christmas songs, this is the one! Many people probably think of it first.
Included on Yumi Matsutoya’s 10th original album released in 1980, this track has now become a winter classic.
It has been passed down through performances by popular artists such as Seiko Matsuda and Hitomi Shimatani, and new covers have continued to be released even into the 2020s.
As Christmas approaches, you’re sure to hear Yumi Matsutoya’s voice all around town.
Even as various artists release new Christmas songs every year, its popularity never fades—truly a legendary piece.
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.
snowneko
The folk group Neko’s 1972 single “Yuki” is a classic in which the band gives voice to a song written and composed by Takuro Yoshida.
The protagonist’s aching longing for someone far away overlaps with the quietly accumulating snowfall.
The delicate tone of the 12-string guitar, the hi-hat-driven rhythm, and the restrained vocals create a clear, transparent sound that evokes the sophistication of urban folk.
How about listening to it on a winter night when you miss someone you can’t meet, watching the snow dance outside your window? It’s a song that sinks into the heart, keeping you company when you want to linger over past memories in a warm room.
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.
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.
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.
