[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!
- [For Seniors] Winter songs you'll want to hum along to. A collection of classic tunes recommended for BGM and recreational activities
- Winter Songs: Classic tracks you want to listen to in winter. Songs you long for during the winter.
- [Winter Songs] Recommended for Women! A Collection of Winter Songs That Get the Crowd Going at Karaoke
- [Classic Showa Kayō Hits] The captivating Showa-era pop songs beloved even by younger generations
- [1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!
- Recommended Christmas songs for people in their 70s: A collection of classic winter hits from the Showa era
- [Winter Songs] The Best Classic and Popular Winter Tunes to Listen to in Winter
- A collection of timeless classics! Exquisite winter songs recommended for people in their 50s
- [For Seniors] Winter Classics to Sing in January: Heartwarming Moments with Nostalgic Children’s Songs and Kayōkyoku (Japanese Popular Songs)
- Showa-era nostalgic songs: Popular ranking
- Winter songs you'll want to listen to in the cold season! Recommended for the yutori generation
- Evokes the charm of the good old days. Showa-era inspirational songs that are still loved today.
- [Winter Songs] Songs that evoke the feeling of winter for Instagram Stories
[Winter Songs] Showa-era masterpieces. Popular songs you’ll want to listen to in winter (41–50)
Farewell, Siberian RailwayŌta Hiromi
A Showa-era winter song masterpiece that intertwines Siberian cold with lost love.
Hiromi Ohta’s translucent vocals and Mitsuo Ogita’s dramatic string arrangement beautifully evoke a poignant scene.
Released in November 1980 as Ohta’s 19th single, the song features lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and music by Eiichi Ohtaki—an all-star lineup.
While it initially peaked at No.
70 on the Oricon chart and wasn’t a major hit, it has since been reappraised through numerous cover versions by other artists.
On a harsh winter night, when you feel like quietly reflecting on life, why not give this song a listen?
[Winter Songs] Showa-era Masterpieces. Popular Songs to Listen to in Winter (51–60)
Fairy of Powder SnowShimada Nami
This is a masterpiece that beautifully captures the glitter of snow coloring a winter nightscape and the bittersweetness of love.
Released in November 1986, it was also used as the theme song for Japan Vicks’ “Clearasil” commercial.
The lyrics delicately portray the feelings of a woman waiting for her lover on a snowy Christmas Eve, and Nami Shimada’s clear voice further enhances the song’s world.
Its melody, built on minor chords, carries a sense of melancholy, expressing uncontrollable emotions within an up-tempo arrangement.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on a winter night as you stand by the window reflecting on a past love, or while quietly watching the snowfall.
Opera Glasses in WinterEri Nitta
Eri Nitta, also known as a member of Onyanko Club, an idol group symbolic of the Showa era.
Her debut single is “Fuyu no Opera Glass.” Many people may not have thought about it much, but opera glasses are small binoculars used for watching stage performances.
Calling them “winter” opera glasses shows real flair, doesn’t it? By the way, the song as a whole has a cute vibe and portrays an innocent first love.
It might be a good one to listen to when you want to get yourself pumped up, like before going out on a date.
The Last Holy NightSugiyama Kiyotaka
A perfect ballad for a winter night.
It evokes the bittersweet feelings of a couple huddling together on a street corner, wrapped in cold air and glittering lights.
Released in November 1986, it became Kiyotaka Sugiyama’s second solo single and is also included on the album “realtime to paradise.” The lyrics, filled with emotions beyond words, resonate deeply and have the power to move listeners.
It’s recommended both for those who feel nostalgic for the past and for those creating new winter memories.
Why not listen to it while quietly watching the snow fall outside your window?
The prank of timeMatsuyama Chiharu
A masterpiece that delicately depicts a winter landscape was created by Chiharu Matsuyama.
It sings of the sorrow of relationships that have changed with the passage of time, as a cold wind blows.
Former affection has now become a memory, and the lyrics—filled with a sense of resignation toward the flow of time—pierce the heart.
Released in November 1977 as Matsuyama’s third single, this song captured the hearts of many fans.
The anecdote involving Miyuki Nakajima’s “Wakare Uta” is also well known.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to alone in a quiet moment when winter’s chill overlaps with the coldness in your heart.
As a classic winter song of the Showa era, why not give it a listen on a cold, windy day?
Full of ChristmasKudō Shizuka
Shizuka Kudo is a singer who thrives across a wide range of fields—not only in music, but also as an actor, TV personality, jewelry designer, and painter.
The song that closes her best-of album “gradation,” X’mas ga Ippai (Full of Christmas), features a dreamy intro that conjures the holiday just as the title suggests.
Its lyrics, filled with love for someone special, seem perfectly suited to color the holy night.
With a melody that blends pop brightness with a touch of wistfulness, it’s an unforgettable, timeless winter song.
Lovers’ PavementTHE ALFEE
This is THE ALFEE’s 19th single and their first song to reach No.
1 on the Oricon chart.
Toshihiko Takamizawa’s clear, high-toned lead vocals leave a pleasantly lingering impression.
Although released in 1984, it has continued to be performed at music festivals in the 2010s and is widely supported by fans as one of THE ALFEE’s signature songs.
“Pavement” refers to a paved road.
The song expresses a straightforward love: a vow to walk along a path prepared just for the two of us for a lifetime.
