[For Gifts and Video BGM] A Song for Celebrating the 60th Birthday (Kanreki)
A collection of songs perfect for celebrating a 60th birthday (Kanreki)!
Kanreki is a major life milestone—and perhaps the true start of life.
Sixty years spent devoted to family and work.
From here on, we hope you’ll spend plenty of time on the dreams you once chased and the hobbies you love.
In this article, we introduce timeless songs that are perfect for the start of a second life—for your parents, your beloved partner, or a friend turning sixty.
If you’re thinking, “I want to give a song as a Kanreki gift,” be sure to check these out!
- Songs to gift for longevity celebrations: heartwarming classics and popular tunes about life
- Cheering songs recommended for people in their 60s: classic and popular Japanese hits
- Uplifting Japanese songs recommended for men in their 60s
- A moving birthday song to give on someone’s special day. A birthday song so heartfelt it could bring you to tears.
- Songs for birthdays you’ll want to listen to and give—birthday songs with lyrics that touch the heart
- Love songs that resonate with women in their 60s: gem-like romance tunes that revive memories of youth.
- Spring songs for people in their 60s: A collection of classic tracks about cherry blossoms and farewells
- [Family Song] A gratitude song that lets you feel the importance of family.
- Good songs recommended for people in their 60s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
- Popular Birthday Song Rankings [2026]
- Songs to give as gifts for a 70th birthday celebration: heartwarming classics and popular hits
- [2026] Autumn Songs for People in Their 60s: Classic Tracks Perfect for the Deepening Fall
- [Celebration] A compilation of Japanese songs that elderly people will enjoy
Congratulations on your 60th birthday: A life-affirming anthem that resonates with the heart (21–30)
Family songHoshino Gen
This is a warm song that portrays the diversity of modern families.
It carries the message that the essence of family lies in caring for one another, regardless of blood ties or form.
It also gained attention as the theme song for Nippon TV’s Wednesday drama “Overprotected Kahoko.” Released in August 2017, it reached No.
1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The music video makes a strong impression with staging that challenges fixed ideas about family, including Gen Hoshino playing the role of a mother.
It’s also a great gift for someone at a milestone in life—a heartwarming song that helps you rediscover the bonds between family and friends.
Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi
Sung by Rimi Natsukawa, this heartwarming song expresses deep love and nostalgia for someone precious.
Its title adopts an Okinawan word, and the lyrics gently convey feelings for those who have passed away.
Released in March 2001, the song became explosively popular in Okinawa and later a nationwide hit.
It has sold over 1.2 million copies in total and stayed on the Oricon charts for an extended period.
It makes a perfect gift for someone turning sixty, offering a chance to reflect on one’s feelings for loved ones at a milestone in life.
It awakens memories etched in the heart and gives the courage to take a new step forward—a truly special song.
Celebrating the 60th birthday: Life anthems that resonate with the heart (31–40)
I look up as I walkSakamoto Kyu
Here is the famous song by Kyu Sakamoto that was loved not only in Japan but also overseas under the title “Sukiyaki.” It was released in 1961.
With lyrics by Rokusu ke E i and music by Hachidai Nakamura, it’s a masterpiece by the so-called “Roku-Hachi-Kyu Trio.” The whistling in the instrumental break was reportedly performed by Kyu Sakamoto himself, who was skilled at whistling.
Although the lyrics are sad, the song carries a bright energy that somehow lifts your spirits.
It’s a tune that may shine a hopeful light on the life ahead for those reaching their sixtieth birthday.
Always keep your dreamsHashi Yukio, Yoshinaga Sayuri
Known as one of Japan’s quintessential duet songs, this piece gently stays close to people’s hearts like falling rain and shining stars.
The lyrics portray “that girl,” who keeps on singing, and express how her voice reaches those carrying loneliness and sorrow.
Since its release in September 1962, it sold 300,000 copies in just one month and went on to achieve a cumulative 2.6 million copies, becoming a massive hit.
It was also used as the theme song for a film of the same name, which likewise enjoyed great success.
It’s a perfect song to gift someone celebrating their 60th birthday, to honor the life they’ve lived so far and to offer hope for the next chapter.
Love RadiantEXILE ATSUSHI
This song gently yet powerfully sings about walking through a fulfilling life while embracing a range of emotions.
It’s EXILE ATSUSHI’s cover of a Hibari Misora classic, and it conveys a sense of history and the passage of time.
The lyrics depict the small feelings everyone experiences in everyday life, showing how they enrich our lives.
Because the song conveys relatable themes with a grand atmosphere, it evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and emotion.
As a timeless masterpiece, it’s a track that even those who only know Hibari Misora’s original can enjoy for its world-building.
From here on, OndoŌizumi Itsurō
It’s a song that conveys positive feelings, calling on us to look toward the future rather than dwell on the path so far.
Listening to a track that focuses on what lies ahead is perfect for milestone ages, boosting your motivation to live energetically from here on out.
As the title suggests, the rhythm and sound draw on the traditional “ondo” style—another highlight—whose powerful tones give strength to the heart.
Savor the lively sound and positive lyrics, and let it be the spark that helps you enjoy the life ahead.
Flower ~A Flower for Everyone’s Heart~Kina Shōkichi & Chanpurūzu
A signature song by Shoukichi Kina, a musician from Okinawa who is also a peace activist and politician.
Many artists have covered this track.
It’s a song that lifts your spirits whenever you hear it.
For those who have reached their sixtieth birthday, listening to it may well stir deep emotions.
