[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
Celebrating the 60th birthday: Life anthems that resonate with the heart (31–40)
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.
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.
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.
365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48
This song is popular as a graduation anthem, but if you look at the lyrics, it’s actually a message to anyone embarking on a new beginning! While 60th birthday celebrations often focus on honoring the person and expressing gratitude for all they’ve done, there are also many who are eager to start something new.
In those moments, this song is a perfect fit.
Since it’s a ballad, it’s easy for people in their 60s to listen to, and it can be used in many ways—sung as a gift, or as background music for a video, for example.
