Theme Songs of NHK Taiga Dramas Through the Years: The Allure of Music That Colors Historical Stories
NHK’s Taiga dramas have continued to color Japan’s grand history.
Have you watched any, such as Ryomaden or Atsuhime? The opening themes of Taiga dramas are a treasure trove of masterpieces that remain etched in our hearts across generations.
Just by listening, they whisk you away to that era in an instant—like a time machine.
In this article, we’ve compiled the theme songs from past Taiga dramas! We’ll introduce a variety of exhilarating music that invites us on a journey through history.
Please stay with us to the end!
- [2026] A roundup of popular theme and opening songs from TV period dramas
- [Drama Theme Songs] Over 800 Million Plays! A Curated Selection of Unforgettable Classics
- Theme songs from morning dramas: The historical main themes of NHK’s Morning Drama Series
- [Drama Soundtrack Collection] Timeless soundtrack masterpieces that revive the emotion: BGM and main theme
- Songs That Bring Back the Shows: Beloved Drama Theme Songs
- Theme and insert songs from the long-running Monday 9 p.m. dramas: classic hits from popular series and recommended fan favorites
- [Japanese-style BGM] Beautiful tones woven from Japanese tradition
- [2010–2019] A roundup of theme songs from popular dramas
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Masterpieces for Karaoke — Male Singers Edition
- [Western Films] Moving Movie Theme Songs: A Compilation of Tear-Jerking Theme Tracks
- Historic theme songs of Netto Koshien
- [2000–2009] A roundup of theme songs from popular dramas!
Theme Songs of NHK Taiga Dramas Through the Years: The Charm of Music Coloring Historical Stories (1–10)
Kōmyō ga Tsuji Main ThemeShōroku Reijirō
The 2006 NHK Taiga drama “Komyo ga Tsuji.” Many viewers were surely captivated each week by this story of the Sengoku period told from the perspective of a married couple.
Its opening was graced by this piece, composed by Reijiro Koroku.
The magnificent yet lyrical melody speaks to the strong bond of the protagonists as they survive a turbulent era.
Conducted by world-renowned maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy, it was included on the album “NHK Taiga Drama ‘Komyo ga Tsuji’ Original Soundtrack,” released in May 2006.
Listening to this work, you can almost see the human drama of people supporting one another amid the great tides of history.
Reach for the clear blue skySatō Naoki
A grand, beautiful melody that evokes hope for Japan’s future resonates in the heart.
Composed by Naoki Sato, this piece is the theme music for the 2021 NHK Taiga drama “Reach Beyond the Blue Sky” and is included in the album “Taiga Drama ‘Reach Beyond the Blue Sky’ Original Soundtrack I.” The woodwinds depict birdsong, while the strings express the wind and the flow of a brook, and the meticulous sound design is truly moving.
The expansive orchestral sound unfolds like the protagonist’s hope for Japan’s future, stirring the listener’s spirit.
Give it a listen when you want to take a step forward toward the future.
Hana Moyu Main ThemeKawai Kenji
This is the theme song for “Hana Moyu,” composed by Kenji Kawai.
“Hana Moyu” is the 54th Taiga drama, broadcast from January 4 to December 13, 2015.
Mao Inoue made her Taiga drama debut playing Fumi Sugi, the youngest sister of the main figure, Shoin Yoshida.
The opening theme conveys the strength of Fumi Sugi as she lives through the tumultuous final years of the Edo period.
Theme Songs from NHK Taiga Dramas Through the Years: The Allure of Music that Colors Historical Stories (11–20)
Glorious EdoJon Guramu
This is the theme music for the NHK Taiga drama “Berabō: Tsutajū Eiga no Yume Banashi,” composed by John Graham, a composer active in Hollywood films.
Performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Tatsuya Shimono, the piece magnificently expresses the passion of publisher Jūzaburō Tsutaya and the splendor of Edo culture.
The mysterious timbre of the cimbalom that resonates at the beginning symbolizes the protagonist’s flashes of inspiration, then unfolds into a powerful orchestral sound that stirs the listener’s heart.
Included on the album “Original Soundtrack Vol.
1,” releasing in February 2025, this work is music that will give you a push as you take on new challenges.
Hideyoshi Main ThemeShōroku Reijirō
This is the theme song for Hideyoshi, composed by Reijiro Koroku.
Hideyoshi is the 35th Taiga drama, broadcast from January 7 to December 22, 1996.
It was the second time that Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the protagonist, the first since Taikoki 31 years earlier.
The opening theme evokes an image of Hideyoshi powerfully and gallantly charging across the battlefield.
風林火山<メインタイトル>Senju Akira
The theme song for Furin Kazan, composed by Akira Senju.
Furin Kazan is the 46th NHK Taiga drama, broadcast from January 7 to December 16, 2007.
Set in Kai Province during the Sengoku period, it depicts the life of Yamamoto Kansuke, portrayed by Masayoshi Uchino.
It is a grand work that conveys the vitality of those who lived in the age of warring states.
MusashiEnnio Morikōne
This is the grand theme that opened the 2003 NHK Taiga drama Musashi MUSASHI.
The score was composed by the legendary film composer Ennio Morricone, making it the first Taiga drama to feature a foreign composer.
The solemn trumpet melody brilliantly captures the protagonist’s solitary spirit as he seeks to master the way of the sword, as well as his inner turmoil.
By deliberately avoiding Japanese scales and adhering to a Western musical approach, the piece elevates the story into a universal human drama that transcends borders.
Listening to it, you can vividly picture Musashi confronting his destiny.