[Surprising!] A children’s song that originated overseas. That familiar nursery rhyme is actually…
Nursery rhymes we often sang as children in kindergarten, nursery school, or elementary school.
Among the ones we still remember as adults, quite a few actually originated overseas.
In this article, we’ll introduce nursery rhymes with roots abroad.
We’ve picked out a variety—from songs that make you think “Come to think of it, that makes sense,” to surprising ones that have you saying, “Wait, that song too?” They’re all familiar across generations, whether it’s something you sang as a child or a song your kids are learning in nursery school.
As you listen, be sure to notice the differences between the versions we often sing and the original tunes!
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[Surprising!] Nursery rhymes of overseas origin. Those familiar nursery rhymes are actually (21–30)
spring breezeAmerika kakyoku
Did you know the intriguing fact that the beautiful shōka born in the Meiji era is actually based on an American song by Stephen Foster? First introduced in 1903 in “Integrated Curriculum: Boys’ Songs, First Volume,” this piece is a masterpiece that brilliantly transformed the original’s wistful melody into a vivid portrait of spring in Japan.
The Japanese lyrics by Yoshikiyo Katō celebrate the beauty of the seasons—like willows swaying in the breeze and blossoming plum flowers—perfectly harmonizing with Foster’s familiar tune.
A different version, titled “Evening Bells,” was used in Yasujirō Ozu’s film Tokyo Story, attesting to its timeless beauty.
It’s a song I highly recommend when you want to feel the arrival of spring or immerse yourself in the nostalgic world of children’s songs.
Homesickness on a JourneyAmerika hasshō
Are you familiar with the song “Dreaming of Home and Mother,” which originated in the United States in 1868? This beautiful work, which expresses the feelings of soldiers longing for home after the Civil War, has continued to be loved in Japan under the title “Ryoshū” (“Longing on a Journey”).
Its lyrics poetically convey thoughts of family far away and the nostalgia felt while traveling, and the poignant, wistful melody blends with them in perfect harmony.
It has been used as incidental music in TV dramas and films and is taught and sung in schools as a classic.
It’s a song I’d recommend to anyone who, on an autumn evening, suddenly remembers their hometown or lives apart from their family.
Flowers and Sunshine of a Spring DayAirurando kakyoku
This is a beautiful piece themed on eternal love, based on the Irish poet Thomas Moore’s 1808 poem “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms.” It vows unchanging love even if a beloved’s youth and beauty fade, and is said to reflect Moore’s feelings when his wife suffered from smallpox, singing of steadfast devotion like a sunflower that ever seeks the sun.
Japanese lyrics were created by music critic Keizo Horiuchi and included in Volume 2 of the “Irish Song Collection.” It is also used for Harvard University’s alma mater “Fair Harvard” and is beloved in the animated series “Looney Tunes.” Its gentle, lyrical melody is a perfect choice when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone special or for a quiet moment surrounded by beautiful nature.
The Flowers in the GardenAirurando min’yō
This piece is based on a poem written in 1805 by Irish poet Thomas Moore.
Through the image of the last rose blooming at the end of summer, it explores themes such as solitude and aging.
It was published in 1813 as Volume 5 of the album A Selection of Irish Melodies, and in Japan it was included in Volume 3 of the Ministry of Education’s Elementary School Songbook in 1884.
In addition to arrangements by classical composers like Beethoven and Mendelssohn, it has been used in films such as Gaslight and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
It’s a recommended song for those who wish to reflect on the changing seasons and the transience of life.
Realm of the Starssanbika
It’s a very interesting discovery that the original source of this song—beloved as a Ministry of Education school song in the Meiji era—was actually the American hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” The work in which Charles C.
Converse set a beautiful melody in 1855 to a poem Joseph Scriven, an Irishman, wrote to comfort his mother, was superbly adapted into Japanese lyrics expressing a yearning for the starry sky by Yosui Sugitani.
Since it was included in Volume 2 of the Integrated Secondary School Songs in 1910, this masterpiece has continued to be sung at school events such as graduation ceremonies and choral competitions.
Winter ConstellationAmerika hasshō
This song, which lyrically celebrates the constellations shining in the clear winter night sky, is based on the American love song “Mollie Darling,” composed in 1871.
In the Japanese lyrics written by Keizo Horiuchi, the original love theme is completely set aside in favor of a dedicated portrayal of tranquil winter scenery—an especially distinctive choice.
Since its inclusion in middle school music textbooks in 1947, it has been widely cherished through postwar music education as a Ministry of Education song, and in 2007 it was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” Many artists, including Hiroko Yakushimaru and Yusaku Kiyama, have covered it.
Although it has no commercial tie-ins, it has occasionally been featured on educational programs.
It is a perfect classic for those who wish to gaze up at the starry sky on a cold night and sink into a quietly reflective mood.
Ten thousand feet in the Alpsamerika min’yō
Alps Ichiman-jaku, which depicts climbing in the Alps, is a children’s song that’s also enjoyed as a hand-clapping game.
Because it mentions foreign place names, some might imagine it’s a straightforward translation, but the American original differs greatly in content.
It is said to be based on Yankee Doodle, whose roots are sometimes traced to Europe, yet it is best known in the United States as a patriotic song.
The lyrics mock Europeans and assert the will for American independence, and numerous parodies were reportedly created to suit the circumstances of the time.
In Japan, lyrics evoking the Boy Scouts became established, and the song came to be loved as a nursery rhyme.
