[Children’s Songs of Autumn] Autumn songs, school songs, and traditional children’s rhymes. A collection of classic pieces to sing in autumn.
We’d like to introduce autumn nursery rhymes, songs, and traditional children’s songs that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.
When you think of autumn, what comes to mind?
Pine cones, acorns, autumn leaves, moon-viewing… The more you think about it, the more images pop up, don’t they?
In this article, we’ve gathered wonderful classics that make autumn scenery unfold right before your eyes.
From gentle, soothing pieces unique to autumn that sink into the heart, to hand-play songs and traditional children’s tunes you can play and sing along with—these are all famous songs that let you experience autumn in many ways.
Be sure to listen together, sing along, and immerse yourselves in “autumn.”
- Song of the Maple Leaves. An autumn children’s song/nursery rhyme/folk song
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- Autumn anime songs: iconic tracks for the deepening fall
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- Collection of winter nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs. Includes fun winter hand-play songs too.
- [For Children] Recommended Nursery Rhymes and Traditional Children’s Songs to Sing in April
- [Moon Songs Special] Famous songs about the moon. Songs you’ll want to listen to under a full moon or in the moonlight.
[Autumn Children's Songs] Autumn songs, school songs, and nursery rhymes. A collection of classic songs to sing in autumn (11–20)
Potato Digging SongLyrics by: Itsuko Takasugi / Music by: Shigeru Watanabe
This song captures the joy of sweet potato digging, depicting scenes of harvesting one of autumn’s signature flavors, the sweet potato.
It portrays, in a straightforward way, the many emotions that arise during a dig—like not knowing what kind of sweet potato will come out until you try digging.
The call-and-response shouts are also a striking feature, conveying both how hard the harvest can be and the great joy that follows.
It’s a piece packed with the many pleasures of sweet potato digging, such as comparing the potatoes once they’re unearthed.
dragonfly glassesLyrics by Seishi Nukaga / Music by Kozaburo Hirai
Dragonflies that you see all over in autumn.
This song, “Tonbo no Megane” (Dragonfly’s Glasses), sings about the cute glasses of such dragonflies.
The very idea of a dragonfly wearing glasses already conjures up an adorable scene, doesn’t it? The glasses the dragonfly wears might be light blue or red, or even shining—why is that? From that question, a charming world of imagination unfolds.
It’s also fun to sing this song while watching dragonflies in the sky and imagining: What kind of glasses is that dragonfly wearing? How about this one?
Donguri KorokoroLyrics by Tsuneyoshi Aoki / Music by Sadamu Yanada
The children’s song “Donguri Korokoro” sings about the grand adventure of acorns that you often see on roads and in parks in autumn.
An acorn rolls along, falls into a pond, meets a loach, and they play together.
As they play, the acorn becomes homesick, and in the end it bursts into tears—this is how the lyrics portray the story.
The lyrics feel like reading a picture book, so the more you listen, the more it may spark your child’s interest.
If you add a hand-play routine to match the lyrics, your child will enjoy listening even more.
Mountain MusiciansLyrics by Shisen Mizuta
It’s a lively, cheerful piece that depicts animals living in the mountains nimbly playing musical instruments.
A key highlight is the timbre of the instruments each animal holds, along with the light, airy sound when the lyrics are spoken aloud.
While no specific season is mentioned, the animals’ joyful mood evokes autumn, the season of harvest.
Using the original lyrics as a reference, it might also be fun to turn it into a game by coming up with your own combinations of animals and instruments.
Shōjōji’s Raccoon Dog Festival MusicLyrics by Ujō Noguchi / Music by Shinpei Nakayama
The lyrics were written by Noguchi Ujō and the music composed by Nakayama Shinpei; it is a Japanese children’s song.
The piece was written based on the legend of the tanuki drumming at Shōjō-ji Temple, which lyricist Noguchi heard when he visited Kisarazu City in Chiba Prefecture.
Incidentally, the Shōjō-ji tanuki-drumming legend is counted among Japan’s three great tanuki legends, alongside The Lucky Tea Kettle and The Tale of the Eight Hundred Eight Tanuki.
While the pairing of the moon and a rabbit is a classic, the combination of the moon and a tanuki is charming as well.
Autumn MoonLyrics and Music: Rentarō Taki
Just as there are events like moon-viewing, autumn has pleasant weather and is a season when you can take your time gazing at the moon.
“Autumn Moon,” composed by Rentarō Taki, is a piece from his song cycle “Four Seasons” that depicts autumn.
It evokes a sense of transience and wistfulness reminiscent of Japan’s traditional, beautiful scenery.
If you want to savor an adult, autumnal mood, we recommend listening to this piece while admiring the full harvest moon.
Let the beautiful moon and the sounds of autumn—such as insects—fill your ears, and enjoy a calm, peaceful moment.
[Autumn Children's Songs] Autumn songs, school songs, and nursery rhymes. A collection of classic songs you’ll want to sing in autumn (21–30)
a maple leafLyrics and Music by Sasaki Nobutsuna
This is a charming children’s song written and composed by Nobutsuna Sasaki.
It depicts a heartwarming scene that brings to mind a child delighting in comparing fluttering, falling leaves with their own hands.
Its gentle melody makes it easy for children to sing, and the lyrics are filled with words that warm the heart.
It’s perfect not only for singing in preschools and kindergartens, but also for humming along with your child on an autumn stroll.
Be sure to sing together and enjoy the colors of the season.