[Camp Songs] Classic camping songs. Campfire songs you can play along with

Campfire PrayerEnglish folk song

Scout Song “Campfire Prayer” | with lyrics

On a camp night, is there any tune that resonates more deeply as a song softly hummed before the flickering flames? Its original form is an old English love song, which in Japan was transformed by Chuji Ozaki into lyrics like a hymn, imbued with gratitude and prayers to nature.

Its pure and solemn melody is a major allure of the piece, with the power to unite the hearts of participants.

Though not widely available as an official recording, it is cherished as an indispensable piece in Boy Scout songbooks, and a survey by the Ibaraki Council of the Scout Association of Japan deemed it “worth preserving forever.” Since around July 2014, various performance videos have also been shared.

Raise your voices together with your companions around the campfire, and it will become an unforgettable and moving memory.

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands

This song, which many people feel they’ve heard somewhere before, is said to have originated from an American folk tune.

In Japan, Kyu Sakamoto sang it in 1964 and it became a hit.

There’s choreography, like clapping along while you sing.

Moving your body might make camping feel even more fun, don’t you think? The accompaniment on guitar and the like is easy, so anyone who can play a little should be able to pick it up right away.

Yaho-hoOsamu Sakata

With hand motions: “Yaho-ho” – A popular song from Okaasan to Issho, children’s song, kids’ song

This work, marked by its call-and-response phrases that echo like a mountain echo, is brimming with irrepressibly bright energy that makes your heart skip just by listening.

Created by singer-songwriter Osamu Sakata, it features a simple, easy-to-remember melody that charmingly conveys the joy of kids raising their voices out in nature.

This uplifting number is included on the album “With Jackie: Everyone Loves Children’s Songs,” released in April 2015.

It has also been featured on NHK programs related to “Okaasan to Issho,” and a new version with fresh vocals appeared in the winter of 2023, showing how the song continues to be sung across generations.

Gathered around a campfire, raising your voices together, it’s sure to become an unforgettable memory.

Camping charmJinpei / Morinoki Children's Chorus

Camping charm, camp song

A perfect song for campfire nights, it feels like a heartwarming little charm.

It brings friends together in nature, fostering a sense of unity and sparking conversations about dreams and hopes.

This piece opened the April 2007 album “Everyone’s Camp Songs” and became a favorite among many children.

Later, in December 2017, it was chosen again as the first track on the album “The Best: Camp Songs,” becoming a timeless classic loved across generations.

It’s also highly trusted in educational settings and is used in preschools and children’s events.

Gather around the campfire, sing together with hand motions, and you’ll create unforgettable memories.

It’s a must-listen when you want to fully enjoy outdoor activities with kids or friends.

Like a flower that blooms in the fieldDa Capo

Like a flower that blooms in the field

It’s a simple yet deeply affecting song, with a melody that sinks into your heart and a warm, uplifting message.

Through the image of a flower that blooms quietly yet powerfully amid the harshness of nature, it seems to teach us the beauty of always looking forward and living true to ourselves.

The gentle vocals of the folk duo Da Capo enrich that world even further.

First released on record in July 1983 as the B-side to the single “Loneliness Like a Sudden Shower,” it became widely beloved as the theme song of the drama The Naked General’s Wandering Journey.

The story that it was turned into an official recording at viewers’ request also speaks to how strongly the song resonated with people.

Hum it around a campfire, and you’re sure to feel a warm sense of togetherness.

It’s a classic that quietly stays by your side in those small moments of life.

To become friendsLyrics by Toshihiko Shinzawa / Music by Hirotaka Nakagawa

To Become Friends — Song: NEUTRINO (with lyrics)

This is a memorable song with a warm, gentle melody that celebrates meeting people and connecting heart to heart.

The lyrics tenderly embrace the loneliness everyone feels, and they directly convey the importance of caring for others and the joy of fostering friendship, softly wrapping the listener’s heart.

Toshihiko Shinzawa and Hirotaka Nakagawa have left a significant mark on the world of children’s music.

The piece they created was included on Tora ya Boshiten’s 1987 album “Sekai Jū no Kodomotachi ga,” and it remains enduringly popular today.

In February 2006, it was also featured on the compilation album “Omoide Ippai! Sotsuen Song.” Sung at graduation ceremonies and similar occasions, this song becomes an unforgettable memory when everyone gathers around a campfire to sing it together.

It’s sure to gently nudge anyone taking a new step forward.

Kinder-PolkaGerman folk song

Kinder-Polka

This folk dance music, with its pleasantly traditional rhythm handed down in Germany since old times, is a wonderful piece that cheerfully enlivens any camp gathering.

Set to a lively 2/4 meter, the charming dance—where everyone forms a circle and deftly uses their fingertips—will make moments starring the children even more delightful.

It’s said to be inspired by a “little goat,” and its innocent, guileless atmosphere is simply irresistible.

The piece doesn’t have a specific composer; rather, it has been lovingly passed down among the people.

Many of you may know it as a folk dance resource used in school education and enjoyed in elementary schools.

Gathered around a campfire and dancing together across generations, you’re sure to create memories you’ll never forget!