Recommended youth songs for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic classics
Many people may find it difficult to know the songs that were popular during the youth of generations different from their own.
However, I believe there are many who want to enjoy music together with people of different ages, such as family members or residents in care facilities.
In this article, I’ll introduce a selection of songs that will be especially nostalgic for those in their 80s.
We’ve focused mainly on songs from around the 1950s to the 1960s, gathering popular kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs) and enka from that era.
I hope this article helps you spend enjoyable time listening and singing together.
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Recommended youth songs for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic classics (41–50)
Aoba Castle Love SongMuneyuki Sato
A lyric song that poetically celebrates the beautiful scenery of Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture.
Known as the City of Trees, Sendai’s natural beauty and tender feelings of love are artfully interwoven into the lyrics, and Muneyuki Sato’s clear, transparent voice resonates deeply.
Released as his debut in May 1978, the song reached No.
3 on the Oricon charts and ranked 31st on the year-end chart, making it a popular hit.
It has become a representative song of Sendai, even being used as the departure melody at JR Senseki Line’s Sendai Station.
With its gentle melody and evocative lyrics, this piece is perfect for leisurely enjoyment while reminiscing.
It’s a wonderful song that can evoke fond memories and invite older listeners to hum along.
Recommended youth songs for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic classics (51–60)
A Love Story in GinzaYujiro Ishihara · Junko Makimura
Released in 1961, this song portrays the glittering streets of Ginza alongside a poignant love story between a man and a woman.
The duet by Yujiro Ishihara and Junko Makimura beautifully captures the subtle differences in their emotions, with vocals that resonate deeply with listeners.
Featured as an insert song in the film “Kaze-o-Yobu Otoko: From Town to Town” and followed by a film of the same title the next year, it became a major hit.
As an emblem of Ginza, a monument to the song was erected in 1990.
Blending a man’s powerful feelings with a woman’s sultry sentiments, this emotionally rich piece is perfect for moments when you want to talk about love or look back on cherished memories.
Snow CountryIkuzo Yoshi
A masterpiece that sings of hope shining through the bitter cold, its bittersweet sense of life’s melancholy resonates deeply.
Yoshikazu Ikuzō’s vocals, tinged with sorrow yet brimming with strength, seep into the depths of the heart.
Released in 1986, it won the Gold Prize at the Japan Record Awards.
That same year, it appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen and topped the Oricon charts—a work cherished by many.
Masterfully intertwining northern landscapes with the stirrings of love, this song was also used in regional tourism promotions and winter campaigns.
For many, it remains a treasured song of memories.
Why not spend a quiet moment listening to its heartwarming voice?
The Song of KemekoThe Darts
Released on February 1, 1968, this work carries the sweet-and-sour scent of youth.
Born from a ninth grader turning his feelings for a classmate into verse, it sets a refreshing melody to a tale of tender love for a girl gifted in chemistry.
The bright, comical tune overlays lyrics brimming with pure affection for a girl smiling in the laboratory, striking a chord with students of the time.
The Darts’ vocal version reached No.
2 on the Oricon chart and sold a total of 600,000 copies.
It has been featured on Fuji TV’s “Owarai Tag Match” and the anime “Kemeko Deluxe!”, and has been covered by numerous artists.
Embracing the memory of first love that everyone has known, this song continues to resonate with the hearts of eternal boys and girls.
Tokyo RhapsodyIchiro Fujiyama
A classic song representing 1936 (Showa 11) was born in a work set in Ginza, Kanda, Asakusa, and Shinjuku, portrayed in a pure and light foxtrot style.
Ichiro Fujiyama’s beautiful voice elegantly sings of urban scenes and a love story.
This piece, which vividly brings to mind the bustling districts of Tokyo at the time, became a massive hit, selling 350,000 copies.
It was Fujiyama’s first release after moving to Teichiku, and a film of the same title was later produced, cementing its status as a beloved song that symbolizes the Showa era.
It’s a perfect track for a calm moment or when reminiscing about the past.
Enjoy a heartwarming time discussing what Tokyo was like back then together with older listeners.
The Izu DancerHibari Misora
This is the song Hibari Misora sang as the theme for the 1954 film based on a novel by Yasunari Kawabata.
In the movie, Misora herself plays the lead role, and the wistful melody blends beautifully with her emotionally rich vocals to create a gem of a track.
Upon the film’s release, the song quickly became a major talking point, and Misora’s powerful yet delicate singing captivated many hearts.
As a classic that represents the Showa era, it’s sure to stir nostalgic memories of youth.
Why not reminisce about those days with friends who lived through the same era, listening together to Misora’s voice? You’re sure to enjoy a delightful time.
BoyhoodYosui Inoue
In Inoue Yosui’s classic song, a gentle yet resonant melody intertwines with nostalgic lyrics, suffused with reflections on youth.
Idyllic summer scenes and memories alive in the mind are spun into poetic expression, tenderly enveloping those treasured moments we keep safe in our hearts.
Since its release in September 1990, it has continued to be loved as a movie theme and a commercial song, and in 1991 it was also used in a Sony Handycam commercial.
Included on the album “Handsome Boy,” this is a tune you’ll want to hum when everyone gathers together.
Why not spend a heartwarming moment as you share stories and let memories blossom?