[February Songs] Introducing children's songs, folk songs, nursery rhymes, and hand-play songs about Setsubun and winter!

A Town Where It SnowsComposer: Yoshinao Nakada

A Town Where Snow Falls / Tokyo Broadcasting Children's Chorus [Asahi Sonorama Edition]

Yuki no Furu Machi o is a slightly melancholic children’s song that depicts a town where cold snow falls.

First introduced in 1951 as an insert song for the radio drama Eriko to Tomo ni broadcast on NHK Radio, it has a long history.

It was later featured on Minna no Uta, which helped it gain wider recognition.

Winter’s chill has a way of making us feel lonelier and more desolate than in other seasons, stirring a bittersweet mood.

This subtly mature children’s song expresses the hope that such feelings will drift away with the cold winter wind as we move toward the warmth of spring.

The Song of KonkonshyanComposed by Akira Yuyama

Kids Song | Kon Kon Kushan Song | Nursery Rhyme | Children's Song | Red Cat Reading

Even if you try to be careful, it’s easy to catch a cold during the chilly winter, isn’t it? To prevent catching a cold—and to avoid passing it on to family and friends—masks are essential! But masks can feel a bit bothersome, and children in particular often don’t like wearing them.

That’s where the song “Konkon Kushan no Uta” can help change their attitude in a positive way.

It depicts various animals wearing masks suited to the size and shape of their faces, then sneezing and coughing.

As you listen, don’t you start to feel like wearing a cute mask that suits you, too?

Powdery snow konkoMusic composed by Kishiō Hirao

Konayuki Konko Sung by: AI Kiritan, AI Utauko (with lyrics)

Konayuki Konko evokes a scene of pure white powdery snow falling from the sky.

The lyrics were written by Toshiko Iijima, with music composed by Kishio Hirao.

The phrase “konko” is used at the end of lines, making the lyrics easy to remember.

Since the song as a whole is short, it’s also recommended for childcare settings.

It could be fun to create gestures or simple choreography to match words like “hands” or “apron.” It’s a perfect children’s song for the cold season in February—the height of winter.

Try singing it to the song’s relaxed tempo while gazing out the window at the snowy view.

Ski SongComposed by: Kunihiko Hashimoto

Tokyo Flügel Ski Song

In February, when the winter cold is especially severe and snow easily accumulates, it’s a season when many people enjoy skiing.

This piece of music captures the full joy of skiing, expressing the magnificent mountain vistas that unfold as you glide down the slopes.

It is often sung as a choral piece accompanied by piano, and the lively piano tones vividly convey the fun of skiing.

The lyrics depict gleaming white slopes and the sensation of slicing through the wind as you descend, evoking the refreshing feel of winter air rushing past.

Elephant’s hatComposed by Hiroaki Nakamura

Elephant’s Hat (♪ The elephant forgot and left it behind ~) by Himawari 🌻 With Lyrics | Cute Nursery Rhyme to Soothe Crying Babies – From “With Mother” | Zo-san no Bōshi | Elephant’s Hat

This is a nursery rhyme that was also sung on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho.” It’s a very cute song in which various animals go into an elephant’s big hat.

In preschools, it seems they make the hat and animals and play with the children while singing.

In winter, using a knitted hat makes it look nice and warm.

pine coneComposed by Tsuyae Kobayashi

Matsubokkuri (Pine Cones – Japanese Nursery Rhyme) — Autumn Song

This song is a nursery rhyme with lyrics by Takao Hirota and music by Tsuyae Kobayashi.

The lyrics are short, but the use of geminate consonants adds rhythmic accents, and the repeated closing words give it a rhyming feel, making it a fun piece.

It’s also popular in preschools and kindergartens as a song to sing with hand motions.

Come to think of it, pine nuts used in Chinese cuisine and pasta come from edible pine cones, so singing while everyone snacks on pine nuts could make for a memorable experience.

It would also be fun to sing it together with “Donguri Korokoro.”

Snow FestivalLyrics and Composition: Minami Ranbo

[Children’s Song] Snow Festival

Here’s a song that was broadcast on NHK’s Minna no Uta in 1984.

It was written by Minami Ranbō, who also created “Yamaguchi-san Chi no Tsutomu-kun,” another song featured on Minna no Uta.

It portrays the longing for spring during the harsh winters spent in Japan’s remote regions.

While the melody evokes traditional Japanese folk songs, a notable point is its incorporation of the baião rhythm from Brazilian folk music.

Some say that peoples with the same roots live in both South America and Japan, which might be why it feels nostalgic.