A classic Japanese folk song passed down through generations of acoustic performances
A special feature on Japanese folk songs.
Folk music originally began as arrangements of traditional songs and spread in the United States.
From around the 1960s, it was also embraced in Japan, and, reflecting the times, songs with strong anti-war and anti-government messages were delivered.
Entering the 1970s, it became especially popular with more accessible, mainstream themes and reached a peak of commercial success.
Although Japanese folk has evolved to incorporate various elements, it retains an acoustic allure and a wistful mood, with lyrics that stand out and resonate.
By all means, take your time and immerse yourself in Japanese folk music!
- [Showa Era] A roundup of nostalgic folk song classics and popular tracks you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- Folk dance classics and popular songs
- [Hometown Songs] A curated selection of popular Japanese tracks that fill your heart with nostalgia
- [Snow Songs] Classic winter tunes themed around snow. Snow songs that touch the heart.
- Masterpieces that sing of the stars. Star songs that resonate in the heart, best heard beneath the night sky.
- Classic Japanese songs about Earth: songs that include the word “Earth” in their lyrics
- Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy
- [Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Masterpieces from Across Japan, Brimming with Local Pride
- The soul’s cry woven into Japanese elegies: unraveling supreme masterpieces that resonate with the heart.
- I want to perform Vocaloid songs with an acoustic guitar! A collection of recommended tracks for beginners
- Nostalgic Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: The Heart of Japan Passed Down Through Song
- [Night Songs] Classic masterpieces themed around the night. J-POP you’ll want to listen to at nighttime.
- A classic song about Oita. The enduring spirit of our hometown [2025]
Classic Japanese folk songs passed down through solo singing and guitar (41–50)
Spirit Boat (Shoro Nagashi)Grape
Grape is a folk duo formed in 1972 by the two musicians Masashi Sada and Masami Yoshida.
Although they struggled to score hits at first, Seirei Nagashi gradually gained popularity through radio airplay.
Today, it has become a major standard in Japanese folk music.
Classic Japanese folk songs passed down through solo performances (51–60)
Do you not sing that song anymore?wind
This is a single by the folk duo Kaze, released in 1975.
The name “Kaze” (Wind) comes from the idea of not staying in one place like air and continually evolving musically.
With lyrics that read like a letter and a bittersweet melody, the song stood out at a time when folk groups were in vogue.
One more time,One more chanceMasayoshi Yamazaki
This is the fourth single released by Masayoshi Yamazaki in 1997.
As the theme song for a film (in which Yamazaki himself starred), it became a long-running hit.
He turned the pent-up feelings he had after moving to Tokyo into this song and lyrics.
With his sweet, heartrending voice, he captivates listeners and is one of the singers supported by many fans.
Let's get married.Takuro Yoshida
This is a single released by Takuro Yoshida in 1972, a song that helped bring folk music into the mainstream.
Often described as the ‘origin of J-POP,’ it became a huge hit, selling over 400,000 copies.
Featuring lyrics that present a proposal from a male perspective and use colorful language, it drew attention at the time for its innovative content.
The Drunkard Has ReturnedThe Folk Crusaders
It’s a folk song released in 1967 (Showa 42), but it’s a very unique comic song that became a huge hit and sold over a million copies.
The song is about a drunk man who is called up to heaven, only to be lectured by God that wrongdoers aren’t accepted there and sent back down to the earthly world.
Since recording technology back then wasn’t as advanced as it is today, they reportedly had a hard time—like how speeding up the tape to change the voice would throw the pitch out of tune.
Even though I don’t have a loverSimmons
Released in 1972 (Showa 47), when folk songs were gaining recognition in society, young men—including college students—grew their hair down to their shoulders.
It wasn’t the kind of deliberately styled “long hair” people talk about today; not in a weird way, but more like imitating Takuro Yoshida—slipping a folk guitar over the shoulder and wearing ripped jeans was a status symbol.
While not everything appealed to all age groups, the clean, soothing melodies of a female duo brought a sense of comfort.
Simmons’ white, semi‑long one‑piece dress featured Tyrolean floral tape at the neckline, and that fashion was trending as well.
Whom should I hold a grudge against?Kan Mikami
If we take the term “folk song” literally as “songs of the people,” then in the sense that Kan Mikami and Kazuki Tomokawa kept singing songs far removed from the hit charts, they might be the very definition of Japanese folk singers.