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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!

Playlist

A classic Japanese folk song passed down through generations of acoustic performances
show_chartTitlePlaylistOne point
1eastSo sad I can’t bear itThe Folk CrusadersReleased in 1968, this work is heart-wre...
2eastPlease give me wingsRed birdAka… who brought a fresh breeze to Japan’s folk scene…
3eastLet me have that wonderful love once moreOsamu Kitayama, Kazuhiko KatoReleased in 1971 (Showa 46). The Folk Crusaders...
4eastbrideNorihiko Hashida and ClimaxA song emblematic of the golden age of Japanese folk music…
5eastFriendNobuyasu OkabayashiA powerful folk song echoing in the darkness before dawn...
6eastSpring, Summer, Autumn, WinterShigeru IzumiyaReleased in 1972 (Showa 47). Shigeru Izumiya is rock…
7eastSugarcane fieldRyoko MoriyamaA work that is moist and gentle, yet powerfully resonates with the heart…
8eastLove SongRyo KagawaCarried on a melody that gently seeps into the heart...
9eastloveChiharu MatsuyamaA warm melody that gently envelops a heartrending love.
10eastTwilight looks lonelyN.S.PA song whose lyrical lyrics and melody resonate deeply with the heart...
11eastSong of DepartureTsunehiko Kamijo & RokumonsenIt begins from the protagonist’s gaze looking up at the dry sky...
12eastKanda RiverPrincess KaguyaA signature song by Kaguyahime, released by Lily in September 1973...
13eastLingering SnowdolphinReleased in 1975 (Showa 50). Written and composed by Shozo Ise...
14eastChildren Who Don’t Know WarJiro’sThe for... that Jiro’s released in 1971
15eastParting at 22windReleased in 1975. Formed after the breakup of Kaguyahime...
16eastearly summerbutterbur sprout
early summerbutterbur sprout
The gentle melody of Fuki-no-tō that paints the scenery of Hokkaido…
17eastExaminee BluesTomoya TakaishiIt became a huge hit, selling 900,000 copies in 1968...
18eastBefore winter comespaper balloonReleased in 1977 (Showa 52). In terms of the lyrics’ content, it’s like Fuki no Tō...
19eastThe Pattern of LifeWataru TakadaA song that gently nestles against your ears sinks deeply into the heart...
20eastant (colloquial, little ant)Kenichi NagiraFor example, using ants—symbols of small everyday presences and efforts…
21eastPrayerTsuyoshi NagabuchiTsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s soul-stirring cry shakes the heart.
22eastJourney of the HeartTulipThis group was mainly active in the 1970s, and...
23eastFirst loveKozo MurashitaReleased in 1983, this song is Takashi Murashita’s…
24eastShadows of YouthTulipAs Tulip’s sixth single overall...
25eastWhite is the color of lovers.Betsy & ChrisReleased in 1969, the two are the State of Hawaii and the State of Idaho…
26eastSake, Tears, Men, and WomenEigo KawashimaA folk song performed as a sing-along with guitar or piano ac­companiment…
27eastOur FailureDoji MoritaIncluded in an album released in 1976…
28eastMidnight GuitarKahoru SengaReleased in 1969 (Showa 44). When I was little, this clean ima…
29eastBeach of MemoriesThe Wild Ones
Beach of MemoriesThe Wild Ones
The Wild Ones’ … released in 1966
30eastStreet Corner of BetrayalKai BandReleased in 197… as Kai Band’s second single
31eastFull of memoriesH₂OA duo formed by two classmates from junior high sc…
32eastSanya BluesNobuyasu OkabayashiReleased in 1968, this song reflects society…
33eastStrawberry Statement, Once Againbang bangAs BAMBAM’s fifth single in 1975…
34eastSalvia flowerMotomaroThe group 'Motomaro,' formed by female college students, 1…
35eastHeart patternYosui InoueAlongside Takuro Yoshida, he was one of the leading figures of Japan’s folk music scene in the 1970s…
36eastA woman born in OsakaBOROIt’s the song that Kenichi Hagiwara sang which became a big hit. That...
37eastSay that you’re alive.Kazuki TomokawaKazuki Tomokawa also seems to have no interest at all in chart hits...
38eastThe season the sun gave usBlue triangular rulerAs the second single by Aoi Sankaku Jōgi (Blue Triangular Ruler), in 19…
39eastsonTamio OkudaAmid the band boom of the ’80s, a rock band...
40eastIn the Great Sky and on the Vast EarthChiharu MatsuyamaThe debut album released in 1977…
41eastGoodbye for today.Ryoko MoriyamaJapanese singer-songwriter Ryō Moriyama…
42eastLove is a mirageGamuYamaha Popular Song Contest released in 1980 (Showa 55)…
43eastAoba Castle Love SongMuneyuki SatoMuneyuki Satō, as his debut single in 1978…
44eastTravel LodgeTakuro YoshidaProbably more as a Japanese folk singer...
45eastCape TourKotaro Yamamoto & WeekendIt is a single released in 1974...
46eastChampionAliceReleased in 1978, this song is Alice’s...
47eastGather the WindHappy EndIn 1971, Happy End released…
48eastspring’s dry windShigeru IzumiyaA classic folk song released in 1973...
49eastTo say goodbyeBilly BanBanReleased in 1972, with lyrics written by actor Koji Ishizaka...
50eastSpirit Boat (Shoro Nagashi)Grape
Spirit Boat (Shoro Nagashi)Grape
In 1972, the two of them—Masashi Sada and Masami Yoshida—...
51eastDo you not sing that song anymore?wind
Do you not sing that song anymore?wind
The folk duo Kaze, who debuted in 1975…
52eastOne more time,One more chanceMasayoshi YamazakiMasayoshi Yamazaki’s fourth album, released in 1997…
53eastLet’s get married.Takuro YoshidaThe sing… that Takuro Yoshida released in 1972
54eastThe Drunkard Has ReturnedThe Folk CrusadersIt’s a folk song released in 1967 (Showa 42), but...
55eastEven though I don’t have a loverSimmonsReleased in 1972, at a time when folk songs were gaining popularity in the world…
56eastWhom should I hold a grudge against?Kan MikamiSomething called folk (people’s) songs…
57eastIt’s a sad color, isn’t it?Masaki UedaAlongside BORO’s “The Woman Born in Osaka,” Osaka…
58eastLullaby for Sleeping AloneTokiko KatoWhat is the genre of Tokiko Kato, who debuted in 1969?
59eastLet’s get married.Takuro YoshidaReleased in 1972, the well-known ‘God of Folk,’ Takuro...
60eastIn Francine’s CaseNoriko ShintaniReleased in 1969, in France, Francie...
61eastAcross this wide fieldRyoko MoriyamaReleased in 1967 (Showa 42), she herself became a jazz singer and...
62eastWords of FarewellKaientaiThe single released by Kaientai in 1979…
63eastCheersTsuyoshi NagabuchiKnown as a warm anthem that celebrates life’s milestones…
64eastA Lonely RoomMasaya TakagiAs Masaya Takagi’s first single, released in 1973…
65eastImperial Regent DeclarationMasashi SadaMasashi Sada, who was one of the members of Grape...
66eastSometimes like a child without a motherCarmen MakiReleased in 1969 (Showa 44), this song originated in 19th-century America...
67eastIs it true that you’re getting married?Da CapoAs Da Capo’s fourth single overall, 1...
68eastIf I could fly in this skyTokiko Kato
If I could fly in this skyTokiko Kato
The single released by Tokiko Kato in 1978...
69eastA Ballad Dedicated to My MotherKaientaiThe folk group that Tetsuya Takeda belonged to...
70eastRed ElegyAgata MorioIt was released in 1972 (Showa 47), so this is a fairly recent image, and…
71eastThe Song of the Red DragonflyWell, you know…As for Ano Ne No Ne’s major debut single...
72eastStrawberry Statement Once AgainHirofumi BambaReleased in 1975, it signaled the end of an era…
73eastA café in a student districtGaroReleased in 1972, the image of folk up to now...
74eastShiretoko Ryojo (Shiretoko Travel Sentiment)Tokiko KatoReleased in 1960, this song depicts Shiretoko and...
75eastcontrailYumi AraiThe alb… released in 1973 by Yumi Arai
76eastI am crying.LilyReleased in 1974, Ms. Lily, when she was young, her father...
77eastO skyToi et MoiSinging the theme of the 1972 Sapporo Olympics…
78eastA rose has bloomed.Mike MakiThe single that Maki Maki released in 1966…
79eastyouAkiko KosakaComposed by Akiko Kosaka when she was still a student...
80eastWandering Love SongTsuyoshi NagabuchiReleased in 1978, this song is now...
81eastWhite Winterbutterbur sproutReleased in 1974 (Showa 49), it became Fuki no Tō’s debut song...
82eastWhile listening to a distant train whistleAliceA folk group that gained popularity in the 1970s…
83eastInto the DreamYosui InoueInoue, one of the greats among folk singers, …