Songs for every season: classic and popular tunes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

hometownsong

Furusato (♪ The mountain where we chased rabbits ~) by Himawari ×4 [Chorus] With Lyrics [One of Japan’s 100 Famous Songs] FURUSATO Hometown |

Blue mountains, pure waters, and memories of childhood play.

The gentle melody that wraps these scenes of a beloved hometown, along with feelings for family and friends living far away, holds a universal appeal that resonates with everyone.

First published in 1914 as a Ministry of Education school song, this piece was created by Tatsuyuki Takano and Teiichi Okano, vividly reflecting the rural landscapes and lifestyles of Japan at the time.

It was sung at the closing ceremony of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, moving countless people.

Its simple, memorable melody in G major and triple meter continues to be sung at life’s milestones, such as graduation and coming-of-age ceremonies.

With lyrics and melody that evoke nostalgia, it is truly a song that stands by all who live away from their hometowns—a work that can be said to symbolize the heart of Japan.

A Hazy Moonlit Nightsong

[BS Nippon • Songs of the Heart] Oborozukiyo — FORESTA

A song that beautifully portrays a spring evening depicts, with delicate nuance, a scene where the setting sun and haze spread over a field of rapeseed blossoms, and a pale moonlight floats in the sky.

Alongside the tranquil countryside, it gently embraces quintessential images of spring in Japan—the hues of the forest, people walking along rice-field paths, the croaking of frogs, and the tolling of bells.

Released in 1914 as a Ministry of Education school song, the work seamlessly marries lyrics by Tatsuyuki Takano with music by Teiichi Okano, and it has long been cherished in educational settings.

It has continued to be loved across generations, with Aiko Moriyama covering it in 2009 and Ai Nishida performing it on a program in June 2023.

As a song to hear on a calm spring evening, it offers a warmth that deeply touches the heart.

Spring Night

Spring Night – Miyagi Michio

This piece splendidly portrays a scene where the pure tones of the koto resound through a spring evening wrapped in silence.

Released in 1914 (Taisho 3), it is known as a masterpiece of traditional Japanese music composed by Michio Miyagi at the young age of twenty.

It delicately depicts a night suffused with the fragrance of white plum blossoms, where a man, guided by the koto’s sound, experiences a fleeting encounter with a beautiful woman.

The melodies Miyagi wove after overcoming blindness gracefully express the quiet of a spring night and the subtleties of human emotion, opening a new frontier in Japanese music.

This work is recommended for those who wish to feel the changing seasons of Japan and the delicate nuances of the heart.

On a calm spring night, why not surrender yourself to the strains of koto and shakuhachi?

MapleSpitz

Spitz / Kaede

This was Spitz’s eighth single and a double A-side with “Spica.” It has a very beautiful melody and lyrics that evoke a sense of parting.

It’s a bit hard to tell whether it’s a breakup with a lover or a farewell to this world.

Like a maple leaf falling, the song gives a premonition of life coming to an end.

to clear up (weather)Yorushika

Sunny

It’s a heart-stirring song that evokes the arrival of spring.

With n-buna’s poetic lyrics and suis’s translucent vocals, it beautifully captures both the anticipation and the anxiety of a new season.

Released in January 2024 as the opening theme for the TV anime “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” the track resonated widely across Asia.

Like a clearing sky after rain, its hopeful message—that any hardship can be overcome—gently encourages those beginning a new chapter in life.

Carried on the spring breeze, it’s a lovely piece that stays close to your heart.

SakurazakaMasaharu Fukuyama

Masaharu Fukuyama – Sakurazaka (Full ver.)

“Sakurazaka” is the name of a real slope in Ota Ward, Tokyo.

There is also a slope with the same name in Nagasaki Prefecture, and since he lived near both places, he has said that the song was inspired by these two slopes.

It became Mr.

Fukuyama’s biggest hit.

Sorrow like snowShogo Hamada

Sadness Like Snow (ON THE ROAD 2011 “The Last Weekend”)

It was originally a track from an album released in 1981.

It was released as a single the following year, but it didn’t become much of a hit.

It wasn’t until it was selected as the theme song for the hugely popular 1992 TV drama “Ai to Iu Na no Moto ni” (“In the Name of Love”) that it came to be regarded as one of Shogo Hamada’s signature works.