Ghibli’s famous BGM. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks for work and study BGM.

Path of the WindJoe Hisaishi

My Neighbor Totoro Orchestra Stories – 05. The Path of the Wind

The indispensable classic “The Path of the Wind” from Studio Ghibli’s beloved masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro is presented here in an orchestral performance.

This piece is included in “Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro,” in which composer Joe Hisaishi restructured music from My Neighbor Totoro so it can be enjoyed with narration.

In the original, Hisaishi—then influenced by minimalism—used an electronic sound, but this version becomes a grand orchestral work that brings out the beauty of acoustic instruments.

The sheet music is also available, so students and members of community orchestras who want to enjoy ensemble playing on real instruments might consider giving it a try.

After the introduction, the violin solo is superb, vividly conjuring up images of Japan’s pastoral landscapes.

I stopped being alone.Akiko Yano

I’ve stopped being all alone (from “My Neighbors the Yamadas”)...

The theme from “My Neighbors the Yamadas” is performed here in a lovely piano arrangement.

I’ve previously introduced an orchestral version, but when this gentle depiction of everyday life is rendered on piano, it becomes even more immersive, like being drawn into a world of memories.

Everyday life is something everyone has, and it’s unique to each person—not measured by anyone else’s standards.

Yet when the everyday life that must have been mine is shown as images, a quiet feeling of “this is somehow nice” arises.

This piano version touches many people’s heartstrings and will surely brighten the listeners’ everyday lives.

Haru’s MemoriesYuji Nomi

영화 고양이의 보은 – Haru’s Memoriesㅣ 재패니메이션 OST 콘서트

From the film The Cat Returns, this is “Haru’s Memories.” The Cat Returns is framed as a story written by Shizuku Tsukishima from Whisper of the Heart, and the tale begins when the heroine, Haru, saves a cat that is about to have an accident.

Both The Cat Returns and Whisper of the Heart were scored by Yuji Nomi, whose works are known for their gentle warmth.

In the film, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra—familiar from game and anime music concerts—performs the score, and on the soundtrack a bonus track features the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, resulting in a work of high caliber even as a listening experience.

In the video, a Korean orchestra performs it in concert, showing its popularity abroad as well.

The flute, harp, and tender strings are truly soothing.

My Neighbors the Yamadas Theme – Orchestral VersionAkiko Yano

My Neighbors the Yamadas Theme – Orchestra Version(이웃집 야마다군 오케스트라버전 OST)

“The Theme of My Neighbors the Yamadas” has been transformed into a grand orchestral performance through wonderful orchestration.

The original song, “I Won’t Be Alone Anymore,” was written, composed, and sung by Akiko Yano, depicting everyday warmth with a pop sound.

In the orchestral version, the refreshing feel remains intact while the texture of live performance comes through directly.

A trumpet solo and mellow strings join as backing, highlighting the strengths of the orchestra.

The live-performance version of “I Won’t Be Alone Anymore” is great too! The performance is by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and is included on the album “Czech Phil Plays Studio Ghibli Symphonic Collection.”

Name of Life from Spirited AwayJoe Hisaishi

Name of Life (from “Spirited Away”)

Many listeners have surely been captivated by the crystalline piano tones and faintly nostalgic melody.

The theme song of Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece Spirited Away evokes a bittersweet yet warm story of searching for lost memories and one’s true self.

Its message—recalling something precious and finding one’s place—reaches us with quiet emotion.

Released in July 2001 as a single performed by Yumi Kimura, the song deepened the film’s impact.

The piece originally began as an instrumental track on the soundtrack.

Its calm, dreamlike phrasing is perfect for times when you want to focus on work or study.

Letting yourself drift on its gentle waves of sound may calm your heart and clear your mind.

Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco RossoTokiko Kato

Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco Rosso

This is a work written and composed by Tokiko Kato herself, whose warm yet faintly bittersweet worldview evokes a deep nostalgia for days of youth gone by.

As it searches for an unseen future, it conjures scenes of passionate conversations with friends—memories many listeners will find echoing their own.

The song was included on the album “MY STORY / Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo,” released in February 1987, and is also known as the ending theme of the 1992 film Porco Rosso.

The piano arrangement used in the film, with its striking timbre, gently lets you linger in the afterglow of the story.

With its calm melody, it’s also great to play as background music when you want to focus on work.

globeKenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu – Spinning Globe

A song crafted by Kenshi Yonezu as the theme for Hayao Miyazaki’s film “The Boy and the Heron,” which delicately portrays life from birth and growth to parting.

Released in July 2023, the film is accompanied by a warm, gentle melody that feels as if it tenderly watches over the growth of a human being born with infinite potential.

After receiving direct guidance from Director Miyazaki and working from five books’ worth of storyboards, Yonezu created this painstaking work whose lyrics, offering a panoramic view of the world and probing the meaning of life, harmonize beautifully with the film’s themes.

Both the piece itself and its creation process convey Yonezu’s deep respect for Miyazaki.

It’s a recommended song for those at a crossroads in life or anyone wishing to reflect on their own way of living.

The music video was filmed on Yakushima, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, and its striking visuals brim with lush nature and the vitality of life.