Lullabies: children's songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes. Nostalgic songs for putting children to sleep.

Lullaby of Negoro

Lullaby of Negoro

The lullaby “Negoro no Komori-uta,” which spread centered around Negoro-ji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture.

In the Muromachi period, Negoro-ji in Kii (Wakayama) boasted more than 2,700 temple buildings, but they were destroyed in warfare.

This is a lullaby sung in remembrance of that Negoro-ji.

As a Wakayama lullaby, the lyrics are notable for the Wakayama dialect ending in “-yo,” giving rise to distinctive turns of phrase.

Above all, it’s one of Japan’s traditional lullabies now fading from everyday life—a piece with a unique pathos that lulls you into a slow, pleasant drowsiness.

Sleepy kitty, don't butt in.

Sing “Nenneko Shasharimase.” A lullaby from the Chugoku region, by Kosaku Yamada.

This lullaby, said to be an old one from Okayama Prefecture, is best known in the arranged version by Kósçak Yamada.

From the lyrics, it appears to be sung by a young girl working as a nursemaid.

Much like “Itsuki no Komoriuta,” it vividly conveys the feelings of a caregiver who struggles when the child won’t fall asleep.

Japanese lullabies are in duple meter, reflecting a history of gently patting the child on the downbeat to help them sleep.

It’s also enjoyable to notice how their groove differs from Western lullabies.

Try listening to lullabies from various countries.

Seven-year-old childLyrics by Ujō Noguchi / Music by Nagayo Motoori

Children’s song: Nanatsu no Ko (Seven-Year-Old)

“Nanatsu no Ko,” a Japanese song widely beloved as one of the top eight selections from a nationwide poll of “your favorite children’s songs.” It is often sung as a lullaby and has long helped children drift off to sleep.

The lyrics are very cute, so be sure to try singing it with your child.

Nen-nen Neyama no

Nen-nen Neyama no

The meaning of the lyrics isn’t entirely clear, but this song with its spell-like words is delightful.

In the past, mice were probably more familiar creatures, scurrying around in the attic.

It makes you think that perhaps someone, while putting a child to sleep, heard mice in the attic and improvised lyrics based on the sounds.

It feels like touching the roots of lullabies—very intriguing and heartwarming, doesn’t it? It was reportedly sung in places like Nagano Prefecture.

There’s also an organization called the Japan Lullaby Association that collects and studies various lullabies.

Hakata Lullaby

Hakata Lullaby

The Hakata Lullaby from Fukuoka Prefecture has been sung since the Taisho era.

Its lyrics are in classical Japanese, which can make some parts hard to catch nowadays, and while the content is a bit dark, it’s a powerful, driving lullaby.

Many traditional Japanese lullabies express lament or sorrow, and the Hakata Lullaby is one of them, but its distinct liveliness is often seen as very “Hakata-like.” There may well be people in Fukuoka who grew up listening to this song.

Tenma Market

Tenma Market (Tenma Lullaby) / Tsuruhashi, Ikuno Ward

In the Edo period, there was a job known as “komori musume,” which, as the name suggests, involved looking after children—essentially like a modern-day babysitter.

Many of these komori musume came from rural areas to cities like Osaka and Edo as seasonal workers.

“Tenma no Ichi” is a traditional song set in Osaka that spread as far as the Shikoku region and is associated with these nursemaids.

The lyrics depict a man diligently working in an Osaka market, showing how he loads daikon radishes onto a boat and goes to sell them—reflecting the city’s use of waterways in its markets.

Rolling Eggs

[Hand play] Rolling Egg (Marika)

The hand-play song “Korokoro Tamago,” which repeats the same motions, is also recommended.

It depicts an egg rolling, a chick that hatches and walks, and a grown chicken crowing.

You show the egg by making a fist and rolling your arms, the chick by moving your index finger up and down, and the chicken by flapping your hands.

All the motions are simple, so it’s considered easy for children to imitate from an early stage.

Another appeal is that kids can enjoy moving their bodies in big, dynamic ways.