Nostalgic Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: The Heart of Japan Passed Down Through Song
When we hear the gentle melodies of nostalgic children’s songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes, memories from our early childhood come vividly rushing back, as if we’ve crossed time and space.
Perhaps you, too, have a “song of nostalgia” that has stayed with you since you were young.
In this article, we introduce iconic Japanese children’s songs (shoka), folk songs and nursery rhymes cherished and passed down across the regions, as well as beloved tunes often featured in school performances and recreational activities.
Shall we set off on a heartwarming sonic journey into the world of children’s songs that softly reflect Japan’s seasons, culture, and everyday life?
[Nostalgic Children's Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes] The Heart of Japan Passed Down in Song (1–10)
Please let me pass.children’s song
This is a traditional Japanese children’s song handed down since the Edo period, said to have been sung along the approach to Kawasaki Daishi Temple in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa.
In a game beloved by children, two players take the role of ogres, join hands to form a gate, and everyone slips through while singing.
The lyrics include the act of offering talismans for the seven celebratory milestones of childhood and convey a sense of awe toward a sacred place.
For those who remember gathering to play it in their neighborhood when they were young, or who know the melody from pedestrian crossing signals, it is a song that can be sung with a warm sense of nostalgia.
Old Man with a BeardLyrics: Unknown / Music: Hidemitsu Tamayama
Many of you probably remember singing it loudly together while twirling your hands in front of your face to make a beard.
This hand-play song features simple, easy-to-remember melodies and fun hand movements for various characters like Grandpa with a Beard and Hunchbacked Grandpa.
Beloved for many years in kindergartens and nurseries, it even saw multiple recorded versions released by different artists in 2021 and 2022.
It’s a perfect song for parents and children to sing and play together, nurturing finger dexterity and a sense of rhythm.
Frog ChorusLyrics by Toshiaki Okamoto / Original song: German folk song
With its easy-to-remember melody that anyone can start singing right away, this piece is based on a German folk song, with Japanese lyrics written by Toshiaki Okamoto.
When you think of a round, this is the first song that comes to mind.
Because you can enter every two measures from any point, it’s easy to catch the timing to join in.
There’s only a first verse, and the lyrics are very simple, so you won’t spend time memorizing them and can enjoy singing in a round immediately.
When trying a round in kindergarten, nursery school, or elementary school, encourage the timing to come in by calling out loudly, “Ready, go!”
Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-catLyrics and Music by Naosumi Yamamoto
An adorable children’s song where four familiar animals are linked together in a word-chain (shiritori).
It’s also popular as a hand-play song.
Written and composed by Naosumi Yamamoto, it was broadcast on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” and has continued to be loved by many children.
In August 1999, a version by Masako Saito and the Suginami Children’s Choir was released, and various artists have covered it since.
Its simple, easy-to-remember melody and the animals’ distinctive sounds make it perfect for hand-play time in kindergartens and preschools!
MomotaroLyrics by Unknown / Music by Teiichi Okano
An immortal children’s song composed by Teiichi Okano that sets a well-known Japanese folktale to music.
Since it appeared in a Ministry of Education textbook in 1911, it has been beloved by countless children for over a century.
The brave story of heading to Onigashima after recruiting a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant is told to an easy-to-remember melody.
The song has also been used as a parody version on Fuji TV’s program “Jajajajan!” and is familiar as the approach melody at JR West’s Okayama Station.
It’s also recommended to sing it together while looking back on the lyrics—up to all six verses—along with the story!
The Puppy Police OfficerLyrics by Yoshimi Sato / Music by Onaka Megumi
This work, which portrays a heartwarming story of a police dog gently trying to help a lost kitten, is one of Japan’s representative children’s songs, where Yoshimi Sato’s warm lyrics and Megumi Ohnaka’s familiar melody blend beautifully.
While empathizing with the kitten mewing “nyan, nyan, nyan” in distress, the police dog also seeks help from a crow and a sparrow, and his kindness and efforts warmly touch listeners’ hearts.
Composed in the 1950s to 1960s, the song became beloved through educational programs such as NHK’s “Minna no Uta” and “Okaasan to Issho,” and continues to be cherished by many children.
Let's clap our handsLyrics: Junichi Kobayashi / Original: Czech folk song
This warm song expresses joy beginning with the simple act of clapping, naturally resonating with children’s hearts.
With Japanese lyrics by Junichi Kobayashi set to a Czech folk melody, it features an easy-to-remember tune and friendly words, and is often sung in nursery schools and kindergartens.
It has also been featured on NHK educational programs and in collections of children’s songs, remaining beloved across generations.
Because the clapping motion helps develop a sense of rhythm and motor skills, it serves not only as a tool for parent-child communication but is also an ideal piece for recreational activities in senior care facilities.