[Minna no Uta] Tear-jerking masterpiece. A moving song you want to hear again.
NHK’s Minna no Uta, which began broadcasting in 1961, features countless timeless songs.
I’m sure many of you have a tune you’ll never forget.
In this article, we’ve picked out some of the most moving songs from among those classics.
We’ve gathered many tracks—songs that warm the heart, songs you’ll relate to through your own experiences, farewell songs, and more.
These beloved classics span the Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras, transcending generations.
We hope you’ll find one that resonates with you.
Listening again as an adult, you may discover worlds you never noticed as a child.
Immerse yourself in these masterpieces and let the tears flow.
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Minna no Uta: Tear-Jerking Masterpieces. Moving Songs You Want to Hear Again (1–10)
The Bento Box Song ~A Letter to You~Yoshiko Hanzaki
Despite its upbeat melody, this song brings tears to your eyes and lets you feel a mother’s love.
Written by singer-songwriter Yoshiko Hanzaki, it was aired on “Minna no Uta” in 2017.
If you ate your mom’s homemade bento every day as a student, I don’t think you can listen to it without crying.
Bentos can include foods you don’t like or leftovers, but just like the lyrics say, mothers make them with love, thinking about their children’s health.
The message from the child at the end of the song is also deeply moving.
Because we are living beingsGreen Yellow Society
The song by Ryokuoushoku Shakai is a warm ballad written as the required piece for NHK’s All-Japan School Music Competition.
Its lyrics, which empathize with the anxieties and inner conflicts of adolescence while affirming our place as part of life, strike a deep chord.
The gentle yet powerful vocals, the band’s performance, and the chorus all express vitality, conveying the importance of accepting natural growth and change as a living being.
Released in September 2024, the song’s music video also attracted attention.
It’s recommended for those who want to feel the bonds formed with friends in school life, as well as for those who feel anxious about their own growth.
Along with its heartwarming melody, it may inspire you to take a fresh look at yourself.
teddy bearYusuke Yoshioka (TBS Children's Theater Company)
A tear-jerking masterpiece told from a stuffed animal’s point of view: “The Teddy Bear.” Perhaps you, too, carried the same plush toy with you everywhere as a child.
When you hugged it close, when you dragged it along the floor, when you were in a bad mood and tossed it aside.
The time you spent with that stuffed animal was the time you spent growing up.
In this song, the plush bear gently recounts those moments with warmth and affection.
It’s a moving classic that will bring tears to your eyes as you remember your favorite stuffed toy.
Minna no Uta: Tear-Jerking Masterpieces. Moving Songs You Want to Hear Again (11–20)
Mom's MarriageOsamu Sakata
This song is about a child who grew up in a single-mother household, always protected by their mother, and who, upon becoming an adult, begins to wish for their mother’s happiness.
In the lyrics, the mother apologizes out of guilt for raising the child alone, but the child responds, “You’ve done enough.” Just that alone is enough to bring me to tears.
For those who grew up in similar circumstances, it may be a song you can’t listen to without crying.
I hope mothers and fathers who are raising children on their own right now will listen to it too—it’s a heartwarming parent–child song.
Big GrandmaToshiki Kondo
It’s a bright, tear-jerking “Minna no Uta” song packed with love for Grandma! It’s sung by Toshiki Kondo, an active ukulele player, and it’s included on his 2018 mini-album “UKULELE DAYS.” The lyrics, which reflect his feelings for his own grandmother just as they are, will make you smile just by reading them.
But strangely enough, as you keep listening, you start picturing your own grandma’s face and get a little sentimental.
For all the grandma’s kids out there, give it a listen!
planetSexy Zone
A timeless love song performed by the popular idol group Sexy Zone.
It aired from August to September 2022 and marked Sexy Zone’s first appearance on “Minna no Uta.” The planets floating in a single universe are companions traveling the same orbit even when far apart, each an irreplaceable presence.
The message that “our hearts are connected even when we’re apart” is illustrated through the metaphor of planets.
The lyrics are filled with brightness and positivity, paired with a friendly melody, making it a song you’ll find yourself humming along to.
Wish ~Hope~Maiko Fujita
The song “wish ~Kibou~,” written specifically for Minna no Uta.
Fujita Maiko’s sincere voice resonates over a beautifully delicate piano accompaniment.
The lyrics, about struggles and conflicts you can’t tell anyone, and the desperate effort to keep moving forward even when you feel on the verge of losing hope, will move many listeners to tears.
It also conveys a comforting kindness that seems to embrace you, whispering, “We’re all in this together,” “It’s okay to take it slow.” For anyone who finds life painful, this tear-jerking masterpiece is one you should listen to at least once.