Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs

[Classic] New Year’s BGM: Music for Japan’s New Year and Spring Festival

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!
lightercatnap
A person from the melodic hardcore boom generation who loves music, photography, and eating. I’ve been going to live houses for over 20 years. I’m at the age where summer festivals are starting to feel tough physically. I sometimes try shooting live photos and videos for MVs. I’m not great at English, so I often listen to straightforward Japanese rock that hits directly, but if someone recommends something, I’ll listen to anything—Western or Japanese—broadly and casually. I like cooking while listening to music; it’s a nice way to relieve stress.

When New Year’s comes around, you often hear New Year-ish music around town and on TV, don’t you?

Hearing songs that feature traditional Japanese instruments like the koto, flute, and shamisen really brings out the New Year atmosphere.

In this article, I’ll introduce pieces you often hear as New Year’s background music, as well as songs whose vibe is perfect for the season.

Many of these pieces carry auspicious wishes, so try looking into the meanings embedded in the music.

Some entries also mention the composers; if you look up their other works, you might discover even more pieces that are perfect for the New Year.

I hope you enjoy a wonderful New Year along with the songs introduced here.

[Classic] New Year’s BGM: Japanese New Year/Welcome-Spring Music (11–20)

New Year's mochi pounding

Mochitsuki (♪ Pattan-ko, Sore Pattan-ko) by Himawari 🌻 with Lyrics | Children's Song | Mochi-tsuki |

New Year's mochi pounding

As background music that heralds the arrival of the New Year, a traditional song long cherished in Japan is widely loved.

Its lyrics contain prayers for abundance and the family’s health, and it has been treasured in Japanese households for generations.

The melody, imbued with the warmth of traditional instruments, is perfect for a serene start to the year.

Its rhythmic elements also make it enjoyable for parents and children through movement-based play, making it ideal for family gatherings during the New Year.

It’s recommended for anyone wanting to heighten the New Year’s mood starting January 1.

Why not perform this piece to rekindle memories of the hand games you played as a child and set a wonderful tone for the year ahead?

Raise the rankinglower

Spring comes even to the plum blossoms.

Suzuka: “Even plum trees have their spring.”

Spring comes even to the plum blossoms.

Hauta is a type of shamisen music that became popular in the late Edo period.

Among them, this piece “Ume nimo Haru” (Spring Even in the Plum) is a hauta that offers a glimpse of the joy of welcoming the New Year and the feelings of a woman in love.

Even in the short phrase “Ume nimo Haru,” which means sensing spring as the plum blossoms take on color, you can feel the beauty of the Japanese sensibility.

It might be nice during the New Year to listen to this kind of music with a long history and enjoy comparing it with a modern translation.

As with this piece, you may be surprised how much still resonates today!

Raise the rankinglower

The Blue DanubeJohann Strauss II

[High-Quality Audio] The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II – An Elegant Classical Masterpiece

The Blue Danube Johann Strauss II

This piece, The Blue Danube, composed by Johann Strauss II, is a staple of the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert and a well-known classic in Japan.

Many people will recognize the phrase from the A section of the First Waltz.

Raise the rankinglower

Genroku Cherry-Blossom Viewing DanceThe Third Generation Kineya Shojiro

The 5th “Playing with Wa”: Nagauta — Genroku Cherry-Blossom Dance

Genroku Cherry Blossom Viewing Dance, Third Generation Kineya Shojiro

Around New Year’s, you tend to hear more pleasant performances of traditional Japanese instruments, don’t you? It’s even kind of charming that convenience stores and family restaurants play popular songs arranged with Japanese-instrument percussion.

Speaking of Japanese instruments, the nagauta piece “Genroku Hanami Odori” is another tune you often hear at New Year’s.

In fact, this piece is considered most fitting for the cherry-blossom viewing season, but perhaps its famous “chan-cha-cha-chan~” melody evokes a bright, festive feeling of the new year, and it’s become a New Year’s staple as well.

Does that “chan-cha-cha~” ring a bell for you? If not, be sure to give it a listen at least once.

Raise the rankinglower

Early spring

Shamisen Song: Early Spring (with festival bustle) (Sakae-shiba)

Early spring

This piece, Hatsuharu, is a classic of the hauta repertoire.

As the title suggests, it celebrates the arrival of the New Year, and its lyrics feature many New Year–related customs and events such as the lion dance and urajiro fern.

Though not very well known, it’s a wonderful song that truly evokes the feeling of spring when you hear it.

Raise the rankinglower

Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushiTadao Sawai

Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushi (composed by Tadao Sawai)

Fantasy on the Kuroda-bushi by Tadao Sawai

This “Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushi,” originally sung by former retainers of the Kuroda clan and arranged into a modern style by Mr.

Tadao Sawai, uses traditional Japanese instruments, yet its structure is entirely classical—making it a highly innovative and fascinating work.

The melody expressing the brilliance of spring is particularly striking.

Raise the rankinglower

[Classic] New Year’s BGM: Japanese Music for the New Year/Spring Festival (21–30)

Moon over the Ruined CastleRentaro Taki

Moon over the Ruined Castle (koto)

Moon over the Ruined Castle (Kōjō no Tsuki) by Rentarō Taki

For the Japanese New Year, we naturally want to listen to works by musicians who historically represent Japan.

Taki Rentaro—whose portrait adorned many a music room wall—left us a quintessential piece of traditional Japanese music, “Kojo no Tsuki” (Moon over the Ruined Castle).

It is truly a dignified composition, perfectly suited to the dawn of a new year.

Please enjoy your special New Year’s day with this piece as your BGM.

Raise the rankinglower