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

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.

Playlist

[Classic] New Year’s BGM: Music for Japan’s New Year and Spring Festival
	Title	Playlist	One point
1	Spring SeaMiyagi Michio		The Appeal of the New Year Classic “Spring Sea”
2	New Year’s gift (money given to children)Unicorn		A song depicting the peaceful atmosphere of the New Year
3	Early Spring OdeAkira Nakata		The classic song that depicts the scenery of spring, “Early Spring Song”
4	Rokudan no ShirabeYatsuhashi Kengyō		Rokudan no Shirabe, the masterpiece by Yatsuhashi Kengyō, with an air of tranquility
5	Sakura VariationsMiyagi Michio		“Sakura Variations” is a representative masterpiece of Japan.
6	Runner of the SpiritJoe Hisaishi		Joe Hisaishi’s Hakone Ekiden BGM, Melody of Hope!
7	Etenraku		The solemn tones of the gagaku piece Etenraku heard during New Year shrine visits
8	Song of the PloversYoshizawa Kengyō		Yoshizawa Kengyō’s masterpiece “Chidori no Kyoku,” the essence of Japanese music
9	The Kite Song		The etymology of the famous Japanese nursery rhyme, Tako Agari (Kite Flying)
10	Has the plum blossomed?		The New Year’s joy evoked by traditional Japanese music
11	January 1st		New Year’s program theme song “Ichigatsu Tsuitachi” (January 1st)
12	New Year (Japanese New Year)Rentaro Taki		Rentarō Taki’s famous piece “Oshōgatsu” expresses children’s feelings.
13	Longevity Lion		A celebratory piece of traditional lion dance music originating from Baekje
14	The Song of the Twelve Zodiac AnimalsRie Miyahira		Learn the zodiac signs in a fun way with the Twelve Zodiac Song
15	New Year’s mochi pounding		A joyful New Year’s start with family through New Year songs
16	Spring comes even to the plum blossoms.		The charm of the short songs that sing of spring’s joy and budding love.
17	The Blue DanubeJohann Strauss II		The beautiful waltz masterpiece of the Danube River
18	Genroku Cherry-Blossom Viewing DanceThe Third Generation Kineya Shojiro		The New Year atmosphere evoked by the tones of traditional Japanese instruments.
19	Early spring		A short song that evokes the New Year’s atmosphere of early spring.
20	Fantasia on the Kuroda-bushiTadao Sawai		A fantastical piece featuring traditional Japanese instruments of the Kuroda-bushi
21	Moon over the Ruined CastleRentaro Taki		Celebrate the New Year with Rentaro Taki’s “Kojo no Tsuki”
22	Five Sections of Fulling BlocksKōzaki Kengyō		The koto piece Godan Kinuta is a masterpiece that expresses Japanese culture.
23	Mount FujiLyrics by Iwaya Sazanami		A famous song with lyrics by Konami Iwaya that praises Mount Fuji.
24	Happy New Year WoO 165Ludwig van Beethoven		A short Beethoven piece expressing the joy of the New Year
25	Ise Ondo		A folk song from Ise in the Edo period, a New Year’s celebratory song.
26	Takasago		Takazago, a Noh play, is a masterpiece that depicts the bond between husband and wife.
27	Cantata No. 190 “Sing to the Lord a New Song”J.S.Bach		Bach’s New Year Cantata: Hope and Joy
28	Yachiyo Shishi		Traditional Japanese music, classic pieces to celebrate the New Year
29	mochi poundingLyrics by Junichi Kobayashi / Music by Yoshinao Nakata		Japanese New Year Told Through a Mochitsuki Children's Song
30	Hakone HachiriRentaro Taki		Taki Rentarō’s famous song singing of the mountains of Hakone
31	Hitotsu to ya		The New Year counting song 'Hitotsu Toya' is interesting.
32	Kiyobushi		Akita folk songs played on the shamisen, the beauty of tradition
33	Light of Fireflies		A New Year’s staple song, a Scottish folk tune
34	Radetzky MarchJohann Strauss I		Representative pieces of the Vienna New Year’s Concert
35	Oedo Nihonbashi		Enjoy the New Year spirit with the Edo folk song “Tokaido”
36	Shika-no-umi (Four Seas Waves) / Waves of the Four Seas		“Takasago” is a song that celebrates peace and conjugal love.