For People in Their 90s: Dance Tracks and Exercise Songs That Make Moving Your Body Fun!
In senior care facilities and day-service centers, activities are often planned so that residents can have fun, right?
During recreation time, it’s also common to include dance or light exercise, isn’t it?
This article introduces dance songs recommended for people in their 90s.
We’ve selected tracks—from youthful anthems and popular hits they listened to in their younger days to songs that suit dance and exercise.
Feel free to use this list to enjoy a wonderful time with people in their 90s.
With nostalgic songs as background music, moving the body might start to feel a bit more enjoyable!
- For seniors in their 80s: Stay healthy while having fun. Introducing dance songs that make you want to move!
- Also great for dementia care! Recommended dance songs for people in their 70s: Let’s dance to those classic hits
- For seniors: Recommended youthful songs for people in their 90s. A collection of classic Showa-era hits.
- Recommended youth songs for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic classics
- Lively songs recommended for people in their 90s—fun songs for everyone to listen to and sing together.
- Recommended cheer songs for people in their 90s: a collection of timeless tracks that support life
- [For people in their 90s] Recommended Christmas songs: from nostalgic school songs and hymns to timeless classics
- A collection of cheerful, uplifting songs recommended for women in their 80s—fun, bright tunes to sing along to
- Songs to Enjoy with Women in Their 90s: A Collection of Karaoke Crowd-Pleasers
- Energizing songs recommended for men in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic tracks that give you strength
- Energizing songs recommended for men in their 70s: A roundup of nostalgic power tracks
- For People in Their 90s: Dance Tracks and Exercise Songs That Make Moving Your Body Fun!
- Uplifting songs recommended for women in their 90s: energizing power songs that boost vitality
[For People in Their 90s] Make Moving Your Body Fun! Dance Tracks & Exercise Songs (1–10)
Otomi-sanKasuga Hachirō
A Showa-era hit that blends bittersweetness with glossy allure.
Since its 1954 release, it has continued to stir the hearts of many.
The lyrics, themed around kabuki, reportedly sparked social controversy at the time, which likely added to its notoriety.
Hachiro Kasuga’s clear, high notes weave a heartrending tale.
Loved across generations, the song was covered in the 1970s by Mina Aoe and Harumi Miyako.
In 1978, a disco arrangement sold 250,000 copies, cementing its cross-generational appeal.
It’s a curious charm where nostalgia and novelty coexist—a perfect track for when you want to bask in a nostalgic mood.
Tokyo Dodonpa GirlMari Watanabe
Mari Watanabe’s song was released as a single by Victor Records in January 1961 and is one of her signature tracks.
It’s a kayōkyoku number that incorporates the dodonpa rhythm, with lyrics that reflect the lives and feelings of young people at the time.
Expressing a passionate longing for the person one has fallen in love with, it skillfully portrays both the sweetness and the ache of first love.
The song was also used as the motif for a film of the same name, in which Mari Watanabe herself appears as a singer.
It became a million-seller and sparked a nationwide dodonpa boom in Japan.
It’s a tune you can enjoy just by clapping along to the rhythm.
The Highland Train GoesAtsurō Okamoto
This is a classic song that vividly depicts a train racing across the highlands.
Atsuro Okamoto’s warm vocals convey the joy of travel and the beauty of the plateau straight to the heart.
Released in 1954, it was performed as the White Team’s opening number at the 5th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, capturing the hearts of many.
Since 2009, it has also been used as the departure melody at JR East’s Fukushima Station, remaining beloved across generations.
It’s perfect for when you want to reminisce or savor the feeling of a journey.
Why not move your body to its light, sprightly melody?
[For people in their 90s] Make moving your body fun! Dance Tracks & Exercise Songs (11–20)
12th graderKazuo Funaki
It’s a refreshing song that conjures up a page from one’s youth.
It portrays the feelings of high school students on the verge of graduation, expressing not only the fun memories of school life but also moments of sadness and regret.
This realism and emotional depth resonated not only with young people of the time but also with adults who had already graduated, earning widespread support.
Released in June 1963 as Kazuo Funaki’s debut single, the song became a massive hit, selling one million copies within a year.
A film of the same title was also released, with Funaki himself appearing in it.
Dancing along to kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs) sounds like it would make for a lovely experience, too.
I look up as I walkKyu Sakamoto
This classic is one of Kyu Sakamoto’s signature songs.
Its bright, forward-looking melody lifts the spirit.
The lyrics, which sing of hope for the future even while holding back tears, have resonated with many.
Released in 1961, it became an instant smash hit.
It gained popularity not only in Japan but overseas under the title “Sukiyaki,” reaching No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kyu Sakamoto’s warm vocals and Rokusuke Ei’s deeply moving lyrics blend beautifully in this work.
It’s a song that gives you the courage to keep your head up and keep walking, especially in tough times.
With its gentle tempo, it’s also perfect as background music for exercise dance routines.
March of 365 StepsKiyoko Suizenji
Released in November 1968, it was widely embraced and even chosen as the entrance march for the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament the following year.
As one of Kiyoko Suizenji’s signature songs, various versions have continued to be used in commercials and events.
The lyrics emphasize the importance of effort and humility on the journey to find happiness.
It’s a recommended song for those who value taking small steps each day or who want to move through life with a positive mindset.
How about matching the lyrics with choreography that involves swinging your arms wide as you walk?
Kiyoshi's Zundoko SongKiyoshi Hikawa
A signature song by Kiyoshi Hikawa, known as a superstar of the enka world.
Released in February 2002, this piece has become a beloved staple for Bon Odori dances nationwide.
Its lyrics—featuring a spirited resolve to face life’s hardships, the bonds of family, and a deep longing for one’s hometown—leave a strong impression.
The rhythmic melody and Hikawa’s distinctive voice deliver hope, courage, and nostalgia to listeners.
The song has been cherished by many, with appearances on the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen for 22 consecutive years from 2000 to 2021, including headlining the show in 2008.
The choreography—swaying the arms left and right in front of the body—is memorable, and singing and dancing together is sure to lift both heart and body.