[For Seniors] Recommended spring songs for people in their 90s: A collection of Shōwa-era spring tunes

Blue MountainsIchiro Fujiyama

[With Large Lyrics] Blue Mountain Range [Recreation]

The celebrated song, which beautifully depicts postwar hope and the breath of a new era, was performed by Ichirō Fujiyama and Mitsue Nara as the theme for a film of the same name released in 1949.

Along with the splendor of nature, it warmly portrays young people forging a bright future, like flowers that bloom after enduring a harsh winter.

For those who lived in the years immediately following the war, it is surely a piece filled with memories.

Beloved across generations, it was chosen as No.

1 in NHK’s 1989 program “Songs of the Showa Era: 200 Unforgettable Songs.” Its beautiful melody, infused with elements of classical music, and its heartwarming lyrics are sure to evoke fond recollections of days gone by.

GraduationChiharu Matsuyama

Graduation / Chiharu Matsuyama

With a gentle singing voice that warmly watches over new chapters in life, this spring melody has echoed across Hokkaido.

Chiharu Matsuyama’s beautiful ballad invites us to look back on our youthful days while filling us with hope for the future.

The soulful guitar tones and clear, soaring vocals are sure to bring back many memories.

Released in 1979, the song was created as the theme for STV’s program “Graduation at Kushiro High School.” It was also included on the album Seishun (Youth) and continues to be cherished as a classic folk song.

Why not spend a heartwarming time reminiscing together with older adults, letting nostalgic stories blossom?

Come, spring.Yumi Matsutoya

Yumi Matsutoya – Come, Spring

The celebrated song that gently sings of the arrival of spring was released in 1994 by Yumi Matsutoya and became a major topic as the theme song for an NHK morning drama series.

Its sweet, wistful vocals and lyrics filled with feelings for a loved one deeply resonate with many listeners.

Elegantly portraying spring scenes—such as the scent of daphne and sudden showers—it beautifully expresses nostalgic memories and the hope of reunion.

After its release, the song topped the Oricon weekly chart and became a massive hit, selling over 1.

16 million copies.

It was also used for the Huis Ten Bosch Tulip Festival and in commercials for the Yomiuri Shimbun, making it familiar to an even wider audience.

Its gentle melody and heartwarming lyrics are perfect for sparking conversations about memories with older adults.

Please enjoy a richly satisfying moment together while feeling the arrival of spring.

What a nice bath.The Drifters

Nice hot bath [The Drifters]

This is a song that celebrates the charms of hot spring resorts, beloved from the Showa-era hit TV program “It’s 8 o’clock! Everybody, Gather Round!” The original version, sung by the Duke Aces, was themed around hot spring areas in Gunma Prefecture, and The Drifters covered it on the B-side of their debut single.

The lyrics were adapted to feature hot spring resorts across Japan—such as Noboribetsu and Kusatsu—expressing fondness for onsen through a lively rhythm and call-and-response shouts.

The song was used as the ending theme for both “It’s 8 o’clock! Everybody, Gather Round!” and “Drifters’ Big Laughter,” and it also appeared in a 1969 film.

Humming it together with older adults while reminiscing about hot spring trips can make for a heartwarming moment.

Like a flower that blooms in the fieldDa Capo

Like a Wildflower – Da Capo #LikeAWildflower #DaCapo #TheNakedGeneral’sWanderingTales

A timeless song with a simple, gentle warmth brings a refreshing breath of spring that makes you want to hum along.

In words anyone can understand, it conveys the importance of living naturally, like flowers blooming in the fields.

Da Capo released this heart-touching piece in July 1983.

Beloved as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “The Naked General’s Travelogue,” its lyrics inspired many by giving courage to face life’s challenges.

Since 1992, the song has also been included in elementary school music textbooks, and it continues to be sung across generations.

Please enjoy this piece—one that evokes fond memories and the calm arrival of spring—together with older adults.

Song of the Four SeasonsLyrics and music by: Toyohisa Araki

Song of the Four Seasons | With Lyrics | 100 Selected Japanese Songs | Those who love spring are people with pure hearts

Under the gentle sunshine of spring, a timeless Showa-era classic resonates deep in the heart.

In Toyohisa Araki’s work, the beauty of Japan’s four seasons and his feelings toward people are exquisitely captured within a warm melody.

Born from gratitude toward nurses during a hospital stay, this piece was introduced on Nippon Broadcasting’s “Aozora Wide,” where it received an overwhelming response, and Yoko Seri’s performance went on to become a million seller.

The tenderly drawn seasonal scenes and the deep affection for friends and family evoke a tranquil passage of time.

It’s a wonderful song that invites you to reminisce and reflect on bonds with loved ones.

Perfect for a relaxing music recreation session for seniors.

If you're happy and you know it, clap your handsKyu Sakamoto

Kyu Sakamoto / If You’re Happy and You Know It (1964–65)

Its charm lies in the way you can enjoy it by expressing a heartwarming classic through full-body movement.

It’s a song that lets you share the joy of connecting with others along with a simple, familiar melody.

Released by Kyu Sakamoto in 1964, it became one of his signature songs alongside “Ue o Muite Arukou” (“Sukiyaki”).

Based on an American folk song, Toshito Kimura wrote the Japanese lyrics with wishes for peace and friendship.

A heartwarming experience in the Philippines inspired the creation of this song, and it is said to have spread through activities at the YMCA.

It has been widely used in films and commercials and has long been cherished in educational settings.

Why not enjoy clapping and body movements together with seniors and let the conversation blossom with fond memories?