For seniors: Recommended youthful songs for people in their 90s. A collection of classic Showa-era hits.

If you’re in your 90s today, you’re probably very familiar with the music that was popular in the 1930s and 1940s.

The songs we heard as children or during our school years tend to stay with us forever, don’t they?

In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of popular songs from the youthful days of those in their 90s—tracks that feel nostalgic and familiar.

If you have someone in their 90s in your life—whether a family member or someone you know through a senior care facility—please consider sharing the songs we’re about to introduce with them.

They’ll surely be delighted as the music brings back fond memories of their younger days.

Playlist

For seniors: Recommended youthful songs for people in their 90s. A collection of classic Showa-era hits.
	Title	Playlist	One point
1	Life is full of ups and downs.Chiyoko Shimakura		An enka song by Chiyoko Shimakura. It gently sings of the joys and sorrows of life, moving many people.
2	The Longed-For Hawaii RouteHaruo Oka		My heart dances to the hopeful, bright tone and melody…
3	Mail boat to the small islandKoichi Aoki		Evocative scenes that stir nostalgia, like the lighthouse cape or the shade of orange trees…
4	Because the moon is so very blueTsutoko Sugawara		A poignant walk along the tree-lined path while looking up at the blue, gleaming moon...
5	The Izu DancerHibari Misora		Hibari Misora, the famous song from the film based on a work by Yasunari Kawabata
6	I wanted to see you.Haruo Oka		A 1955 release by Haruo Oka. A signature song of the sailor (madrosu) genre, it became a classic that gave hope to postwar Japan.
7	The pier where that girl is cryingMichiya Mihashi		Summary (20 characters): A 1955 smash hit depicting love and scenery in a port town. Mitsuya Mihashi’s beautiful singing voice is memorable.
8	Ginza Kan-kan GirlHideko Takamine		“Ginza Kankan Musume” is sung by Hideko Takamine...
9	The two are young.Dick Mine		“The Ni…” sung by Dick Mine and Reiko Hoshi
10	Forever with youYuzo Kayama		Yuzo Kayama’s love song, a masterpiece that resonates in the hearts of youth
11	Waltz of StarlightMasao Sen		Masao Sen's classic 'Hoshikage no Waltz,' a song that sings of the melancholy of parting
12	The Apple SongMichiko Namiki		Michiko Namiki’s “The Apple Song” became a postwar hi…
13	At the Rainy TavernDick Mine		A 1954 classic expressing heartbreak and loneliness in jazz, a Showa-era staple covered by many.
14	Tokyo RhapsodyIchiro Fujiyama		Sung by Mr. Ichiro Fujiyama in 1936…
15	You, my beloved.Hisao Ito		As one of the iconic songs representing Showa-era kayōkyoku, Hisao Itō’s...
16	On the Day of DepartureLyrics by Noboru Kojima / Music by Hiromi Sakamoto		Graduation songs evoke the arrival of spring.
17	The Flower Girl of TokyoHaruo Oka		A classic spring song that reflects postwar hope, like willow buds awakening.
18	Otomi-sanKasuga Hachirō		A classic song that represents the Showa era, ‘O-Tomi-san.’ Hachiro Kasuga…
19	hometownsong		Sing about the scenery of my hometown and my feelings for my family
20	Blue MountainsIchiro Fujiyama		Ichiro Fujiyama’s rendition of “Blue Mountain Range” is so majestic...
21	The Sun of the DowntownChieko Baisho		The charm of downtown nostalgia and warm singing voices
22	Blue Light YokohamaAyumi Ishida		A classic of the port city Yokohama: wistfulness and the glitter of the metropolis
23	A street corner where stars fallToshi Itō and Happy & Blue		A quiet night spent with a lover
24	Aoba Castle Love SongMuneyuki Sato		A masterpiece by Muneyuki Sato, a famous song that colors Sendai
25	Suzhou SerenadeHamako Watanabe		“Suzhou Nocturne” features the beautiful singing voice of Ms. Hamako Watanabe…
26	Night Fog BluesDick Mine		Dick Mine's “Yogiri no Blues” is...
27	Hawaiian Airlines flightKiyoshi Uzumi		Nostalgia for the tropics, Utsumi Kiyoshi’s classic song
28	Premonition of Spring ~I’ve been mellow~Saori Minami		Summary (20 characters): Featuring Saori Minami’s gentle vocals, it portrays mature romance and is a song loved across generations.
29	Tokyo CachitoFrank Nagai		Summary (20 characters): A Showa-era classic by Nagai Frank. Set against the nights of Akasaka, it portrays the bittersweetness of adult love with an urban touch.
30	Let’s get married.Takuro Yoshida		Takuro Yoshida’s heartwarming spring classic
31	Ringo OiwakeHibari Misora		The Showa era that brings back memories of those nostalgic youthful days…
32	Lingering Snowdolphin		Handed down as a classic spring song, it permeates the hearts of those who listen…
33	Parting at 22wind		The Wind’s debut song, cherished as a timeless anthem of youth
34	Lill Returning from ShanghaiKen Tsumura		Ken Tsumura’s “Lili Returning from Shanghai” begins with a dark, somber...
35	TouchHiromi Iwasaki		Yoshimi Iwasaki’s “Touch” was released in March 1985. Its clear, airy vocals and bittersweet melody are captivating, and it’s also beloved as a cheer song for high school baseball.
36	Spring Night		On a spring evening wrapped in silence, the koto’s pure tones...
37	Red Sweet PeaSeiko Matsuda		A beautiful melody filled with the fragrance of spring and a fresh...
38	spring thunderbutterbur sprout		This is the season when you can feel the arrival of spring. With that sense of the season...
39	school daysPeggy Hayama		A timeless song that sings of youthful memories, resonating in the heart.
40	Flowers and Sunshine of a Spring Day		The youth and beauty of a loved one fade with time...
41	Words of FarewellKaientai		“Okuru Kotoba” is a song of springtime farewells and bonds.
42	Your NameShigeko Orei		Released in 1953, “Kimi no Na wa” was sung by Shigeo Orii...
43	Woman of the CasbahKunié Etō		Kunié Eto’s “Kasuba no Onna” (Woman of the Casbah) is from 1955…
44	Mischief of the spring breezeMomoe Yamaguchi		Summary (20 characters): Theme song of Momoe Yamaguchi’s 1974 classic “The Izu Dancer.” A gentle piece expressing the stirrings of spring love.
45	The Path of Starlit ShadowsMinoru Obata		The classic song released by Minoru Obata in 1950…
46	A hill with a view of the harborAiko Hirano		Aiko Hirano’s “The Hill from Which You Can See the Harbor” is, in the postwar...
47	Tokyo Flower GirlHaruo Oka		Haruo Oka’s “The Flower-Selling Girl of Tokyo” is a postwar s...