Ranking of Popular Folk Songs
That nostalgic melody, passed down through generations—the heart of our hometowns.
We’ve researched a wide range of folk songs from past to present, from East to West! In this article, we’ve selected popular tracks based on reliable feedback from music fans who’ve contributed to our site so far.
Among them, we’ll introduce the most acclaimed ones in a ranked format.
Please take a look.
We also researched children’s songs like nursery rhymes and lullabies, as well as work songs and songs for ceremonies and events.
In recent years, new ways of listening to folk music—championed by acts like Minyo Crusaders and Riyō Sanmyaku—have been attracting a fresh audience.
- Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy
- [Japanese Folk and Regional Songs] A Collection of Beloved Masterpieces from Across Japan, Brimming with Local Pride
- Nursery Rhyme Popular Song Rankings [2025]
- Folk songs, children's songs, and nursery rhymes of Nagasaki: the heart of the hometown passed down through song
- Okinawan folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the heart of our hometown passed down through song.
- [Folk and Children's Songs of Hokkaido] Songs of Hokkaido that continue to be loved across generations
- Collection of winter nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs. Includes fun winter hand-play songs too.
- Children’s songs, school songs, and nursery rhymes with a river theme. Beloved classics about nostalgic watersides.
- [Children’s Songs] Let’s Sing of Spring! A Fun Collection of Nursery Rhymes, Folk Songs, and Children’s Songs
- [Warabe-uta] Beloved Classic Songs Passed Down Through Generations
- Sky nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs
- Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad
- Nostalgic Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: The Heart of Japan Passed Down Through Song
Folk Song Popularity Ranking (11–20)
Spring has come.Lyrics by Tatsuyuki Takano / Music by Teiichi Okano15rank/position
When it comes to spring songs and children’s songs, many people probably think of this one first.
The song “Haru ga Kita” (Spring Has Come) has a long history; it was released in 1910, in the 45th year of the Meiji era, and is widely known and sung by both children and adults as one of the quintessential songs of spring.
It has also been selected for the ‘100 Best Japanese Songs,’ a list featuring songs meant to be enjoyed by parents and children and to be passed down for generations.
The song has three verses, a relaxed tempo, and simple lyrics, making it easy even for young children to sing.
It’s a springtime children’s song that grandparents and grandchildren can enjoy together.
gluttonous gorilla16rank/position
This song is a hand-play tune popular at nursery schools and kindergartens, featuring a gluttonous gorilla who keeps eating different foods one after another.
Because it also lets you express how the food is eaten and what it tastes like, it’s great as a teaching tool for young children.
At the end, there’s a punchline where an onion appears—but it’s all peel, so you can’t eat it.
You can incorporate any edible item into the lyrics and keep adding your own original verses, so it’s a good idea to include the child’s favorite foods.
TulipLyrics by Miyako Kondo / Music by Takeshi Inoue17rank/position
This is one of Japan’s most beloved children’s songs, depicting a beautiful spring scene of red, white, and yellow tulips blooming in a row.
Miyako Kondo’s lyrics carry a warm message that recognizes diversity—“every flower has its own beauty”—and, together with Takeshi Inoue’s friendly melody, make it a tune that people of all ages can hum naturally.
Widely cherished in kindergarten and elementary school music classes, it was selected in 2006 for the list of 100 Best Japanese Songs.
It’s the perfect piece for when you want to feel the arrival of spring or enjoy singing with children!
Yakiimo goo-choki-pa18rank/position
Beloved as a heartwarming winter hand-play song, this piece revolves around roasted sweet potatoes while incorporating the rock-paper-scissors moves of “Guu” (rock), “Choki” (scissors), and “Paa” (paper).
It has been broadcast on NHK’s children’s program “Okaasan to Issho” and has long been cherished as a hand-play song for young children.
Embraced by many as a song that evokes the seasonal feeling from autumn to winter, it is enjoyed not only in kindergartens and nursery schools but also at home.
While expressing the fun and warmth of eating roasted sweet potatoes in the cold season, moving the hands and fingers to the rhythm can also help nurture children’s sense of rhythm and fine motor skills.
Be sure to enjoy it together with the whole family!
Konkon fox19rank/position
This is a hand-play song where you make fox shapes with both hands.
When it comes to a fox’s cry, we think of “kon kon,” right? In this song, you sing that cry in various styles, like “quietly” or “cool,” and more.
Children can freely express the cry, and because its feel changes each time, they’ll wonder, “What will the cry sound like next?” and stay engaged.
At the end, both hands go on the lap to show a “ready-to-listen” posture, so it’s also a great song to gather everyone’s attention during transitions!
A Hazy Moonlit NightLyrics by Tatsuyuki Takano / Music by Teiichi Okano20rank/position
A slightly hazy spring night moon—an oboro moon.
This song depicts a night where such a hazy moon softly glows.
Also featured in music textbooks, it was composed by Teiichi Okano, who created many famous children’s songs such as “Furusato” and “Haru ga Kita.” In the first verse, the lyrics describe the sunset sinking and the moon beginning to appear.
In the second verse, they portray how, on a night lit by the oboro moon, the forest, people, and even every sound seem veiled in a faint haze.
It’s a piece that romantically paints the scenery from a spring evening into the night.
Popular Folk Song Rankings (21–30)
Tinsagu FlowersMisako Koja21rank/position
This song is one of the Okinawan folk songs handed down mainly on the main island of Okinawa.
“Tinsagu” refers to the balsam flower (impatiens).
In Okinawa, it has long been believed that applying the juice of the balsam to one’s nails to dye them would ward off evil.
The lyrics are in the Okinawan dialect and may be hard to understand at first listen, but they convey the importance of following the teachings of parents and elders.