[Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that really move you. Beloved classic Japanese hits of the past.

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.

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?

Lingering Snowdolphin

Dolphin [Iruka] / Nagori-yuki [Lingering Snow] (Single Version) Official Audio with translation

This is a song whose charm lies in a melody that evokes the arrival of spring and lyrics that touch the heart.

Set on a train platform, it vividly portrays a man and a woman parting ways amid the fleeting snow of early spring.

Beautifully depicting the moment of farewell and a love left unfinished by youth, the piece is filled with the bittersweetness of adolescence and the process of growing up.

Iruka’s rich, resonant vocals carry a warm, heartfelt quality that reaches deep within.

First included on the March 1975 album “Iruka no Sekai,” it was released as a single in November of the same year and reached No.

4 on the Oricon chart.

It’s a beloved, well-known song that many remember; humming along as you recall old memories is sure to make for a delightful moment.

It may also inspire lively conversations among older listeners as they reminisce about those days.

Tokyo Boogie-WoogieShizuko Kasagi

Tokyo Boogie-Woogie

Tokyo Boogie-Woogie has been loved for generations.

Ever since Shizuko Kasagi released it in 1948, its lively melody and rhythm have captivated people’s hearts.

Its charm lives on today—FC Tokyo supporters even sing it at matches.

With a cross-generational familiarity, it evokes nostalgic scenes of Japan not only for those in their seventies but for people of all ages.

Perfect for gymnastics or dance as well, this song brings smiles and fills any moment with energy.

Flying to IstanbulMayoyo Shōno

Flying to Istanbul

A captivating song that beckons you into an exotic world with its dreamy melody and sophisticated, cosmopolitan lyrics.

Released in April 1978, it became one of Maya Shono’s signature works, selling 463,000 copies on the Oricon charts.

Though composer Kyohei Tsutsumi originally wrote it for Goro Noguchi, he decided it would suit a female vocalist better and offered it to Shono.

The arrangement features the Greek folk instrument bouzouki, adding to its exotic atmosphere.

The song portrays a woman setting off on a sentimental journey after a heartbreak, delicately expressing her resolve not to resent her former lover but to accept the experience as a cherished memory.

It’s a perfect choice to sing on a summer night at karaoke, accompanied by your own precious memories.

Words of FarewellKaientai

Farewell Words / Kaientai (with lyrics)

Do you have any nostalgic melodies that make you feel the warmth of spring sunshine the moment you hear them? Kaientai’s classic “Okuru Kotoba” is a heartwarming piece filled with messages perfect for graduation season.

Its lyrics about the sorrow of parting, the courage to trust others, and the depth of love truly resonate.

Released in November 1979, the song also became well-known as the theme for the popular TV drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3-B.” Singing it together with older adults might spark lively conversations about fond memories.

Consider incorporating it into recreational activities at your facility.

Good-bye, My LoveAnn Lewis

Ann Lewis - Goodbye My Love

Good-Bye My Love is filled with melodies that colored the Showa era and pierce the heart.

Ann Lewis’s vocals radiate the same charm they had when the song was released in 1974.

Even decades after its release, the lyrical world remains unfaded, where bittersweetness and warmth coexist, inviting us into the past as if riding a time machine.

The reason this song remains evergreen seems to go beyond its lyrics that depict pure romantic feelings.

Perhaps it spins a new story in the heart of each listener, entwined with their own memories.