[For Seniors] Recommended Spring Songs for People in Their 70s: A Collection of Nostalgic Spring Tunes

Azusa No. 2hunter

Azusa Nigo (2015 Remaster)

This is a classic song from 1977 that portrays love and parting in the city, heralding the arrival of spring.

It vividly conveys the protagonist’s state of mind as they, exhausted by urban life, decide to set off on a journey.

The Hunters’ striking harmonies blend beautifully with the powerful yet wistful melody composed by Shunichi Tokura and the delicate lyrics by Machiko Ryu.

After its release in March 1977, it reached No.

4 on the Oricon weekly chart and No.

15 on the year-end chart.

It also won the New Artist Award at the Japan Record Awards that same year, and has continued to be cherished as one of The Hunters’ signature songs.

It resonates deeply with those taking a new step forward or parting from someone dear.

Why not listen to it on a morning train, accompanied by the gentle scenery of spring?

Ringo OiwakeHibari Misora

Ringo Oiwake (Recorded in 1982)

This masterpiece gracefully portrays a farewell scene alongside the landscapes of Tsugaru.

With white clouds floating over Mount Iwaki, peaches and cherry blossoms, and early-blooming flowers as the backdrop, a fragile, aching sentiment—like petals dancing in the moonlight—touches the heart.

Hibari Misora beautifully conveys a lyrical world through her distinctive melodic phrasing infused with elements of folk songs and enka, and her deeply expressive singing.

Released in May 1952, the piece was produced as an insert song for the radio drama “Ringoen no Shōjo” (The Apple Orchard Girl) the same year, and was later chosen as the theme song when it was adapted into a film.

It achieved an astonishing 700,000 sales and is known as one of Hibari Misora’s signature songs.

Highly recommended for those who cherish deep memories in their hearts or wish to experience the charm of traditional Japanese popular music.

12th graderKazuo Funaki

12th grader

This is a masterpiece whose nostalgic, march-like melody and warm vocals—enveloping the bittersweet farewell of youth—resonate deeply.

It begins with the scene of the setting sun reflected on the school building, moves through images of boys and girls dancing a folk dance, and gently depicts the end of high school life with memories shared among friends before parting.

Released in June 1963 as Kazuo Funaki’s debut single, it became a massive hit, selling over one million copies within a year.

In November of the same year, a film of the same title was produced, with Funaki himself in the starring role.

It’s a song I’d recommend to those who cherish memories of their youth or feel nostalgic for their school days.

Why not give it a listen in the springtime, when you want to spend your days with a calm and peaceful heart?

Song of Seeing Spring OffGoro Noguchi

Soushunkyoku

A poignant ballad that delicately portrays the moment spring slips away.

Goro Noguchi’s soaring vocals beautifully capture the bittersweetness of youth and the resolve to set out on a new journey.

Released in December 1978, the song reached No.

14 on the Oricon chart and No.

8 on The Best Ten, and it ranked 46th on the 1979 year-end chart.

Created by the duo of Yū Aku and Kyōhei Tsutsumi, it tells a story of a man and a woman set on a rainy spring day.

With Noguchi’s tender, empathetic singing, this track deeply moves listeners with its portrayal of a heartrending relationship.

Flowers and Sunshine of a Spring Day

Flowers of a Spring Day, Shining — Saori Yuki & Sachiko Yasuda

The youth and beauty of a loved one inevitably change with time.

Yet this work is a gem of a love song that gently embraces those changes while proclaiming that the bonds of the heart remain eternal.

Set to a traditional Irish melody, its calm and warm vow of love resonates deeply.

First published in 1807, it has also been cherished as Harvard University’s alma mater and as a hymn.

In Japan, thanks to Keizo Horiuchi’s beautiful Japanese lyrics—and recordings by sisters Saori Yuki and Sachiko Yasuda—it has won the hearts of many.

It is often sung at life’s milestones, such as weddings and graduations, as a testament to unchanging love.

dandelionHiromi Ohta

Dandelion by Hiromi Ohta

A classic that captures delicate feelings of first love from a unique perspective.

The emotions of a modest yet pure-hearted girl in love are overlapped with the image of dandelions blooming by the roadside, gently singing of the bittersweet feelings everyone experiences.

Takashi Matsumoto’s poetic lyrics and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s melody blend beautifully, and Hiromi Ohta’s pure voice perfectly conveys the song’s world.

Released in April 1975, it was later included on the album “Tanshūhen” (Short Stories) and gained popularity.

It’s a song that comforts those who strive to live strongly—like a dandelion that keeps blooming while facing forward—even when they carry loneliness in their hearts.

Recommended for anyone who wants to relate to the ache of unrequited love and the feelings of being in love.

scarecrowMasashi Sada

Scarecrow — Masashi Sada

This is a song that conveys feelings for one’s hometown, depicting the scenery of the Showa-era countryside with a quiet, gentle melody.

In Masashi Sada’s tender storytelling style, it likens thoughts for younger siblings living alone in the city to the figure of a scarecrow standing in the snow.

Released in November 1977, it is also included on albums such as “Watakushishu” and “Masashi Sada Best.” It’s a wonderful song that older listeners can find familiar, inviting everyone to sing together while fondly recalling family members living far away.

For recreation in care facilities, we hope people will enjoy it by clapping along slowly to the performance.