Spring songs for people in their 60s: A collection of classic tracks about cherry blossoms and farewells

My heart is stop-motionTomoko Kuwae

Spring Song ① My Heart is Stop Motion / Tomoko Kuwae

A heartfelt work by Tomoko Kuwae that gently envelops the thrill of unexpected encounters and new love.

Its light, refreshing melody beautifully captures the budding feelings that arrive with spring.

The way a heart, after a long winter, gradually unravels in the warm sunlight is especially memorable.

Released in January 1979, it reached No.

12 on the Oricon weekly chart and was also used in a commercial for Pola’s Vario cosmetics.

In the same year, it earned the Best New Artist Award at the 21st Japan Record Awards and was included on her debut album, Born Free.

A perfect song for anyone feeling the stirrings of romance or eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring.

tricolor violetJunko Sakurada

Junko Sakurada - Tricolor Violet by jama

This is a song by Junko Sakurada, released in February 1974, that entrusts the tender feelings of first love to tricolor violets.

Singing of a fleeting romance, the track reached No.

10 on the Oricon chart and sold approximately 186,000 copies.

The fusion of Akuyu’s delicate lyrics and Taiji Nakamura’s evocative melody beautifully captures the aching innocence of a young girl’s love.

The work depicts the emotions of adolescence—where hope and anxiety intertwine—with elegance, while Sakurada’s clear, translucent voice adds depth to the story.

It is a gentle companion for anyone who holds close the longing of waiting and the poignancy of an unfulfilled love.

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?

To my distant loverHideki Saijo

Hideki Saijo — To a Distant Lover

A heartwarming medium-tempo ballad by Hideki Saijo that poignantly sings of his feelings for the lover he left behind in his hometown after moving to the city.

Released in November 1978, the song reached No.

8 on the Oricon chart.

With a powerful voice, it gently embraces the yearning for a dear one far away and the hope for the arrival of spring.

The strong will to reunite with his lover after a long winter resonates with a beautiful melody, leaving a deep impression on listeners.

This work stands as a classic that conveys the preciousness of love that remains unchanged despite distance, offering comfort to everyone living apart from their loved ones.

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.

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.

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.