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

Blue MountainsIchiro Fujiyama

Miyuki Kawanaka “Blue Mountains” (from “Miyuki Kawanaka Sings Ryoichi Hattori”)

In 1949, as postwar Japan began to blossom, a gem of a masterpiece expressing young people’s hopes for a bright future was born, with lyrics by Saijō Yaso and music by Hattori Ryōichi.

The duet woven by the voices of Fujiyama Ichirō and Nara Mitsue evokes the powerful, beautiful arrival of spring—like snow-breaking cherry blossoms that bloom after a harsh winter.

Written for a film, this work overlays the dreams and yearnings of the youth of the time with scenes from nature, brilliantly depicting the sentiments of people during the postwar reconstruction period.

Set against blue mountain ridges crowned with rose-colored clouds, its heartwarming melody and lyrics seem to gently embrace those living in a new era, making it an eternal classic one longs to hear with the coming of spring.

Tears of MagnoliaStardust☆Revue

Tears of Magnolia

A love ballad that sings of the profound sense of loss after losing the lover to whom eternal love was vowed.

Using the magnolia—the flower that symbolizes spring—as its motif, it beautifully depicts warm memories with a beloved person and the loneliness felt after their loss.

It was included as the first track on Stardust Revue’s album “SOLA,” released in March 1993, and was later released as a single, selling 150,000 copies.

In 2005, an acoustic version was produced for a Nikka Whisky commercial.

For those who have lost someone precious or who recall bittersweet memories in the spring season, this work will resonate deeply with your heart.

Snow in MarchNoriyuki Makihara

Snow in March (Live)

This is a coming-of-age ballad capturing a spring scene twenty days after graduation.

With a gentle melody and tender vocals, it expresses young people’s anxieties and hopes about change, as well as the fleeting time spent with dear friends.

Amid an unseasonal snowfall, the image of walking shoulder to shoulder with friends is portrayed in a way that resonates deeply.

Included on Noriyuki Makihara’s album “Kimi wa Dare to Shiawase na Akubi o Shimasu ka.” released in September 1991, this piece is captivating for its calm, warm poetic worldview.

It is a classic you’ll want to listen to with the arrival of spring, a song that offers solace to those facing life’s turning points and harboring feelings about the changing days.

A rose has bloomed.Mike Maki

Maki Mike – Roses Bloomed

This is a heartwarming song inspired by the fairy tale The Little Prince.

It portrays, along with a beautiful melody, the charm of the rose that soothes a lonely heart, the sorrow of its loss, and the story of hope that sprouts within.

Maki Maki’s gentle singing voice further enhances the song’s world.

Since its release in April 1966, it has been loved by many as a pioneering folk song and even appeared in the 17th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen that same year.

Today, it is also used as the departure melody at JR East’s Joban Line Ishioka Station, making it beloved across generations.

It’s a perfect song for the season that heralds spring’s arrival, or for those who wish to sing with feeling before parting with someone dear.

GraduationChiharu Matsuyama

Graduation / Chiharu Matsuyama

With a gentle voice that warmly watches over new beginnings in life, the 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 his soaring vocals will surely bring back many memories.

Released in 1979, this piece was created as the theme song for STV’s program “Kushiro High School’s Graduation.” It was also included on the album Seishun (Youth) and has continued to be cherished as a classic of folk music.

How about spending a heartwarming time together with seniors, sharing nostalgic memories as you reminisce?

Sakura RabbitTakaya Kawasaki

Takanori Kawasaki - Sakura Usagi [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Here is a graduation song filled with bittersweet feelings, bathed in the gentle light of spring.

The melody woven by Takaya Kawasaki delicately conveys, with his tender vocals, the emotions of a protagonist who cannot express their feelings in a classroom where cherry blossoms dance in March.

The soft metaphor of likening a boy who can’t be honest about his feelings to a rabbit is especially striking.

Released in January 2021, this piece is also included on the album “Nukumori,” and it has soothed the hearts of many.

It’s a song you’ll want to play while driving through the city, carried by a fresh spring breeze.

Perfect for the graduation season, for moments of reminiscing about youth, or for warming thoughts of someone dear.

Aizen BridgeMomoe Yamaguchi

Aizen Bridge

It’s a song that delicately portrays a woman’s complex feelings—her desire not to be bound by the institution of marriage and her anxiety that her partner might grow tired of her in the future—set against the scenes of Kyoto.

Released by Momoe Yamaguchi in December 1979, this track is her 28th single.

The performance strongly emphasizes traditional Japanese elements, and the lyrics, which incorporate Kyoto dialect, leave a striking impression.

It carefully expresses the emotions of being drawn in even while feeling bewildered by a lover’s proposal.

How about listening to it with older adults and letting it spark conversations about memories of past romance and marriage? It’s sure to be a wonderful conversation starter.