[Snow Songs] Classic winter tunes themed around snow. Snow songs that touch the heart.

snowTakeshi Matsubara

“Yuki” / Takehisa Matsubara [From Symphonics 2021 — July 3 (Sat) @ Curian Performance]

This is the sixth single released in 2010 by enka singer Takeyuki Matsubara, who is also known as the Prince of Snow Songs.

Matsubara, whose clear, pure voice has led him to record many songs themed around “snow” and “winter,” often feels closer to pop than traditional enka in terms of accessibility.

This song, “Yuki” (Snow), vividly conveys a world set in a snowy region from a woman’s perspective, with a rich sense of ebb and flow.

Snow may evoke a certain loneliness while at the same time awakening passionate emotions.

It’s a winter song that shimmers with the quiet elegance of snow and the blazing feelings of love.

Snow WhiteEVE

Shirayuki (White Snow) – Eve MV

Shirayuki is a bittersweet song about the wish to “hold on to the time spent with someone precious, even if only in a dream.” Released in 2022 by Eve, who is active as both a Vocaloid producer and singer, it was chosen as the theme song for the film Black Night Parade.

Set against a snowy landscape where the world is dyed pure white, it portrays treasuring the brief moments from night until morning.

It’s a winter song where transparent, pure feelings in the lyrics interweave with the beautiful sound of strings.

Be sure to listen for his warm vocals that seem to nestle close to the cold and to loneliness.

WinterlandohashiTrio

Ohashi Trio / Winterland

Ohashi Trio, active as a singer-songwriter and composer, offers a heartwarming winter song titled “Winterland.” It’s a track from his 2009 album “I Got Rhythm?” The lyrics depict a man thinking of the one he loves against a wintry backdrop, layering his feelings with the image of falling snow and singing of those sentiments reaching someone far away.

With its light, jazz-like sound, it’s a song that’s likely to lift your spirits.

Surf Paradise, Ski ParadiseYumi Matsutoya

Surf Heaven Ski Heaven / Surf Tengoku, Ski Tengoku (2022 Ｍix)

Known by the nickname “Yuming,” singer-songwriter Yumi Matsutoya has released numerous hit songs, from her own original works to tracks she’s written for others.

Her song “Surf Tengoku, Ski Tengoku,” included on her 10th album SURF & SNOW, was used as the theme song for the film Take Me Out to the Snowland.

Its lyrics, which heighten the anticipation of winter’s snowy landscapes, set hearts dancing alongside an urban ensemble.

Despite never being released as a single, it has become a staple winter song and stands as a representative number of the 1980s.

snowNaomi Chiaki

Yuki ~ Uta Chiaki Naomi (Japan Record Award Winner)

Naomi Chiaki, who debuted in 1969 and has created timeless classics, sings a poignant snow-themed ballad titled “Yuki” (“Snow”).

The song was originally the B-side to Mimi Hiyoshi’s 1986 single “Kitasabou,” which Naomi Chiaki later covered.

It portrays a dramatic moment in a woman’s life.

Though little is explicitly stated, the story seems to be that she visits her ex-lover’s apartment only to find he is already living with a new partner.

The way the song mirrors her emotional state with the falling snow is masterfully done.

Snowy WeekendMiki Imai

Snowy Weekend

A winter classic that delicately and beautifully portrays an irrepressible love.

It’s included on Miki Imai’s 1992 album “flow into space” as well as her best-of compilation “Ivory II.” A love song about realizing someone’s importance only after losing them, and longing for the one you can’t forget.

The gentle melody wraps around you.

The singer-songwriter Akemi Kakihara, who wrote the song, has also recorded her own version, but Miki Imai’s rendition feels warmer.

It’s the kind of song you’d like to listen to slowly at home on a night when the snow is quietly falling.

Snow somehow seems to make everything feel level and calm.

snowflakeEri Kitamura

[MAD] Kitamura Eri – Yukihana (Nightcore)

This is the B-side track to Eri Kitamura’s sixth single, “Mon,” released on November 9, 2011.

It was used as the theme song for a fantasy anime.

It’s a pop song that conveys a feeling of falling snow piling up in the heart and bringing a sense of calm.