The Wind Rises songs: theme song and insert songs
The Wind Rises, a Studio Ghibli film released in 2013.
If you remember that time, you likely recall the news that director Hayao Miyazaki would retire after this film, which caused quite a stir.
The protagonist, Jiro Horikoshi, is absorbed in building airplanes.
And the heroine, Nahoko Satomi, fights illness.
Their relationship, the story itself, and the historical backdrop—all of it sinks deep into the heart.
Many viewers probably found themselves in tears by the end.
This article compiles the many famous pieces of music used in The Wind Rises.
Each and every one is profoundly moving.
- Song of the Wind: Masterpieces themed around wind. Popular songs [2025]
- Songs from Whisper of the Heart: theme song and insert songs
- Songs from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Main theme and insert songs.
- Songs of Studio Ghibli: List of Theme Songs, Insert Songs, and BGM from Ghibli Music
- Songs from Kiki's Delivery Service. Anime theme and insert songs. Ghibli classics.
- Theme and insert songs of 'Your Name'
- Songs from Spirited Away: theme song and insert songs
- Songs from Porco Rosso. Theme song and inserted songs.
- Songs from Howl's Moving Castle: theme song and insert songs
- Songs from From Up on Poppy Hill. Theme song and insert songs.
- Songs from Castle in the Sky (Laputa): the theme song and insert songs.
- Songs from 'When Marnie Was There': theme song and insert songs
- The song from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. Theme song and insert song.
The Wind Rises songs. Theme and insert songs (21–30)
Journey (Younger Sister)Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece “Journey,” often heard in commercials and trailers for the film The Wind Rises.
Jiro quietly looks back on days swept up by war, disasters, work, and marriage.
The traditional Chinese instrument, the yueqin, is used.
The bright, dry timbre of the strings—like a guitar or mandolin—is very pleasant to listen to.
It feels laid-back, yet somehow bittersweet.
A mysterious track.
shooting starJoe Hisaishi
This is the piece “Shooting Star,” used in the film The Wind Rises.
Its beautiful, somehow nostalgic piano timbre conjures up stars scattered across the night sky.
Like a shooting star that vanishes before you can even make a wish, the playful piano performance feels very fleeting and romantic.
It also prompts you to reflect anew on the preciousness of encounters and of life that the film conveys.
The Wind Rises songs: Theme and insert songs (31–40)
Nahoko (gaze)Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece “Naoko (Gaze)” used in The Wind Rises.
It’s a song that brings to mind her clear, straightforward eyes.
It expresses Naoko’s resilience as she strives to live with all her might, without lamenting the circumstances she finds herself in.
After the dramatic harmonies at the beginning, the latter half shifts to a gentle, heartrending melody.
Naoko (Encounter)Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece “Naoko (Meeting)” from the film The Wind Rises.
It’s just under a minute long and very short, but you can feel the fateful moment when Naoko and Jiro first meet.
Their encounter happens during a brief moment amid a train accident.
After that, the two spend the rest of Naoko’s life together.
The music evokes their first meeting and foreshadows the many sorrowful events they will have to overcome.
Naoko (Rainbow)Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece that plays when the protagonist, Jiro Horikoshi, proposes to his girlfriend, Naoko.
It begins with a slightly anxious, quiet tone, but midway it transforms dramatically into a soaring, string-driven sound! The high registers are delicate, making you feel joyful while also somehow at ease.
The grand, happiness-filled sound will make anyone listening feel happy too!
Falcon SquadJoe Hisaishi
Nahoko, the heroine of The Wind Rises and the wife of Jiro Horikoshi, is said to have little time left because she suffers from tuberculosis.
Yet you can feel the hope she carries here.
The slow-tempo sound that lets in warm sunlight and the multilayered strings are wonderfully beautiful.
Just as a rainbow appears after the rain, this piece may capture her in a moment when the hardships have passed and her heart is clear.
In conclusion
We introduced the theme song and insert songs from The Wind Rises, the work in which Hayao Miyazaki sealed away fantasy.
Some of the pieces may make you think of the film and feel a touch of sadness, but they are all beautiful and wonderful compositions.
I think even those who haven’t seen the movie can enjoy them, so please listen while imagining the scenes painted by the music.