The song from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme song and insert song.
When it comes to Ghibli works that are immensely popular with children, My Neighbor Totoro is the one that stands out!
My Neighbor Totoro is a story about two sisters who move to the countryside and their encounters with mysterious creatures that only children can see.
In this article, we’ll introduce the theme song and insert songs from My Neighbor Totoro.
Totoro’s theme song is also a classic for children’s dance routines!
Many of you may already know it, but take this opportunity to check out the insert songs as well.
Experience the mysterious world the sisters felt—together with them!
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Totoro Next Door songs. Theme and insert songs (11–20)
Haunted house!Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece that plays during the scene where Satsuki and Mei explore their new house.
The lively rhythm conjures up images of the two of them dashing around happily.
After seeing that scene, I wouldn’t be surprised if some people thought, “Someday, I want to live in a house like that!”
Flight on a Moonlit NightJoe Hisaishi
This piece is the music from the scene where Satsuki and Mei ride Totoro and fly through the night sky.
That slightly mysterious, thrilling moment that feels like a secret just for children is a dreamlike, unforgettable scene even when you grow up.
This track features an outstanding arrangement that captures that moment in a fun, light, and slightly mystical way—music that feels like it could bring good dreams anytime.
Mei is not here.Joe Hisaishi
This is the piece for the very sad and difficult “Mei Is Missing” scene in the story.
The mournful melody perfectly conveys the deep concern felt by Satsuki, Granny, and everyone in the village.
As evening falls, the melody carries the intense anxiety leading up to nightfall—every time I hear it, it brings me to tears.
It’s a beautiful theme song imbued with everyone’s prayers for her safety.
motherAzumi Inoue
This song, sung by Azumi Inoue and included on the image album for My Neighbor Totoro, evokes a mother who lovingly cherishes Mei and Satsuki, gently enveloping them, while the sisters chatter happily together.
It’s an indispensable “mother’s song” in the film, performed with rich emotion—be sure to listen closely to the lyrics and enjoy them.
Let's go visit (someone) in the hospital.Joe Hisaishi
When you think of the song from My Neighbor Totoro, that melody instantly comes to mind, doesn’t it? This piece, “Let’s Go for a Visit,” is an arrangement of that tune made for use in the film.
Totoro naturally conjures a fun, cheerful atmosphere—perhaps because this track essentially serves as the main theme.
Either way, it’s a song that never fails to put me in a buoyant, happy mood whenever I listen to it.
Soaked GhostJoe Hisaishi
Among the many iconic scenes in the film, the one where Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei wait for the bus in the pouring rain surely ranks near the top.
This is the cheerful rainy-day song for their little shelter-from-the-storm.
Does “Soaking-Wet Ghost” refer to Totoro after all? Listening to this piece, the slightly lonely circumstances of the two sisters feel a bit brighter, and it seems to give you the strength to carry on with quiet determination.
Song(s) from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme and insert songs (21–30)
Little ghostJoe Hisaishi
When we hear “little ghosts” in this play, we immediately picture them, don’t we? That’s right—it’s the song used for the tag scene with Mei, the theme of the “Makkuro Kurosuke.” Throughout this story, where more and more mysterious things unfold from an ordinary day, it captures the playful atmosphere of the first strange creatures that Mei—and we—encounter.