Collection of winter nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs. Includes fun winter hand-play songs too.
Do you like winter?
Winter is very cold, but you can enjoy the beautiful silvery world created by pure white snow and feel the special warmth unique to winter—like hot pot dishes and igloos.
There are so many ways to have fun that you can only experience in winter.
Winter also brings lots of fun events, such as Christmas and New Year’s!
Children are probably looking forward to making snowmen, having snowball fights, and enjoying Christmas presents and cake.
In this article, we’ll introduce nursery rhymes, folk songs, traditional children’s songs, and hand-play songs with various winter themes.
There are many songs that can turn a winter that’s just cold into wonderful memories, so be sure to give them a listen!
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Collection of winter children’s songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes. Fun winter hand-play songs too (81–90)
Ski SongComposed by: Kunihiko Hashimoto
There are two songs with the same title, but this one was included in 1933 as one of the pieces in the music textbook Shintei Jinjo Shogaku Shoka: For Sixth Grade.
The lyrics were written by Yanagiha Hayashi, and the music was composed by Kunihiko Hashimoto.
Some parts of the lyrics use old-fashioned language and can be hard to understand, but if you read them carefully, they vividly depict skiing in the winter mountains and it’s exciting.
I recommend taking this opportunity to revisit this classic Japanese school song—despite its age, it still sounds fresh today.
New Year (Japanese New Year)
This song is cherished as a children’s song celebrating the Japanese New Year.
It sings about traditional New Year’s games such as kite flying, spinning tops, ball bouncing, and hanetsuki (a paddle-and-shuttlecock game).
Published in 1901, the lyrics were written by Kume Higashi and the music was composed by Rentarō Taki.
Its simple, easy-to-remember melody is designed so children can enjoy singing it.
The phrase “Mō ikutsu neru to o-shōgatsu” (“How many more sleeps until New Year’s?”) perfectly expresses children’s excitement as they look forward to the New Year.
It is often sung in preschools, kindergartens, and elementary schools, and is incorporated as a time to learn about New Year preparations and traditional ways of playing.
Daikoku-sama
“Daikoku-sama” may be the spark that inspires interest in various aspects of Japanese culture.
The lyrics were written by Wasaburo Ishihara and the music composed by Torazo Tamura, and the song was already widely known by 1905.
The story depicts the meeting between Daikokuten, a deity believed to preside over fortune and industry, and the White Hare of Inaba, a rabbit that appears in Japanese mythology.
Learning about each of their backgrounds and stories will deepen your appreciation of the song.
It’s also recommended because its structure makes it easy to sing—so much so that it has been adopted in school lessons.
Light of Fireflies
In Japan, it is familiar as background music for graduation ceremonies and store closings, but in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, it is sung at the stroke of midnight during New Year’s Eve countdowns.
Based on a melody handed down in Scotland, the lyrics were written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns, making it a Scottish folk song.
It was included in the 1881 publication Shogaku Shoka Shohen (First Collection of Elementary School Songs), after which it came to be sung in Japan as well.
pine coneComposed by Tsuyae Kobayashi
It’s a singable song with lyrics that go, “There was a pine cone on a tall mountain, and a little monkey ate it.” It’s a simple song where the first verse is repeated twice, so you can sing it with small children.
It’s short, but it’s the kind of song that makes you feel at ease when you listen to it.
The Song of KonkonshyanComposed by Akira Yuyama
Colds tend to go around in winter, don’t they? Were these made so that children would be more willing to wear masks when they catch a cold? Various popular animals for children who have caught colds wear masks and sneeze a lot.
The characteristics of each animal are also depicted, so kids can have fun while learning.
Collection of Winter Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: Fun Winter Hand-Play Songs Too (91–100)
KodANUKI PonpoComposed by Takateru Ōyama
Konaduki Ponpo is memorable for its catchy chorus.
This children’s song aired on NHK Minna no Uta in 1983, with lyrics by Etsuo Suzuki, music by Takateru Oyama, and vocals by Atom Shimojo.
In the first half, a young tanuki is troubled by chilblains when a human girl kindly lends it her gloves; in the second half, the tanuki tries to return them.
It’s delightful how the ending—and the story overall—leaves room for imagination.