Asian Kung-Fu Generation – “To Your Town” The song is about a man and woman separated against their will, inspired by the contrast of the beautiful outside world and the dark underground caves many Okinawans hid in during the US invasion in WWII. The name itself, “shima-uta,” comes from the term used for island music. This is a touching and emotional song with a background rooted in some of Japan’s most difficult history. Even though The Boom is not from Okinawa, they made an effort to include Okinawan instruments, musical styles, and vocabulary in the song. To this day, “Shima Uta” remains one of the most popular songs associated with the island. This song was inspired by a trip the band’s lead singer took to Okinawa. If you’re anything like me, the song will be stuck in your head for days.
“Linda Linda” is one of the band’s most popular singles, inspiring numerous covers and even playing an integral part in the movie Linda Linda Linda. Over their 10-year run, The Blue Hearts released seven albums and are regularly featured on Best Japanese Act and Best Album lists. Similar to The Clash and Sex Pistols, The Blue Hearts is an upbeat punk rock band known for their controversial shenanigans. If you like folk/pop music, you’ll find yourself trying to sing along to all three parts of “Winding Road”! 3. The only song on this list featuring multiple vocalists, this song is your opportunity for a duet or trio with new friends! The song itself is a collaboration between the duo Kobukuro and singer Ayaka. Its popularity in the US led to this song also being called “Sukiyaki” after the hot pot dish because it was a more recognizable Japanese term for English speakers. After the song was released in 1961, it was the first and only Japanese song to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the US.
The lyrics are simple and poignant, telling the story of a man who whistles and looks up at the sky to avoid crying while he walks. The oldest song on our list, Ue o Muite Arukou is one of the biggest Japanese hits. The Best Japanese Karaoke Songs for Learning Japanese 1. So form bonds, belt out some new favorites, and learn Japanese when you sing through our list! Music genres have a unique culture surrounding them, and learning about favorite songs and artists helps you discover mainstream and counter cultures prevalent in Japan. Music will help expose you to these fun little language idiosyncrasies and help you identify them when you’re out in the wild.įinally, like all music, learning about the different genres in Japanese music can help you find your niche. That said, music is also known to use made-up words and improper grammar- think Will Smith and “jiggy with it”. Because these words are connected to a melody, you’re more likely to remember them. Music also exposes you to new vocabulary and colloquialisms.
Listening to these artists help you learn to identify and understand these accents and expose you to new region-specific slang.
Additionally, musicians come from all over and can have distinct regional (and sometimes stylistic) accents. First off, when you sing along with music, you also mimic accent and intonation, helping improve your own accent. Listening and singing along to the best karaoke songs in Japanese can do so many things for your language study. What better way to learn Japanese than belting out all the best karaoke songs in your new language? Even better, you can throw together a Japanese karaoke night and make it a social event! Karaoke is a very popular social activity in Japan, so there are lots of great tunes to choose from. Singing along to the best karaoke songs is not only fun, but helps you learn Japanese. But what if your brain break could be part of studying? That’s where karaoke comes in! Sometimes you need a brain break from studying.