Ichirō Fujiyama

1.1. Childhood and Early Education

Ichirō Fujiyama was born Takeo Masunaga on April 8, 1911, in Kakiagarachō, Nihonbashi Ward, Tokyo. He was the third son and youngest of five children of Shinzo Masunaga, a manager at Omiya, a muslin wholesale merchant. His mother, Yu, was the adopted daughter of the store owner. Growing up in a prosperous household, supplemented by his mother's successful stock investments and rental properties, Fujiyama enjoyed an economically privileged upbringing.

From a young age, Fujiyama was immersed in music. His mother encouraged piano lessons, which he began early. After kindergarten, he frequently visited the Japan Music School, founded by his relative, composer Genichiro Yamada, where he learned hymns, piano, and how to read musical scores. He also frequented Asakusa, where he absorbed the crisp pronunciations and lively intonations of the local vendors, which he later credited for his clear singing articulation.

In the spring of 1918, Fujiyama entered Keio Yochisha, where Tarō Okamoto was a classmate. He became proficient in reading musical scores and performed in children's song concerts both inside and outside the school, even recording songs as a child singer, such as "Haru no No." Encouraged by his Keio Yochisha music teacher, Seitaro Ezawa, he temporarily ceased singing to focus on music theory, reading scores, and mastering the piano and violin. His academic records from this period show consistent high marks in singing and other subjects.

In the spring of 1924, Fujiyama progressed to Keio Futsubu School. While continuing his musical studies, including piano lessons with Ryūtarō Hirota, an assistant professor at Tokyo Music School, he also joined the rugby club. He played with dedication, even winning the National Junior High School Rugby Football Tournament in 1929 during his third or fourth year. Despite his musical and athletic achievements, his academic performance, excluding music and physical education, was poor, leading to him ranking 51st out of 52 students upon graduation (with Okamoto Taro being last, humorously claiming Fujiyama was "really last" because he attended more).

In 1927, while at Keio Futsubu, when the Keio cheering song "Wakaki Chi" was created, Fujiyama was tasked with instructing students for the Keio-Waseda match. His strict teaching style led to a confrontation with senior students, who physically threatened and assaulted him. This incident marked the beginning of his long association with "Wakaki Chi." Throughout his time at Keio, Fujiyama absorbed the spirit of public service advocated by Yukichi Fukuzawa, which later influenced his extensive social and welfare activities with organizations like the Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts.

1.2. Tokyo Music School Era

In April 1929, after graduating from Keio Futsubu, Fujiyama enrolled in the vocal department of the Tokyo Music School, which was then Japan's only government-run music academy and later became the Tokyo University of the Arts. At a time when music and dance were largely considered pursuits for women, Fujiyama was the sole male student admitted to the vocal department. During his entrance interview, he stated his ambition to become an opera singer.

He achieved a respectable 15th rank out of 30 students in the preparatory vocal performance course before advancing to the main course. By February 1931, he performed as a baritone soloist at the "Gakuyu Enso-kai" (Friends' Concert), singing pieces from operas like Faust and Rigoletto, showcasing his classical training. However, his family's financial situation deteriorated sharply due to the Great Depression's impact on Japan. Their muslin wholesale business collapsed, leaving them with a debt of 38.00 K JPY.

To support his family, Fujiyama began working part-time as a music transcriber, often for the renowned composer Kōsaku Yamada, and secretly took on recording jobs. Recording popular songs was a strict violation of the school's Article 58, which prohibited off-campus performances. To conceal his identity, he adopted the pseudonym "Ichirō Fujiyama." The name was inspired by a close friend's surname, Nagafuji, which he altered to "Fujiyama" (meaning "Mount Fuji") to avoid revealing his true identity, quickly settling on it within five minutes.

Between 1931 and 1932, Fujiyama recorded approximately 40 songs. His breakthrough hit was "Sake wa Namida ka Tameiki ka" (酒は涙か溜息か_{Is Sake Tears or Sighs?}^Japanese), released in September 1931 and composed by Masao Koga, selling over one million copies. This was an unprecedented success, particularly given that only about 200,000 phonographs existed in Japan and its colonies at the time, marking it as a "frenetic hit." For this song, Fujiyama employed a "croon singing" technique, utilizing the microphone's characteristics to produce a beautiful, restrained resonance that effectively conveyed the melancholic and modernist mood Koga intended. "Oka o Koete" (丘を越えて_{Beyond the Hill}^Japanese), also composed by Koga and released in 1931, became another hit, where Fujiyama demonstrated a clear, powerful singing style from a distance to the microphone, expressing the vibrancy of youth. Both songs catapulted Fujiyama and Koga to stardom.

The sudden fame of "Ichirō Fujiyama" led to public curiosity, which Fujiyama feared would expose his identity at school. He even hoped his records would not sell well, as he received a flat fee of 15 JPY per song regardless of sales. When a letter to the Tokyo Music School revealed his secret, Fujiyama challenged the authorities, arguing the unfairness of punishing students for earning money while teachers also earned income outside school. Although he faced potential expulsion, his supporters, including his esteemed baritone instructor Klaus Pringsheim and his former Keio teachers Ryutaro Hirota, Atsushi Otsuka, and Tadao Yanada, advocated for him, citing his academic excellence and the fact that he gave all his earnings to his mother. He received a one-month suspension, which conveniently coincided with the winter break, resulting in no actual penalty. During this period, he deceptively submitted a list to the school, claiming he had already recorded "Kage o Shitaite" (影を慕いて_{Longing for the Shadow}^Japanese), thereby ensuring its release. After his suspension was lifted, Fujiyama focused solely on his studies.

In 1932, despite the school's general ban on operatic stage performances for "moral reasons," Fujiyama starred as the boy in the school opera Der Jasager by Kurt Weill, staged at the Tokyo Music School Sōgakudō. He also performed as a soloist in Richard Wagner's Lohengrin, conducted by Pringsheim at Hibiya Public Hall, earning recognition as a promising baritone alongside foreign singers like Hermann Wucherpfenning and Maria Tole.

1.3. Record Label Activities

Following his time at Tokyo Music School, Fujiyama embarked on a professional recording career, working with several major record labels before transitioning to an exclusive contract with NHK.

1.4. Wartime Activities and Prisoner of War Life

With the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Japanese military, initially gaining ground against British, Dutch, American, and Australian forces, requested entertainment groups for their stationed troops. Fujiyama joined the Southern Comfort Group organized by the Yomiuri Shimbun at the Navy's request. He was motivated by a strong desire to visit Europe and a belief that he might experience European culture in occupied territories like Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as a patriotic desire to serve his homeland.

In February 1943, the comfort group departed Yokohama Port by ship, headed for naval personnel in Borneo and Java, then part of the former Dutch East Indies. While calling at Kaohsiung Port, their ship came under a torpedo attack by an enemy submarine, an incident that made Fujiyama realize the war situation was far more critical than what was being reported in Japan. He later stated that had he known the true severity of the war, he would not have gone. Nevertheless, he continued to serve as a naval contractor until the war's end, providing comfort to troops in various locations.

In March, the group arrived in Balikpapan, Borneo (Kalimantan), and then visited Sulawesi and Timor. Fujiyama performed his popular songs and military songs, and also local folk songs such as "Bengawan Solo", which later became part of his repertoire in Japan. He even set to music and sang "Samarinda Kouta" (サマリンダ小唄_{Samarinda Ditty}^Japanese), with lyrics penned by a naval officer. After completing the planned慰問 in July, he returned to Japan.

Upon his return, the Navy immediately requested his participation in another comfort tour. In November, he departed for Sulawesi. Fujiyama accepted, eager to experience more European culture and transcribe local folk songs. Previously treated as a civilian employee, he had expressed strong dissatisfaction with his status. This time, he was dispatched as a naval contractor with a monthly salary of 1.80 K JPY, equivalent to the rank of a Major (later upgraded to Lieutenant Colonel during his stay).

Fujiyama's comfort group toured Sulawesi, Borneo, and the Lesser Sunda Islands, including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, and Sumba. Sumba was a frontline island heavily contested by enemy aircraft, and Fujiyama was the only entertainer to visit it. When traveling to the Lesser Sunda Islands, he was advised to pack light and left his cherished Italian Dallape accordion in Sulawesi. However, he never returned to Sulawesi before the war ended, losing the instrument. Subsequently, he adopted a German Hohner accordion purchased in Surabaya, Java.

1.5. Prisoner of War Life

On August 15, 1945, Fujiyama learned of Japan's surrender while traveling by car from Surabaya, Java, to Madiun. He became a prisoner of war of the newly declared Republic of Indonesia and was initially detained in Naui prison in central Java, then transferred to Magetan prison on the middle Solo River.

In 1946, by order of future President Sukarno, Fujiyama was moved to the mountain village of Pujon in Malang province. There, he found a plantation managed by the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu, where former Imperial Japanese Navy soldiers had established a self-sufficient community they called "Kurama Village." During his stay, Fujiyama and a former Navy soldier, Seishiro Morita, would visit other internment camps on holidays to provide comfort. This life in Kurama Village lasted only a few months. A temporary ceasefire in the ongoing Indonesian National Revolution between Indonesian independence fighters, Dutch forces, and British forces allowed for the transfer and repatriation of Japanese prisoners. Fujiyama was moved to Rempang Island in the Riau Islands, where he served as an orderly for the British military, entertaining British soldiers. On July 15, 1946, Fujiyama began his journey home aboard the aircraft carrier Katsuragi, which had been converted into a repatriation transport ship.

1.6. Post-war Comeback and Rise as a National Singer

On July 25, 1946, the Katsuragi arrived at Otake Port in Hiroshima Prefecture. News of Fujiyama's return quickly spread, and shortly after he arrived home in Tokyo, NHK came to interview him. He promptly resumed his singing career in Japan, making his first radio appearance on NHK's "Ongaku Tamatebako" on August 4. By 1947, pre-war singers, including Fujiyama, were making a full comeback. His post-war hits included "Mikazuki Musume" (三日月娘_{Crescent Moon Girl}^Japanese) from a radio song, "Yume Awaki Tokyo" (夢淡き東京_{Faint Dreaming, Tokyo}^Japanese), the theme song for the film Ongaku Gonin Otoko, and "Shiratori no Uta" (白鳥の歌_{Song of the Swan}^Japanese), which also garnered high musical acclaim as a Japanese song.

In 1949, "Nagasaki no Kane" (長崎の鐘_{The Bells of Nagasaki}^Japanese), based on the essay by Takashi Nagai, became a hit. In 1950, a film of the same title was produced with the song as its theme. The song deeply moved Nagai, leading to an exchange between him, Fujiyama, lyricist Hachiro Sato, and composer Yuji Koseki. Nagai sent them a tanka poem titled "Atarashiki Asa" (新しき朝_{New Morning}^Japanese):
新しき朝の光のさしそむる 荒野にひびけ長崎の鐘
(The light of a new morning begins to shine / Resound across the wilderness, the bells of Nagasaki)
Fujiyama then composed music for this tanka, and he began singing "Atarashiki Asa" immediately after "Nagasaki no Kane" during his performances. On January 3, 1951, Fujiyama participated as the White Team captain in the 1st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, performing "Nagasaki no Kane" as the grand finale. Nagai passed away just four months later on May 1. Fujiyama continued to appear on Kōhaku as a singer for eight consecutive years from the first contest until the eighth in 1958, and a total of eleven times throughout his career.

In July 1949, Toho released a film based on Yōjirō Ishizaka's novel Aoi Sanmyaku. The film's theme song, also titled "Aoi Sanmyaku" (青い山脈_{Blue Mountain Range}^Japanese), was a duet between Fujiyama and Mitsue Nara. Both the film and the song became massive hits. The song's popularity endured across generations; in 1989, 40 years after its release, it was ranked number one in NHK's "Showa no Uta: Kokoro ni Nokoru 200" (200 Memorable Songs of the Showa Era). After Nara Mitsue's death in 1977, "Aoi Sanmyaku" became exclusively Fujiyama's signature song.

1.7. Activity as a National Singer and Conductor

In 1954, Fujiyama left his exclusive contract with Columbia Records to become a contractor (later semi-exclusive) for NHK. He explained this decision as a desire to enrich his musical life, balancing classical and popular music, and to make way for new talent. However, deeper reasons included his growing skepticism toward the commercialism of record labels and his wish to sing songs he chose, much like an actor selects scripts. In 1961, he performed and arranged Stephen Foster songs for the 13th volume of Sekai Ongaku Zenshu (Collected World Music) published by Chikuma Shobo.

In 1965, with NHK's permission, Fujiyama appeared on Tokyo 12 Channel's (later TV Tokyo) program Kayō Hyakunen (100 Years of Songs), which became a hit. The show, featuring veteran singers performing nostalgic tunes, later changed its title to Natsukashi no Utagoe (Nostalgic Singing Voice) and sparked a boom in nostalgic music. While Fujiyama had focused on classical home songs and, since 1958, appeared as a conductor rather than a singer at Kōhaku Uta Gassen, this program brought him back to popularity as a singer. He continued his long-standing role as the conductor for "Hotaru no Hikari" (蛍の光_{Glow of the Fireflies}^Japanese) at Kōhaku Uta Gassen until his death, making continuous appearances as either a singer or conductor from the first contest in 1950 until the 43rd in 1992. He also composed numerous school songs and company songs.

1.8. Chairman of the Japan Singers Association

In October 1972, following the death of the first chairman, Tarō Shōji, due to a cerebral hemorrhage, Fujiyama assumed the chairmanship of the Japan Singers Association. The association, initially a voluntary organization aiming to strengthen singers' positions, began discussions to become a public interest corporation under Fujiyama's leadership. After negotiations with the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the association was officially recognized as a public interest corporation in May 1975. This enhanced status allowed the association to secure "neighboring rights" for singers, ensuring they received remuneration related to copyrights, which had previously only been paid to lyricists and composers. Fujiyama served as chairman until May 1979, after which he continued as a director. Following his death, the Japan Singers Association co-hosted a memorial concert with NHK to honor his contributions.

1.9. People's Honour Award

On May 28, 1992, Ichirō Fujiyama received the People's Honour Award. The award recognized his "pioneering unique realm in singing popular songs with proper musical technique and intellectual interpretation" and for "giving hope and encouragement to the nation through popular songs for a long time, and contributing to the spread of beautiful Japanese language."

According to Yu Ikei, a key factor in his selection was the NHK General TV program "Ikuta no Oka o Koete - Ichirō Fujiyama, 80 Years Old, Singing Voice of Youth," broadcast on March 28, 1992. Yoshinobu Shimamura, a member of the House of Representatives, watched the program and proposed the award to Taminosuke Watanuki, then Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, prompting the government to consider it. Keizō Takahashi, a former NHK announcer and member of the House of Councillors who had championed Masao Koga's People's Honour Award, also lobbied the government through Takeo Fukuda.

Fujiyama accepted the award through his daughter. The ceremony was initially scheduled for April 25 but was postponed to May 28 due to Fujiyama's hospitalization for sciatic. Arriving at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in a wheelchair, Fujiyama rose and walked with a cane upon entering. He then sang Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" from Symphony No. 9 a cappella, a piece he had performed as a baritone under his real name, Masunaga Takeo, at Hibiya Public Hall with his mentor Klaus Pringsheim conducting. This performance symbolically reunited his classical and popular music identities after decades. Fujiyama was the first recipient of the People's Honour Award from a non-sports field to receive it while still living. His handprint is displayed at the "Japan Sports Culture Award Honour Plaza" in Ueno Park, installed in 1996.

1.10. Death

Fujiyama made several public appearances in his final months. On May 20, 1993, he attended a garden party at the Akasaka Estate. On July 22, he appeared on the 25th "Omoide no Melody" (Melodies of Memories) at NHK Hall, singing "Aoi Sanmyaku." The program was broadcast on NHK General on August 14. On July 28, he participated in a recording session at a Tokyo studio, singing his self-composed song "Kyō mo Shiawase Arigatō" (今日も幸せありがとう_{Thank You for Happiness Today}^Japanese). The following day, July 29, he gave an interview for TV Tokyo at his home. On August 21, 1993, Ichirō Fujiyama passed away from acute heart failure at the age of 82. His funeral was held three days later on August 24. Posthumously, he was honored with the Junior Fourth Rank in the order of precedence.

Fujiyama's personal effects were donated by his family to NHK and are now displayed in the "Ichirō Fujiyama Composition Room" at the NHK Museum of Broadcasting. Additionally, due to his composition of the former Yonoshi city anthem, "Yonoshi Minka," some of his belongings were also donated to Yonoshi (now Saitama City) and are exhibited at the Saitama City Yono Library and Saitama City Yono Local History Museum. His grave is located at Fuji Reien in Shizuoka Prefecture, featuring a unique tombstone engraved with an image of Mount Fuji, the kanji "一" (ichi), and the hiragana "ろ" (ro), which together can be read as "Ichirō Fujiyama." It also bears two measures of the musical score and lyrics for the "Radio Gymnastics Song," one of his most beloved compositions.

4.1. Boy Scouts

Fujiyama deeply resonated with the spirit of service embodied by the Boy Scouts and served as an advisor to the Scout Association of Japan. In 1971, when the 13th World Scout Jamboree was held in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, he composed its theme song, "Akarui Michi o" (明るい道を_{Bright Path}^Japanese). In 1988, when a cassette tape of scout songs was produced, he oversaw the recording and personally sang seven songs, including the association's anthem "Hana wa Kaoru yo" (花は薫るよ_{Flowers are Fragrant}^Japanese) and "Hikari no Michi" (光の路_{Path of Light}^Japanese). In 1992, in recognition of his long-standing contributions, he was awarded the "Golden Pheasant Award" (きじ章_Kiji-sho^Japanese), the highest honor bestowed by the Scout Association of Japan. At his funeral, a photograph of Fujiyama wearing his Boy Scout blazer and the Golden Pheasant Award was chosen as his memorial portrait.

4.2. Rotary Club

In June 1958, Fujiyama joined the Rotary Club (Tokyo Nishi Rotary Club). He was a highly dedicated member, known for his perfect attendance at meetings. Even on August 19, 1993, just two days before his death, he attended a meeting, using a cane and wheelchair. He was also actively involved in the club's operations, serving as president of the Tokyo Nishi Rotary Club from 1986 to 1987. Fujiyama composed songs related to the Rotary Club, including the "Tokyo Nishi Rotary Club Song," and provided vocal instruction to its members.

6.1. Representative Songs

• "Haru no No, Yama no Matsuri" (春の野・山の祭_{Spring Field, Mountain Festival}^Japanese), 1921
• "Handon, Nan Shite Asobo" (はんどん・何して遊ぼ_{Handon, What Shall We Play?}^Japanese), 1921
• "Hanebashi" (はね橋_Drawbridge^Japanese), 1921
• "Nippon Alps no Uta" (日本アルプスの唄_{Song of the Japanese Alps}^Japanese), 1930
• "Utsukushiki Spanyol" (美しきスパニョール_{Beautiful Spaniard}^Japanese), 1930
• "Yochisha no Uta" (幼稚舎の歌_{Song of Keio Yochisha}^Japanese), 1930
• "Keio Futsubu no Uta" (慶應普通部の歌_{Song of Keio Futsubu}^Japanese), 1930
• "Kita Taiheiyō Ōdan Hikō Kōshinkyoku" (北太平洋横断飛行行進曲_{North Pacific Crossing Flight March}^Japanese), 1931
• "Camp Kouta" (キャンプ小唄_{Camp Ditty}^Japanese), 1931
• "Oka o Koete" (丘を越えて_{Beyond the Hill}^Japanese), 1931
• "Sake wa Namida ka Tameiki ka" (酒は涙か溜息か_{Is Sake Tears or Sighs?}^Japanese), 1931
• "Enko no Roku" (エンコの六_{Enko no Roku}^Japanese), 1931
• "Ski no Uta" (スキーの唄_{Ski Song}^Japanese), 1932
• "Kage o Shitaite" (影を慕いて_{Longing for the Shadow}^Japanese), 1932
• "Hatobue o Fuku Onna no Uta" (鳩笛を吹く女の唄_{Song of the Woman Blowing a Dove Flute}^Japanese), 1932
• "Akai Hana" (赤い花_{Red Flower}^Japanese), 1933
• "Boku no Seishun" (僕の青春_{My Youth}^Japanese), 1933
• "Moeru Gojinka" (燃える御神火_{Burning Sacred Fire}^Japanese), 1933
• "Omoide no Guitar" (想い出のギター_{Guitar of Memories}^Japanese), 1933, with Tamaki Tokuyama
• "Nagoya Matsuri" (名古屋まつり_{Nagoya Festival}^Japanese), 1933
• "Kōtaishi Denka Gotanjō Hōshukuka" (皇太子殿下御誕生奉祝歌_{Congratulatory Song for His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince's Birth}^Japanese), 1934, with Tamaki Tokuyama
• "Cheerio!" (チェリオ！_Cheerio!^Japanese), 1934, with Chiyoko Kobayashi
• "Oshakasan" (オシャカサン_Oshakasan^Japanese), 1934 (also composed)
• "Kawarabato Nara" (川原鳩なら_{If It's a River Dove}^Japanese), 1934
• "Itsumo Hogaraka" (いつも朗らか_{Always Cheerful}^Japanese), 1934, with Ichimaru
• "Aoi Tsuki (Pale Moon)" (蒼い月_{Blue Moon}^Japanese), 1934 (Japanese version of "Pale Moon")
• "Kosenjō no Aki" (古戦場の秋_{Autumn of the Old Battlefield}^Japanese), 1934
• "Odoru Taiyo" (躍る太陽_{Dancing Sun}^Japanese), 1935 (also composed)
• "Koi no Hanataba" (恋の花束_{Flower Bouquet of Love}^Japanese), 1935 (Japanese version of "I Kiss Your Hand, Madame")
• "Tanima no Koya" (谷間の小屋_{Cabin in the Valley}^Japanese), 1935
• "Eien no Chikai" (永遠の誓い_{Eternal Vow}^Japanese), 1935
• "Yokaze" (夜風_{Night Wind}^Japanese), 1935
• "Futari no Haru" (二人の青春_{Our Youth}^Japanese), 1936, with Hamako Watanabe
• "Keio Ondo" (慶應音頭_{Keio Ondo}^Japanese), 1936 (also composed), with Tamaki Tokuyama
• "Tokyo Rhapsody" (東京ラプソディ_{Tokyo Rhapsody}^Japanese), 1936
• "Tokyo Musume" (東京娘_{Tokyo Girl}^Japanese), 1936
• "Otoko no Junjo" (男の純情_{Man's Pure Heart}^Japanese), 1936
• "Seishun no Shanikusai" (青春の謝肉祭_{Youth's Carnival}^Japanese), 1936
• "Kaisōfu" (回想譜_{Memories Score}^Japanese), 1937
• "Aoi Sebiro de" (青い背広で_{In a Blue Suit}^Japanese), 1937
• "Seishun Nikki" (青春日記_{Youth Diary}^Japanese), 1937
• "Byakkotai" (白虎隊_{White Tiger Force}^Japanese), 1937, with Ginryo Suzuki (recitation)
• "Aikoku Kōshinkyoku" (愛国行進曲_{Patriotism March}^Japanese), 1937
• "Yamanouchi Chūi no Haha" (山内中尉の母_{Lieutenant Yamanouchi's Mother}^Japanese), 1937
• "Shanghai Yakyoku" (上海夜曲_{Shanghai Nocturne}^Japanese), 1939
• "Natsukashi no Bolero" (懐かしのボレロ_{Good Old Bolero}^Japanese), 1939
• "Kigen Nisenroppyakunen" (紀元二千六百年_{2600th Anniversary of the Imperial Reign}^Japanese), 1940, with Akira Matsudaira, Hisao Ito, Noboru Kirishima, Misao Matsubara, Akiko Futaba, Hamako Watanabe, Mihoko Katori
• "Natsukashi no Utagoe" (なつかしの歌声_{Good Old Singing Voice}^Japanese), 1940, with Akiko Futaba
• "Haru yo Izuko" (春よいづこ_{Where is Spring?}^Japanese), 1940, with Akiko Futaba
• "Sora no Yūshi" (空の勇士_{Warrior in the Sky}^Japanese), 1940, with Noboru Kirishima, Misao Matsubara, Akiko Futaba, Hamako Watanabe
• "Moyuru ōzora" (燃ゆる大空_{Burning Great Sky}^Japanese), 1940, with Noboru Kirishima
• "Sanshoku-ki no Shita ni" (三色旗の下に_{Under the Tricolor Flag}^Japanese), 1940 (also composed)
• "Kōa Kōshinkyoku" (興亜行進曲_{The Prosperous Asia March}^Japanese), 1940, with Hisao Ito, Akiko Futaba
• "Kensho Tōsenka: Umi no Uta" (懸賞当選歌：海の歌_{Prize-winning Song: Song of the Sea}^Japanese), 1940
• "Dase Ichioku no Sokojikara" (出せ一億の底力_{Show Potential Strengths of 100 Million People}^Japanese), 1941, with Akiko Futaba
• "Konron Koete" (崑崙越えて_{Beyond Kunlun}^Japanese), 1941
• "Eikoku Tōyō Kantai Tsubumetsu" (英国東洋艦隊潰滅_{Annihilation of the British Eastern Fleet}^Japanese), 1941
• "Umi no Shingun" (海の進軍_{Anabasis in the Sea}^Japanese), 1941, with Hisao Ito, Akiko Futaba
• "Daitōa Kessen no Uta" (大東亜決戦の歌_{Song of the Greater East Asia War}^Japanese), 1942
• "Tsubasa no Gaika" (翼の凱歌_{Triumphal Song of Wings}^Japanese), 1942, with Noboru Kirishima
• "Aoi Bokujō" (青い牧場_{Blue Pasture}^Japanese), 1943, with Mitsue Nara
• "Kessen no Ōzora e" (決戦の大空へ_{To the Big Sky for the Decisive War}^Japanese), 1943
• "Tokyo Rhumba" (東京ルンバ_{Tokyo Rhumba}^Japanese), 1946, with Michiko Namiki
• "Furusato no Basha" (ふるさとの馬車_{Hometown Carriage}^Japanese), 1946
• "Ginza Serenade" (銀座セレナーデ_{Ginza Serenade}^Japanese), 1946
• "Akaki Mi" (赤き実_{Red Fruit}^Japanese), 1947, with Hamako Watanabe
• "Mikazuki Musume" (三日月娘_{Crescent Moon Girl}^Japanese), 1947
• "Yume Awaki Tokyo" (夢淡き東京_{Faint Dreaming, Tokyo}^Japanese), 1947
• "Shiratori no Uta" (白鳥の歌_{Song of the Swan}^Japanese), 1947, with Toshi Matsuda
• "Bara Saku Komichi" (バラ咲く小径_{Rose-Blooming Lane}^Japanese), 1947
• "Mitari Kiitari Tametari" (見たり聞いたりためしたり_{Seen, Heard, and Tried}^Japanese), 1947, with Michiko Namiki
• "Asakusa no Uta" (浅草の唄_{Song of Asakusa}^Japanese), 1947
• "Wakōdo no Uta" (若人の歌_{Youth's Song}^Japanese), 1947
• "Midori no Uta" (みどりの歌_{Green Song}^Japanese), 1948, with Aiko Anzai
• "Aoi Tsuki no Yoru wa" (青い月の夜は_{On a Blue Moonlit Night}^Japanese), 1948
• "Yurarirō no Uta" (ゆらりろの唄_{Yurarirō's Song}^Japanese), 1948
• "Aoi Sanmyaku" (青い山脈_{Blue Mountain Range}^Japanese), 1949, with Mitsue Nara
• "Nagasaki no Kane" (長崎の鐘_{The Bells of Nagasaki}^Japanese), 1949
• "Hana no Suhada" (花の素顔_{Flower's True Face}^Japanese), 1949, with Mariko Ando
• "Yama no Kanata ni" (山のかなたに_{Over the Mountain}^Japanese), 1950
• "Fukuzawa Yukichi Sensei o Tataeru Uta" (福澤諭吉先生を讃える歌_{Song Praising Professor Fukuzawa Yukichi}^Japanese), 1951
• "Wakōdo no Uta" (若人の歌_{Youth's Song}^Japanese), 1951 (Theme song for Toho film "Wakōdo no Uta")
• "Nagasaki no Ame" (長崎の雨_{Rain of Nagasaki}^Japanese), 1951
• "Tokyo no Ame" (東京の雨_{Rain of Tokyo}^Japanese), 1951
• "Radio Taisō no Uta (2nd Generation)" (ラジオ体操の歌(2代目)_{Song for Radio Gymnastics (2nd Generation)}^Japanese), 1951
• "Nicholai no Kane" (ニコライの鐘_{The Bells of Nicholai}^Japanese), 1952
• "Yoru no Mizuumi" (夜の湖_{Night Lake}^Japanese), 1952
• "Shimoyo no Tokei" (霜夜の時計_{Clock on a Frosty Night}^Japanese), 1952 (also composed)
• "Hoshikage no Waltz" (星かげのワルツ_{Starlight Waltz}^Japanese), 1952 (also composed), with Reiko Kato
• "Umi wa Ikiteiru (Umi no Uta)" (海は生きている(海の歌)_{The Sea is Alive (Song of the Sea)}^Japanese), 1952
• "Oka wa Hanazakari" (丘は花ざかり_{Hill is Covered with Bloom}^Japanese), 1952
• "Tooi Hanabi" (遠い花火_{Distant Fireworks}^Japanese), 1952 (also composed)
• "Olympic no Uta" (オリンピックの歌_{Olympic Song}^Japanese), 1952, with Keiko Arai
• "Barairo no Tsuki" (ばら色の月_{Rose-Colored Moon}^Japanese), 1953
• "Midori no Ame" (みどりの雨_{Green Rain}^Japanese), 1953
• "Radio Taisō no Uta (3rd Generation)" (ラジオ体操の歌(3代目)_{Song for Radio Gymnastics (3rd Generation)}^Japanese), 1956 (recorded 1958) (also composed)
• "Nami" (波_Waves^Japanese), 1959 (also composed)
• "Umi o Koete Tomo yo Kitare" (海をこえて友よきたれ_{Cross the Sea, Friends, Come!}^Japanese), 1963
• "Musume ga Yome ni Iku to Iu" (娘が嫁に行くと云う_{My Daughter Says She's Getting Married}^Japanese), 1972
• "Wakai Tokyo" (わかい東京_{Young Tokyo}^Japanese), 1974
• "Tsuioku" (追憶_Reminiscence^Japanese), 1974
• "Kyōshū" (郷愁_Nostalgia^Japanese), 1974
• "Wakōdo no Machi" (若人の街_{Youth's Town}^Japanese), 1974
• "Satsuki no Uta" (さつきの歌_{Song of May}^Japanese), 1981 (also composed)
• "Jōshū" (城愁_{Castle Melancholy}^Japanese), 1981 (also composed)
• "Furusato ni Utau Tsugaru Misaki" (ふるさとに歌う津軽岬_{Singing Tsugaru Cape in My Hometown}^Japanese), 1981 (also composed)
• "Guitar ga Watashi no Mune de" (ギターが私の胸で_{Guitar in My Chest}^Japanese), 1981
• "Bengawan Solo" (ブンガワン・ソロ_{Bengawan Solo}^Japanese), 1981 (also translated lyrics)
• "Furusato no Kumo" (ふるさとの雲_{Clouds of My Hometown}^Japanese), 1981
• "Sawayaka ni Atsuku" (爽やかに熱く_{Fresh and Hot}^Japanese), 1982
• "Bridal Veil" (ブライダルベール_{Bridal Veil}^Japanese), 1982
• "Asuka wa Yukeru" (飛鳥は逝ける_{Asuka Has Gone}^Japanese), 1983
• "Kokeshi no Uta" (こけしの歌_{Kokeshi Doll Song}^Japanese), 1983 (also composed)
• "Kamakura Jojō" (鎌倉抒情_{Kamakura Lyricism}^Japanese), 1988
• "Kamakura Song" (鎌倉ソング_{Kamakura Song}^Japanese), 1988
• "Kokyo yo Kokoro mo Sugata mo Utsukushiku" (故郷よ心も姿も美しく_{My Hometown, Beautiful in Heart and Form}^Japanese), 1990 (also composed)
• "Obā-san no Okā-san no Uta" (お婆さんのお母さんの歌_{Grandma's Mother's Song}^Japanese), 1990 (also composed)
• "Hashire Tobe Nageyo" (走れ跳べ投げよ_{Run, Jump, Throw!}^Japanese), 1990 (also composed)
• "Kokoro no Tobira" (心のとびら_{Door of the Heart}^Japanese), 1992
• "Akasaka Yoimachigusa" (赤坂宵待草_{Akasaka Evening Primrose}^Japanese), 1992 (also composed)
• "Kanki no Uta" (歓喜の歌_{Song of Joy}^Japanese), 1992 (also translated lyrics)
• "Kyō mo Shiawase Arigatō" (今日も幸せありがとう_{Thank You for Happiness Today}^Japanese), 1993 (also composed)

6.2. Major Compositions

• "Radio Taisō no Uta" (ラジオ体操の歌(3代目)_{Song for Radio Gymnastics (3rd Generation)}^Japanese)
• Singapore Japanese School Anthem
• Kawagoe City Kasumigaseki Elementary School Anthem
• Kawagoe City Kasumigaseki Nishi Elementary School Anthem
• Kawagoe City Kasumigaseki Nishi Junior High School Anthem
• Asaka City Asaka Daiichi Elementary School Anthem
• Asaka City Asaka Dairoku Elementary School Anthem
• Niiza City Niiza Junior High School Anthem
• Shima City Wagu Junior High School Anthem
• Hamamatsu City Shijimizuka Junior High School Anthem
• Suwa City Suwa Minami Junior High School Anthem
• Niiza Ondo
• Keio Gijuku Girls Senior High School Anthem
• Sundai Kofu Senior High School Anthem
• Eimeikan Junior and Senior High School Anthem
• Hankyu Braves Fan Song
• Nishitetsu Lions Song
• "Otanjōbi no Uta" (お誕生日の歌_{Birthday Song}^Japanese) (Parnass Confectionery CM Song)
• Meitetsu Unyu Co., Ltd. Company Anthem
• Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Company Anthem
• TOTO Ltd. Company Anthem
• Mitsukoshi Company Anthem
• Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd. Company Anthem (changed after company name change to Panasonic Electric Works)
• "Meguro, Minna no Uta" (めぐろ・みんなの歌_{Meguro, Everyone's Song}^Japanese) (Meguro Ward Song)
• "Kanebo Warera" (鐘紡われら_{We are Kanebo}^Japanese) (Kanebo Company Anthem, sung by employees on the company's final day of business)
• "Okā-san no Okage" (お母さんのお顔_{Mother's Face}^Japanese)
• Hiroshima Prefectural Hiro High School Student Song
• Obihiro Otani High School Anthem
• Japan Amateur Baseball Federation Anthem
• Hokkaido Shikaoi High School Anthem
• K-Line Song
• Kai City Shikishima Minami Elementary School Anthem
• Kai City Ryuo Kita Elementary School Anthem
• Niiza City Daisan Junior High School Anthem