How was "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World), a beloved children's song across generations, born? Singer-songwriters Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa share its untold story.

Key facts

• How was "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World), a beloved children's song across generations, born? Singer-songwriters Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa share its untold story.
• Fan-Tap Co., Ltd., operating the digital sheet music distribution service "Canon Digital Music Score," has launched an interview series on YouTube titled "STORY ~Visiting Masterpieces~," where lyricists and composers share the untold stories behind their songs and the emotions embedded in their lyrics and music. The first guests are singer-songwriters Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa, who have brought numerous acclaimed songs, including "Niji" (Rainbow), into the world. This special interview with the "golden duo" who have breathed new life into Japanese children's songs and captivated a wide range of generations, from children to adults, for many years has been realized. The conversation between the two allies unfolds in a consistently amicable atmosphere, offering an inexhaustible exchange between seasoned artists. Their talk ranges from their first meeting at a nursery school to fresh behind-the-scenes stories of their creation at the time, also featuring live singing and playing by Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa. Hirotaka Nakagawa worked as a nursery teacher for 5 years before forming the band "Toraya Boshiten." He has written lyrics and composed over 2700 children's songs and play songs, including representative works like "Minna Tomodachi" (Everyone is Friends), "Ooi Kabakun" (Hey, Hippo), "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World), "Niji" (Rainbow), and "Tomodachi ni Naru Tameni" (To Become Friends). In 1995, he debuted as a picture book author with "Satsuma no Oimo" (Doshinsha), and won the Japan Picture Book Award Grand Prize for "Naita" (Kinnohoshi-sha), with over 300 published picture books. Toshihiko Niizawa is a singer-songwriter who works on a wide range of songs, from children's to adult's. He is active nationwide, holding concerts and nursery school workshops. His representative works include "Niji" (Rainbow), "Sayonara Bokutachi no Hoikuen" (Goodbye, Our Nursery School), and "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World). "Canon Digital Music Score" is an online sheet music distribution service offering approximately 10,000 songs, primarily piano scores, ranging from trending pop to classical music. Purchased sheet music can be downloaded in PDF format and is also available through smartphone and tablet apps. The service was launched on December 9, 2016.
• Source: PR TIMES
• Date: Fri May 01 2026 22:30:02 GMT+0900 (Japan Standard Time)

Direct answer

Fan-Tap Co., Ltd., operating the digital sheet music distribution service "Canon Digital Music Score," has launched an interview series on YouTube titled "STORY ~Visiting Masterpieces~," where lyricists and composers share the untold stories behind their songs and the emotions embedded in their lyrics and music. The first guests are singer-songwriters Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa, who have brought numerous acclaimed songs, including "Niji" (Rainbow), into the world. This special interview with the "golden duo" who have breathed new life into Japanese children's songs and captivated a wide range of generations, from children to adults, for many years has been realized. The conversation between the two allies unfolds in a consistently amicable atmosphere, offering an inexhaustible exchange between seasoned artists. Their talk ranges from their first meeting at a nursery school to fresh behind-the-scenes stories of their creation at the time, also featuring live singing and playing by Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa. Hirotaka Nakagawa worked as a nursery teacher for 5 years before forming the band "Toraya Boshiten." He has written lyrics and composed over 2700 children's songs and play songs, including representative works like "Minna Tomodachi" (Everyone is Friends), "Ooi Kabakun" (Hey, Hippo), "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World), "Niji" (Rainbow), and "Tomodachi ni Naru Tameni" (To Become Friends). In 1995, he debuted as a picture book author with "Satsuma no Oimo" (Doshinsha), and won the Japan Picture Book Award Grand Prize for "Naita" (Kinnohoshi-sha), with over 300 published picture books. Toshihiko Niizawa is a singer-songwriter who works on a wide range of songs, from children's to adult's. He is active nationwide, holding concerts and nursery school workshops. His representative works include "Niji" (Rainbow), "Sayonara Bokutachi no Hoikuen" (Goodbye, Our Nursery School), and "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World). "Canon Digital Music Score" is an online sheet music distribution service offering approximately 10,000 songs, primarily piano scores, ranging from trending pop to classical music. Purchased sheet music can be downloaded in PDF format and is also available through smartphone and tablet apps. The service was launched on December 9, 2016.

Citation

How was "Sekaijuu no Kodomotachi" (Children of the World), a beloved children's song across generations, born? Singer-songwriters Hirotaka Nakagawa and Toshihiko Niizawa share its untold story. (Fri May 01 2026 22:30:02 GMT+0900 (Japan Standard Time)), PR TIMES

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PR TIMES

Date

Fri May 01 2026 22:30:02 GMT+0900 (Japan Standard Time)