The collection of songs known as Jinjyou Shougaku Shouka (Primary School Songs) isvery popular in Japan, especially the song "Furusato". From the late Meiji until thebeginning of Taisyou era, it seems that it was made under the influence of hymns that wereintroduced by Christian missionaries. The Ministry of Education was in charge of thecommittee of the editorial department in those days. One hundred and twenty school songswere collected together-some already existing in the precursor collection Jinjyou ShougakuTokuhon Shouka (Primary School Songs Reader) and some newly commissioned from poetsand composers. However, it was not obvious who wrote which song and who wrote whichpoem. As yet the autograph scores and manuscripts of the originals have never been seen.This short paper investigates and analyzes the background of the Jinjyou Shougaku Shoukacollection.