Although "Kimigayo" became to be known mainly as the national anthem after having been made to appear by Oyama and so on, it was liked before the War as a very natural song for cerebrating peace of the nation because of its position as gaka in the past and historical background that the emperor "was the head of state and had a ruling power" (the Constitution of the Empire of Japan).
大山らが登場させて後は専ら国歌として知られるようになった『君が代』だが、それまでの賀歌としての位置付けや、天皇が「國ノ元首ニシテ統治権ヲ総攬」していた（大日本帝国憲法による）という時代背景から、戦前にはごく自然な国家平安の歌として親しまれていた。