Tear-jerking love songs: classic and popular hits from Japanese music

crescent moonAyaka

Ayaka – Crescent Moon

This ambitious work powerfully sings of the aching feelings of longing for a faraway lover.

Released as a single in September 2006, it showcases Ayaka’s outstanding expressive ability to the fullest.

The song is memorable for its forward-looking resolve to overcome parting and loneliness with a loved one, as well as its strong will to keep thinking of that person, while also conveying a sense of a positive future.

It was featured as the CM song for au’s “LISMO” and as the theme song for NHK General TV’s “Tsunagaru TV @ Human,” and it won the Best New Artist Award at the 48th Japan Record Awards.

It’s a song that offers comfort to those in long-distance relationships or anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone dear.

Dinner Songtuki.

tuki. “Banquet Song” Official Music Video

A song that poignantly grips the heart with the ache of heartbreak.

Since its release in September 2023, it has drawn attention as tuki.

’s debut work, and the music video featuring beautiful illustrations by Posuka Demizu also became a hot topic.

It portrays the image of oneself making a loved one cry and the wavering feelings of being unable to let go nonetheless, stirring the heart with gratitude and pain toward the other person.

With an appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen secured, this work has established a solid presence in the music scene despite the artist being just 15 years old.

It’s a recommended track for those who carry memories of a bittersweet romance or who want to reexamine their feelings for someone dear.

to go see (someone) / to go meetAimyon

aimyon – Going to See You [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This is a poignant song that portrays unspoken feelings and fading memories through the image of a love letter left in the refrigerator gradually turning white.

Released by Aimyon in May 2024, it was selected as the theme song for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “Unmet: A Neurosurgeon’s Diary.” The track is also included on the album “Neko ni Jealousy” and won the Drama Song Award at the 120th The Television Drama Academy Awards.

With lyrics that empathize with a protagonist struggling with memory impairment and a warm melody, it deeply resonates with those who carry regrets or lingering attachments to the past.

I LOVE YOUChris Hart

Chris Hart – I LOVE YOU

A heart-stirring ballad that poignantly sings of a love growing cold.

Released in February 2014 as Chris Hart’s first original single, the song is known as the theme for the ACE JTB TV commercial.

While cherishing the happy memories with a lover, it vividly portrays the emotional turmoil of drifting apart.

Though American-born, Hart masterfully conveys the delicate nuances of Japanese and delivers a warm vocal that resonates deeply with listeners.

Scenes of memories unfolding with the changing seasons—like springtime cherry-blossom viewing and winter kisses indoors—further heighten the ache of heartbreak.

It’s a song that gently supports those who have lost someone precious or who are seeking closure.

Linju LoveMacaroni Enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu “Rinju Love” MV

A moving story that portrays profound love and longing in the face of death.

This piece was released as a single by Macaroni Empitsu in January 2023.

Created as the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “I Wish I Had Said It a Million Times,” it captured the hearts of many viewers alongside the show’s poignant narrative.

Woven with a heartrending melody of love and an emotional vocal performance, the lyrics contain the soul’s cry of someone forced to part with the one they love.

It’s a song that brings to the fore the ache of holding someone dear in your heart right up to the final moment, along with the feelings left unspoken.

Perfect for those who want to empathize with the pain of lost love or are seeking music that stirs the soul.

Only a single voicegood-for-nothing

Rokudenashi “Just One Voice” / Rokudenashi – One Voice [Official Music Video]

It’s a poignant song that empathizes with people carrying the pain of heartbreak and the struggle of living.

Released in December 2021, it delicately portrays the loneliness and inner conflict of young people today, accompanied by the gentle tones of the piano.

The emotions expressed by Rokudenashi reflect the image of people who, though hurt by everyday words, still try their best to smile.

The song resonated across borders, reaching No.

1 on Hong Kong’s Spotify Viral Chart and moving many hearts.

It’s a track I wholeheartedly recommend to those who can’t quite put their feelings into words or who are wrestling with worries alone.

Its tender melodies and vocals will surely stay close to your heart.

Above the setting sunTakaya Kawasaki

Takaya Kawasaki - Above the Sunset [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A poignant love song by Takaya Kawasaki that strikingly portrays a person who appears calm and quiet yet harbors passionate feelings deep inside.

Released in July 2024 as the ending theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Hidamari ga Kikoeru,” the song delicately weaves in imagery of wind, scents, and scenery to express unspoken feelings and the ache of missed connections.

It’s a recommended track for anyone who carries a faint crush yet struggles to put it into words, or for those who wish to look back on the dramatic, bittersweet trajectory of a romance.