Tear-Jerking Songs Recommended for Women in Their 80s: A Collection of Heart-Stirring Masterpieces
If you’re a woman in your 80s, you probably have many unforgettable classic songs from the Showa era.
In this article, we’ll spotlight especially moving songs from among those classics and introduce our top recommendations.
From songs about heartbreak to ones that portray the straightforward love women carry, we think you’ll find tracks that draw you in and bring you to tears.
Be sure to read the lyrics and listen while feeling the stories and emotions woven into each song.
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Tearjerker songs recommended for women in their 80s: A collection of moving classics (21–30)
Becoming a Thousand WindsMasafumi Akikawa
As a masterpiece of beautiful Japanese ballads, Masafumi Akikawa’s singing voice has left a deep impression on many hearts.
With the powerful, soaring tone characteristic of a tenor, this gem of a song gently conveys the preciousness of life and feelings for loved ones.
Released in May 2006, it became an extraordinary hit for a classical singer, creating a major buzz that included Akikawa serving as the closing performer for the White Team at the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen the following year.
In 2007, it was also selected as the theme song for a Fuji TV documentary drama.
Singing about the feelings one has for someone dear, this work continues to be cherished across generations as a song that resonates in many moments of life.
The Izu DancerHibari Misora
This is the song Hibari Misora sang as the theme for the 1954 film based on a novel by Yasunari Kawabata.
In the movie, Misora herself plays the lead role, and the wistful melody blends beautifully with her emotionally rich vocals to create a gem of a track.
Upon the film’s release, the song quickly became a major talking point, and Misora’s powerful yet delicate singing captivated many hearts.
As a classic that represents the Showa era, it’s sure to stir nostalgic memories of youth.
Why not reminisce about those days with friends who lived through the same era, listening together to Misora’s voice? You’re sure to enjoy a delightful time.
Parting at 22Princess Kaguya
A delicately rendered farewell to a longtime lover, this is a classic song that almost everyone has hummed at least once.
Released by Kaguya-hime on their 1974 album “Sankaidate no Uta,” it is said to have been written in a single night.
In 1984, it was used as the theme song for the drama “Kinō, Kanabetsu de,” bringing it back into the spotlight.
Accompanied by a gentle melody, the lyrics look back on memories with a lover while gazing toward a new step in life—offering comfort to those who have overcome a turning point in their lives.
I'm falling in love with you againFuyumi Sakamoto
A gem by Fuyumi Sakamoto that gently sings of a deepening bond with a loved one.
Also known as the CM song for Sanwa Shurui’s barley shochu iichiko, it conveys the newfound affection that can blossom between longtime spouses through a calm, soothing melody.
From everyday moments—the morning light, the breathing of someone sleeping by your side—the lyrics unfold tender feelings toward a cherished person, enhanced by a voice that pierces the heart.
Released in January 2009 as the coupling track to “Asia no Kaizoku,” it was included that October on the album “Love Songs ~ Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru ~,” garnering widespread media attention.
It’s a wonderful song to hum together as a couple or to sing with thoughts of someone dear.
A beautiful piece that lets you feel love growing deeper with time.
Tangled HairHibari Misora
As her comeback release, Hibari Misora brought out this celebrated song of profound love and sorrow in December 1987.
Set against the backdrop of the Shioyasaki Lighthouse, it sings of unwavering feelings and prayers for someone who has gone away.
Carried by an elegant melody, it masterfully conveys the complex emotions of a woman heartbroken in love.
Recorded in a single take with a full orchestra, the session showcased Hibari Misora’s unparalleled vocal prowess.
It remains a treasured piece, long beloved by many as a song to be heard alongside cherished memories and landscapes.
Please understand.Akira Inaba
Akira Inaba’s “Wakatte Kudasai” is a classic that poignantly captures the heartache of a broken heart.
Released in February 1976, the song won prizes at the Yamaha Popular Song Contest and the World Popular Song Festival, and became a major hit, reaching No.
3 on the Oricon weekly chart and No.
9 on the year-end chart.
Set to a sound that blends folk and New Music, its themes of lingering feelings and regret for a former lover are deeply moving.
It’s a perfect listen on lonely nights or when you’re thinking of someone you miss.
Reiwa ElegySetsuko Shimizu
A wistful enka that portrays people living earnestly resounds with Setsuko Shimizu’s powerful voice.
The lyrics, which carefully depict the feelings of those working in the city—love for family, anxieties about the future, and nostalgia for one’s hometown—are sure to touch everyone’s heart.
Released in November 2023, this work inherits the spirit of the Showa-era classic “Sanya Blues,” offering encouragement to people living in the Reiwa era.
Twilight factories, red lanterns in back alleys, rainy night streets—the finely drawn scenes make this a remarkable song.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when you’re weary of the city’s clamor, when you’re thinking of home, or when you need strength for tomorrow.