Breakup songs recommended for people in their 80s: a collection of classic tracks that capture heartbreaking feelings
When it comes to breakup songs familiar to people in their 80s, it’s probably the tunes released during the Showa era, isn’t it?
Back then, there were so many masterpieces in pop and enka that portrayed bittersweet emotions.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of breakup songs we hope people in their 80s will enjoy listening to.
If you’re from a younger generation and reading this, please recommend the songs we’re about to introduce to the 80-somethings around you.
They’ll surely be reminded of their youthful days.
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Recommended heartbreak songs for people in their 80s: A collection of classic, poignant tracks (11–20)
Woman's PathShirō Miyako and the Pinkara Trio
Miya Shiro and Pinkara Trio’s “Onna no Michi” is a classic that depicts the heartrending feelings of a woman after a broken romance.
Even as she bears the sorrow of being abandoned, her self-questioning and determination to look forward convey a powerful resilience.
Since its 1972 release, the song has continued to resonate with many people.
It was a massive hit, topping the Oricon annual singles chart for two consecutive years.
It was also featured on TBS’s popular show “It’s 8 O’Clock! All Gather ’Round,” making it beloved across generations.
It’s a highly recommended track for anyone trying to overcome the pain of heartbreak or for those who want to revisit fond memories.
Showa-era womanYoko Nagayama
This is a heartfelt song by Yoko Nagayama that makes your chest tighten with its nostalgic guitar melody.
Scheduled for single release in June 2025.
It portrays a Showa-era woman who, while choosing to part with a man chasing his dreams, keeps her head high and looks forward.
Vivid scenes spring to mind—like telling him goodbye from a public phone—and their purity and poignancy are deeply moving.
It’s a masterpiece perfect not only for those who lived through the Showa era, but also for anyone who wants to feel the spirit of a bygone, golden time.
It was rainy again in Nagasaki today.Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five
A masterpiece that stands as a monument of mood kayō (Japanese mood music), deeply etched in many people’s hearts.
Its beautiful melody infused with sorrow and wistfulness, along with Kiyoshi Maekawa’s richly expressive vocals, leaves a strong impression.
Evoking the emotional scenery of Kyushu and the ache of a broken heart, the song lingers deeply with listeners.
Released in February 1969, this single marked the major-label debut of Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five.
It reached No.
2 on the Oricon charts and won the New Artist Award at that year’s Japan Record Awards.
It was also featured in a joint commercial by Nagasaki Prefecture and JF Nagasaki (the fisheries cooperative), contributing to regional promotion.
The song has continued to be covered by many artists, including Hibari Misora and Sayuri Ishikawa.
It’s a track you’ll want to enjoy at karaoke with dear friends, wrapped in fond memories.
At the Rainy TavernDick Mine
A work steeped in the nostalgic atmosphere of the Showa era, this classic vividly sings of a scene along a melancholy tree-lined avenue.
It conveys the pain of heartbreak and a sense of loneliness through an arrangement that incorporates elements of jazz and blues, with Dick Mine’s gentle baritone heightening the poignancy.
Released in 1954, the song was also used as the theme for the Shochiku film “Face of Hell,” and has been covered by many artists, including Yujiro Ishihara and Hibari Misora.
Its profound emotional expression and refined vocals make it a song that resonates deeply, evoking memories of the Showa period.
Journey of the HeartTulip
This is a classic song that richly captures the bittersweet feelings before setting off on a journey.
It beautifully expresses both the excitement and loneliness of the last night spent with a loved one before starting a new life.
Listening to it vividly brings back memories from those days.
Released by Tulip in April 1973, it reached No.
1 on the Oricon chart.
It was used as the theme song for Fuji TV’s “Ninjō Ippon Kokoro no Tabi,” as well as in commercials for the Toyota Carina and JR West.
Evoking the romance of nostalgic train travel, the song’s friendly, sing-along melody is part of its charm.
How about humming it together with seniors while clapping along?
Snow CountryIkuzo Yoshi
A masterpiece that sings of hope shining through the bitter cold, its bittersweet sense of life’s melancholy resonates deeply.
Yoshikazu Ikuzō’s vocals, tinged with sorrow yet brimming with strength, seep into the depths of the heart.
Released in 1986, it won the Gold Prize at the Japan Record Awards.
That same year, it appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen and topped the Oricon charts—a work cherished by many.
Masterfully intertwining northern landscapes with the stirrings of love, this song was also used in regional tourism promotions and winter campaigns.
For many, it remains a treasured song of memories.
Why not spend a quiet moment listening to its heartwarming voice?
Recommended heartbreak songs for people in their 80s: A collection of classic tracks that depict poignant emotions (21–30)
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.