Lovely autumn song

[2025] Recommended Autumn Songs for People in Their 40s: Recommended J-Pop [Autumn Songs]

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!
Freelance music writerTakashi Hoshino
I’m Takashi Hoshino, a freelance writer currently juggling work with parenting. I’ve been playing guitar for over 20 years since I first picked it up when I started high school, and I’m still active in a band today. Ever since I began playing, I’ve been drawn to hard rock and heavy metal, and I enjoy intense music, whether Japanese or Western. At the same time, I keep in mind something I was told long ago: “If you want to play rock, you should know more than just rock!” With that in my heart, I make a point of listening to a wide range of genres every day. My experience as a writer is still growing, but I’ll keep working hard to recommend all kinds of music to as many people as possible!

These days, even when autumn arrives, the heat lingers on and it can be hard to feel the change of seasons.

Still, as the days start to end a little earlier and the sounds of insects shift, it really makes you want to listen to some autumn songs, doesn’t it?

In this article, we’re introducing recommended autumn tunes that are sure to make people currently in their 40s feel a touch sentimental.

For those in their 40s today, their youth coincided with the golden age of J-POP—from the 1990s to the early 2000s—when a string of massive hits left their mark on music history.

Many of these songs are well-known even among younger generations.

Be sure to check them out!

[2025] Recommended Autumn Songs for People in Their 40s. Recommended J-POP [Autumn Songs] (21–30)

Crimson-colored sunsetFujifabric

Fujifabric – Akane-Colored Sunset

Akane-Colored Sunset Fujifabric

The autumn-tinted evening sky has a way of stirring a certain wistful sadness, doesn’t it? A perfect match for such a scene is a classic ballad by the rock band Fujifabric.

It captures the loneliness of being far from home, and yet the glimmers of hope one still manages to find, resonating with a lyrical melody.

It’s not merely sorrowful—there’s a curious strength to it that lets you look forward just a little, even as you reflect on the past.

After first appearing as a demo on their indie-era mini album “a la mold,” the song was released as a single in September 2005.

It was also used as the ending theme for the TV Kanagawa program “saku saku.” It’s a track you’ll want to listen to on nights when you want to bask in summer memories, or when you wish to quietly sink into your thoughts alone.

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Twilight SurroundRIP SLYME

RIP SLYME – Twilight Surround

Twilight Surround RIPP SLYME

A medium-tempo tune that wraps you in the autumn night breeze right from the intro.

The acoustic guitar’s sound—somehow wistful yet warm—really seeps into your heart, perfect for twilight.

It offers a mellow, calm charm that’s different from RIP SLYME’s typically upbeat image.

The lyrics trace the flow of time from dusk to dawn, inviting a sentimental mood as you listen.

Released in October 2004 as their 10th single, this track is also included on the classic album “MASTERPIECE.” It’s perfect for long autumn night drives, and it’s great to sing gently at karaoke, too.

Keep a smooth, flowing delivery in mind, and enjoy it cool and mellow!

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MissingToshinobu Kubota

Toshinobu Kubota – Missing [Official Video]

Missing Toshinobu Kubota

This is a gem of a ballad by Toshinobu Kubota, known for his uniquely groovy style, perfect for an autumn night.

It poignantly conveys, with a soulful voice, the helpless love between a man and a woman who care deeply for each other yet can never be together.

The struggle of wanting to forget but being unable to, and the regret of wishing they had met earlier, really hits home.

The song was included on his debut album, “SHAKE IT PARADISE,” released in September 1986, and was used as an ending theme for shows like World Pro Wrestling.

Though it wasn’t released as a single, it remains one of his most beloved signature songs.

It feels like a gentle companion to the quiet loneliness that follows the bustle of summer.

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Late Summer (A Season for One)Yumi Arai

Late Summer 2021 Yumi Arai

Late Summer (A Season for One) by Yumi Arai

This is a song by Yumi Arai that overlays the changing seasonal scenery with the end of a romance and the beginning of time alone.

The sight of leaves blazing with color and delicate flowers swaying in the wind seems to reflect the protagonist’s loneliness.

The song was included on the album “The 14th Moon,” released under the name Yumi Arai in November 1976, and it also served as the theme song for the NHK dramas “Natsu no Furusato” and “Maboroshi no Budōen.” Its poignant melody—mingling a lingering affection for the summer that has passed with a quiet resolve for the seasons to come—resonates deeply with listeners.

Whether you play it on a drive while reminiscing about summer or during a slightly chilly evening stroll, it will gently keep you company.

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Falling AutumnACIDMAN

Furu Aki

Falling Autumn ACIDMAN

A song by ACIDMAN that conjures a fantastical scene—like shimmering sand slowly drifting down from the autumn night sky.

What’s depicted here might be the protagonist’s sentimental state of mind as they quietly watch time pass by.

Though the lyrics are few, their poetic worldview sparks the listener’s imagination.

From a hushed beginning to an emotional swell, the sound beautifully captures that inescapable inner loneliness and aching sadness overflowing from within.

The album this track appears on, the classic “equal,” was released in September 2004.

Though just one song among many, it’s a hidden gem that has captured the hearts of countless fans.

It’s the perfect track for those moments when you want to sit alone, feel the night breeze, and sink into a slightly sentimental mood.

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nape (of the neck)aiko

aiko - “Eriashi” music video

nape (aiko)

Aiko’s 14th major single is characterized by lyrics that depict bittersweet expressions of love and a sentimental melody.

Released in November 2003, it’s also known as the song that marked her second appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

The lyrics, which convey feelings of youthful innocence and the difficulty of being honest, likely resonate with many women.

This work portrays the poignancy of someone who struggles to express love, depicting the regret realized after a breakup and the lingering feelings that remain.

It’s a number perfect for autumn nights, and one I’d especially recommend for women in their 40s to sing at karaoke.

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Moonlight FlowerJanne Da Arc

Janne Da Arc – Gekkouka (Moonlight Flower)

Gekkouka Janne Da Arc

The 23rd single by Janne Da Arc, known as a leading band in the visual kei rock scene.

Chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Black Jack, this song was released in January 2005 and, for the first time, made it onto the Oricon year-end chart, becoming a fan favorite.

Its poignant lyrics and beautiful melodic line stand out, with a worldview that overlays lost love onto flowers, deeply moving many listeners.

The arrangement, which exquisitely fuses strings with rock, is also appealing, and the track is well-loved as an easy song to sing at karaoke.

A lyrical rock ballad perfect for long autumn nights, it’s a song that keeps you company as you think of someone dear.

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