A medley of crowd-pleasing classics. Iconic Japanese songs and recommended popular tracks.
Doesn’t your heart feel warm with memories when you listen to a medley of nostalgic J-pop hits? Timeless masterpieces that continue to be loved are filled with special moments etched into our memories.
In this article, we’ve gathered popular Japanese songs that anyone will find themselves humming along to.
From theme songs of TV anime and dramas, to unforgettable tracks once heard on the radio, and timeless classics that still shine today, we present a collection of gems cherished across generations.
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An exciting medley of classic hits. Famous J‑Pop masterpieces and recommended popular songs (1–10)
My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoNEW!RADWIMPS
Released in August 2016 as the theme song for Makoto Shinkai’s film “Your Name.
,” this track captures the theme of a fated encounter that transcends time with a driving rock sound.
It unfolds a grand love story—vowing to find the other person even after countless reincarnations—propelled by fast-paced guitars and drums.
An especially memorable anecdote is that Yojiro Noda created the song after Shinkai asked him to “sing the very heart of the story with everything you’ve got,” and true to those words, its direct emotional expression is deeply moving.
Performed at the 67th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2016, the song skyrocketed RADWIMPS’s popularity.
It’s a classic perfect for getting everyone fired up at karaoke or belting out passionately with friends.
Until the world endsNEW!WANDS
The 8th single chosen in 1994 as the ending theme for the landmark basketball manga SLAM DUNK became a million-seller and one of WANDS’s signature songs.
The lyrics, written by then-vocalist Sho Uesugi, depict loneliness and a sense of loss in the big city, infusing the personal pain of heartbreak with an urgent feeling that hints at the end of the world.
Composed by Tetsuro Oda, the driving melody merges perfectly with Uesugi’s soul-stirring vocals.
The song reached No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart and stayed in the Top 10 for nine consecutive weeks.
For those who spent their youth with the anime, just hearing it may bring back a flood of memories.
It’s a classic that’s guaranteed to unite the room when everyone belts out the chorus at karaoke.
HappinessNEW!storm
Arashi’s 20th single, released in September 2007 as the theme song for the drama “Yamada Taro Monogatari,” starring Kazunari Ninomiya and Sho Sakurai.
The lyrics convey the strength to face forward and start running even against a headwind, and the courage to step into a new place without being bound by the past.
Rather than direct encouragement, it’s a supportive song that gently stays by your side and gives you a soft push.
Its charm also lies in the sparkling, guitar-driven sound with a refreshing arrangement woven with rhythmic brass.
It’s become a staple cheer song for high school baseball, and if everyone belts it out together at karaoke or in a medley, it’s sure to get people excited regardless of age or gender!
An exciting medley of classic hits: Famous Japanese songs and recommended popular tracks (11–20)
Spot the differenceNEW!Masaki Suda
This work, in which Masaki Suda—active as an actor—sings a song by Kenshi Yonezu, was released as a digital single in May 2019.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama “Perfect World,” it garnered enormous attention, winning 32 awards.
It tells the story of a protagonist who once felt like a mistake, but finds the meaning of life through meeting someone precious—deeply resonating with those who struggle with self-denial.
A fated love so powerful that questions of right or wrong cease to matter is conveyed through Masaki Suda’s strong, straightforward vocals, stirring the heart with every listen.
It is one of his signature tracks, also included on the album “LOVE.”
The One and Only Flower in the WorldSMAP
It’s a well-known classic by SMAP.
The song is filled with messages like “It’s okay to be different,” “We’re all together,” and “Everyone has a place where they can shine.” And because it’s sung by SMAP—five members who each show their individuality and keep shining—the impact was immeasurable.
Promise of SunflowersMotohiro Hata
This is the song used as the theme for the film STAND BY ME Doraemon.
It’s about receiving a lot of “love” from “you,” being told that it’s “enough,” and not being able to give anything back—a one-sided chain of “kindness” that everyone has experienced.
It might be a song about Doraemon and Nobita, but it’s also one that resonates with many people.
moonlightChihiro Onitsuka
With its somewhat suspicious, eerie melody and Chihiro Onitsuka’s powerful yet trembling vocals, this song leaves an incredibly strong impression.
It was used in the drama “TRICK” and fit the show’s world perfectly.
Incidentally, the theme of this track is said to be “liberation from oppression.”