Breakup songs recommended for people in their 90s: a collection of timeless tracks that comfort the heart

Lill Returning from ShanghaiKen Tsumura

Lill Returning from Shanghai

Ken Tsumura’s “Shanghai-gaeri no Lill” (Lill Returning from Shanghai) is a heartbreak song that became a massive hit in postwar Japan.

It portrays the poignant feelings of a man searching for a woman named Lill who has returned from Shanghai.

His wish to share a dark fate together and his longing to see Lill again are powerfully conveyed through Tsumura’s vocals, resonating with many listeners.

Released in 1951, the song became a social phenomenon, and a film of the same title was released the following year.

When older listeners hear this song, it may bring back memories of their youth—stirring nostalgia and rekindling the feelings of first love from that time.

Showa-era womanYoko Nagayama

Yoko Nagayama “Woman of the Showa Era” Music Video

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.

Parting at 22Princess Kaguya

Parting at 22 / Kaze (with lyrics)

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.

It was rainy again in Nagasaki today.Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five

Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five “It Was Rainy Again in Nagasaki Today” OFFICIAL Lyric Video

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

In a Rainy Tavern — Dick Mine (with lyrics)

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.

You, my beloved.Hisao Ito

You, my beloved — Hisao Ito

As one of the quintessential masterpieces of Showa-era kayōkyoku, there is a gem of a ballad that expresses Hisao Itō’s sweet yet heartrending feelings of love.

Composed by Yuji Koseki with lyrics by Kazuo Kikuta, this piece beautifully blends a gently expressive melody with a rich baritone voice.

Released by Nippon Columbia in September 1953, it also drew attention as the theme song for the film “Kimi no Na wa,” which premiered the same year.

The story and the music melded together perfectly, moving the hearts of people at the time.

Please enjoy this timeless classic at a relaxed pace, letting it resonate alongside fond memories.

It’s also lovely to listen together with older listeners and let conversations blossom about youthful days.

Waltz of StarlightMasao Sen

Waltz of Starlight - Masao Sen

Released in 1966 (Showa 41).

Two years later, it gradually caught fire on wired broadcasts across Japan and went on to sell a total of 2.

5 million copies.

Known as Masao Sen’s biggest hit, “Hoshikage no Waltz” (“Waltz of Starlight”) expresses, from a male perspective, the poignant feeling of having to part with a loved one—knowing it’s not what the heart truly wants, yet having no choice.

Its relaxed three-beat waltz rhythm makes it easy to sing, and combined with its popularity, it’s a song that many people can enjoy when doing karaoke in senior care facilities.