A tear-jerking breakup song that washes the pain away with tears

planetariumAi Otsuka

Ai Otsuka / Planetarium

This is the 10th single by singer-songwriter Ai Otsuka, who has gained immense popularity with her cute, pop-leaning songs and has been active as the vocalist of the six-member band Rabbit since 2012.

The track was used as an image song and insert song for the TV drama “Boys Over Flowers,” and its Japanese-inspired tones and melodies are wonderfully soothing.

The lyrics, which sing of feelings for a dearly loved person who has been lost, evoke a poignant sadness that seems to affirm they can never meet again.

It’s a lyrical number whose nostalgic, end-of-summer atmosphere tightens the heart.

I won't fall in love anymore.Noriyuki Makihara

[Official] Noriyuki Makihara “I Won’t Fall in Love Again” (Music Video) [5th Single] (1992) Noriyuki Makihara / Mou Koi Nante Shinai

This is the fifth single by singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara, who has released massive hits not only from his own original songs but also from tracks he has written for other artists.

The song was used as the theme for the TV drama “Kodomo ga Neta Ato de,” and its contrast between a pop arrangement and a wistful melody is irresistibly catchy.

The lyrics, which depict the time spent with someone and the scenes of the present while expressing a determination to keep looking forward, are positive yet imbued with a heartrending poignancy.

With a message that evokes a man’s bravado and a sentimental tone, it stands as a quintessential breakup song in the J-pop scene.

One more time,One more chanceMasayoshi Yamazaki

Masayoshi Yamazaki – “One more time, One more chance” MUSIC VIDEO [4K Quality]

This is the fourth single by singer-songwriter Masayoshi Yamazaki, who is highly acclaimed for his distinctive soft vocals and musical sensibility that allows him to master a wide range of instruments.

The song was used as the theme for the film The Moon and the Cabbage, in which he starred for the first time, and it remains a long-running hit loved across generations.

The feeling of chasing the shadow of a precious person who is no longer here is something that anyone who has experienced a painful farewell may find themselves drawn into through the lyrics.

It is a wistful breakup song, with a melancholy melody and the sound of an acoustic guitar that gently envelopes the heart.

maybeYOASOBI

YOASOBI “Tabun” Official Music Video

A digitally released fourth single by YOASOBI, the duo that “turns novels into music,” chosen as the theme song for the film “Tabun.” The track is based on the grand-prize-winning story from the “Yoru Asobi Contest vol.

1,” which solicited original novels for new songs.

Its delicate arrangement—an engaging shuffle beat overlaid with striking piano—is unmistakably catchy.

While calmly recounting the reasons for a breakup, the lyrics reveal flickers of emotion that leave an unresolved tug.

It’s a modern number that portrays the complexity of human feelings, making listeners empathize with the true desire to start over.

MapleSpitz

Spitz / Kaede

This is the 19th single by the four-piece rock band Spitz, known for numerous tie-ins including insert songs for the TV drama “Over Time.” Its sentimental melody, built on a nostalgic piano tone, is heartbreakingly beautiful.

The lyrics evoke an image of someone setting out toward the future while holding the memory of a precious person they’ve lost close to their heart, offering comfort and courage to those trying to move on from a broken relationship.

An emotive high-tone vocal tightens the chest—an evocative, lyrical breakup song.

MPRINCESS PRINCESS

Princess Princess “M”

A song by the five-member band PRINCESS PRINCESS—known by the nickname “Puri-Puri” and legendary as pioneering figures among girl bands in the J-POP scene.

Included as the B-side to their massive hit 7th single “Diamonds,” this track became so popular that it came to be regarded as one of Puri-Puri’s signature songs, despite having no tie-in at the time of its release.

The feeling of chasing after someone you’ve broken up with can bind you all the more tightly the bigger your love was, right? With exquisitely evocative phrases that anyone can picture, this timeless breakup classic lingers in both the heart and the ear.

MetronomeKenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

A singer-songwriter with many facets—illustrator, filmmaker, and more—Kenshi Yonezu continues to dominate the J-POP scene with a musicality that defines the times.

This track, included on his third album “Bremen,” features brilliant lyrics that liken human emotions and biorhythms—which inevitably fall out of sync even when they seem aligned—to a metronome.

Even as the narrator imagines the future of themselves and their former partner after the breakup, the feelings that won’t fade seem to attest that they truly cherished the other person, lingering with a touch of regret.

The melancholy atmosphere that envelops the entire song mirrors the message of the lyrics, making it a number that lets you truly feel the ache of heartbreak.