Recommended sad songs for weddings and receptions: moving masterpieces and popular tracks
A wedding day is a special, celebratory occasion, and for the parents of the bride and groom, it can be a source of pride while also bringing a touch of sadness.
This time, we’ve gathered a selection of melancholic Japanese songs that suit such a wedding setting.
Feel free to use them as background music or for a performance.
Sad songs recommended for weddings and wedding receptions. Moving masterpieces and popular tracks (1–10)
farewell gift (parting gift or words of encouragement given to someone setting off)Tegomasu
It’s a wedding song to celebrate a friend’s big day.
Tegomass’s easy-to-listen-to, refreshing harmonies are very pleasant and resonate in the heart.
It’s a simple song, but precisely because of that simplicity, it delivers the feelings directly—enough to move you to tears, don’t you think?
I wonder if it will be sunny tomorrow.Kuwata Keisuke
The drama’s ending was so striking that I ended up promoting it as a wedding song, but I recommend it as a very gentle, deeply moving piece.
As expected of a song by Kuwata-san.
The final phrase is especially tear-jerking, so I recommend really listening to it.
you’re my only shinin’ starKadamatsu Toshiki
This is a favorite song of hers, composed by Toshiaki Kadomatsu, the charismatic balladeer, and released as a single by Miho Nakayama.
For a wedding reception, we recommend choosing Kadomatsu’s version for a more mature vibe.
If you want to highlight the bride, Nakayama’s version is the better choice.
RAINSEKAI NO OWARI
This is a highly recommended wedding reception song by SEKAI NO OWARI, overflowing with a sense of fantasy and incredibly moving.
In a word, it feels like “after the rain, the ground hardens.” Once any rain stops, good things happen.
Marriage, too, becomes deeper and stronger as you overcome hardships.
Becoming a family actually involves unexpected challenges, doesn’t it? If you sing this with the hope that the couple will overcome those challenges, everyone will be moved to tears.
A day that’s happy and lonelyTakeuchi Mariya
It’s a moving ballad told from a mother’s perspective, celebrating her beloved child’s marriage.
The lyrics portray the complex feelings of a parent—the joy of watching a child leave the nest mixed with a touch of loneliness—tightening the heart.
The song was produced in May 2008 as a collaborative commercial track for P&G’s Pantene and Zexy, and it was also included on the acclaimed album “Expressions.” It even achieved the remarkable feat of entering the singles Top 10 at the age of 53 years and 2 months.
Listening to this piece on the special day of a family’s new beginning may bring back memories of the irreplaceable days you’ve spent together and make you want to express your gratitude.
Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi
If there’s a slideshow tracing the bride and groom’s growth, this is a song I would love to see used then.
Just like in the opening line, looking at photos from their childhood will bring back memories of all sorts of past events, and even those tearful moments will become a wonderful keepsake.
One Lovearashi
This is one of Arashi’s signature songs, made famous by the drama “Boys Over Flowers.” I remember them performing it on a TV show with sign language, and a love song in sign language is truly wonderful.
It would be so delightful if a love song could be conveyed in sign language at a wedding reception as well.