Heart-wrenching Japanese hit songs from the 2000s. Songs that make you cry.
In this article, we’ll introduce tear-jerking Japanese songs that were hits in the 2000s.
The Y2K culture, referring to the era around the year 2000, has been getting renewed attention in the Reiwa period and is creating a buzz.
The J-POP scene of the 2000s featured many classic ballads and emotionally powerful tracks that tug at the heartstrings.
We’ve picked a diverse lineup—from long-running hits and popular songs still sung today to hidden gems.
If you’re from that generation, we recommend reminiscing about those days as you take your time reading through the lyrics.
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Breakup songs that were hits in the 2000s
- Ballad songs that were hits in the 2000s
- Tear-jerking J-pop from the ’90s. Hit songs and real tearjerkers.
- 2000s: A Collection of Hit Karaoke Classics
- Tears won’t stop with these sentimental lyrics! Heisei-era tearjerker songs
- Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- The nostalgic atmosphere tugs at your heartstrings. Tear-jerker songs from the Showa era.
- A melancholic “yami” song that was a hit in the 2000s. A bittersweet track.
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- [Heisei Love Songs] A carefully selected collection of gem-like love songs that continue to be cherished even in the Reiwa era!
- All big hits! A roundup of classic J‑Pop songs that were popular in 2000
Tearjerker J-Pop hits from the 2000s: Songs that make you cry (21–30)
I long to see you now.MISIA
It’s the theme song of the 2009 drama “JIN.” Even though there are so many things I want to tell you in person, I can’t, and that heartbreaking feeling, carried by MISIA’s overwhelming vocals and the orchestral backing, reaches straight to my heart and brings me to tears all by itself.
SakurazakaFukuyama Masaharu
Released in 2000, this is the theme song for a segment featured on the variety show “Untitled Un-Nan’s Truth!” It’s a song you want to listen to when cherry blossom season arrives.
The feelings of reflecting on a finished romance are very lonely and melancholy, making it a heartbreak song that evokes a poignant sense of longing.
I love you. ~100 Regrets~Sonar Pocket
This song is included on the 2011 album “Pokeism 2: Anata no Uta” (“Your Song”).
The lyrics tell a breakup story from a male perspective, making it a go-to track to listen to after a heartbreak—widely loved not only by men but also by many female fans.
A Bouquet for YouUtada Hikaru
Many of you have probably heard it as the theme song of the NHK morning drama series TOTO Nee-chan.
This song, “A Bouquet for You,” is about the sorrow and parting that come with losing someone dear.
Without using words that directly evoke death, it conveys farewell and heartfelt emotions through beautiful language and expressions.
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
A timeless ballad whose one-of-a-kind vocals by Yo Hitoto resonate like a deep prayer and seep into the heart.
It is said to have been written in the wake of the September 11 attacks, imbued with an earnest wish for peace.
Its universal theme—hoping that happiness will continue for a loved one and for those dear to them—gently envelops listeners’ hearts.
Released in February 2004 as her fifth single, it achieved an astonishing long-run hit, staying on the Oricon charts for 125 consecutive weeks.
It also served as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Tuesday Suspense Theater” and for the film of the same name.
Many people may find themselves resonating with the heartfelt wish for someone precious to be happy.