[Showa Kayō] A roundup of Japanese love songs that hit in the 1970s

LetterYuki Saori

Tegami

Released as a single in July 1970, this signature song cemented Saori Yuki’s reputation as a serious vocalist following her hit the previous year.

The lyrics, depicting a woman who has resolved to part ways quietly putting away each shared memory, are deeply moving.

Layer upon layer of symbolic imagery rises like a film and converges, in the end, on a farewell letter penned through tears—a structure that even feels literary.

Yuki’s crystalline voice, set against the lyrical melody, conveys a poised, restrained adult parting with elegance.

The single topped the Oricon weekly chart for six consecutive weeks, and she won the Vocal Performance Award at that year’s Japan Record Awards.

It’s a recommended listen for anyone facing the end of a romance or wishing to observe the rituals of parting in a quiet light.

A Dangerous Pairsawada kenji

Kenji Sawada - Dangerous Two

Released in April 1973, this was Kenji Sawada’s sixth single and a landmark work that earned him his first No.

1 on the Oricon chart as a solo artist.

Kazumi Yasui’s lyrics weave in a forbidden-feeling relationship between an older woman and a younger man, expressing an unrelenting, earnest longing—unable to give up even after a farewell—in urbane language.

Osamu Shoji’s arrangement masterfully fuses the sharp edge of rock with the sweetness of kayō, with strings layered over a tight rhythm to evoke a scent of transgression.

Sawada’s sultry vocals unleash their allure in the chorus, leaping from low to high notes and embodying the thrill of a precarious romance.

Winner of the Popularity Awards at both the 1973 Japan Kayo Awards and the Japan Record Awards, this piece stands as a monumental example of Showa-era kayō rock that sings of adult love.

Ballad of the RainYubara Masayuki

Ballad of the Rain / Masayuki Yuhara (1971)

As a song that symbolizes the shift from the decline of Group Sounds in 1971 to the era of kayō ballads, Masayuki Yuhara’s signature solo work is indispensable.

Set against a backdrop of urban rain, this piece quietly gives voice to lingering feelings for a departed lover, with baritone-centered vocals and strings heightening its wistful mood.

Released as a single in April 1971, it is a self-cover of a track that originally appeared as a B-side during his Swing West days.

In October, it topped the weekly charts for three consecutive weeks and ranked eighth on Oricon’s year-end chart.

It also won the Hope Prize at the Japan Cable Awards, cementing Yuhara’s status as a vocalist.

A classic perfectly suited for reflecting on a lost love alone on a rainy day.

Sinbad on the Shorepinku redii

Pink Lady de Nagisa no Sindbad

It’s a single released by Pink Lady in June 1977, which ranked number one on the Oricon year-end chart.

It’s a popular song that has been reissued three times since.

Various musicians, including Morning Musume and Maximum the Hormone, have covered it.

To say goodbyebiriibanban

To say goodbye

An eternal classic by Billy BanBan that sings of a quiet acceptance—that both falling in love and parting are precious times.

Released in February 1972 as a single on Geion Records, it was chosen as the theme song for the NTV drama “3-chome 4-banchi.” It reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart in July of the same year and ranked No.

3 for the year.

The duo also made their first appearance on Kōhaku Uta Gassen, their pure sibling harmonies resonating across Japan.

Rather than mourning separation alone, the song offers a warm gaze of gratitude for the encounter and the time shared, touching the heart.

It’s a piece that gently accompanies those facing a milestone with someone dear, or walking through a turning point in life.

Cotton HandkerchiefŌta Hiromi

Hiromi Ohta “Cotton Handkerchief” Music Video (Animation by Ai Nina)

Woven from Takashi Matsumoto’s poetic lyrics and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s sophisticated melody, this work tells a heartrending long-distance love story in the form of exchanged letters between a man who has set off for the big city and the woman waiting in their hometown.

With each dialogue, the growing gap between the man, increasingly colored by urban glamour, and the woman, who longs for unchanging love, becomes more vivid.

In the final image of the woman asking for a simple handkerchief to wipe away her tears, one feels a purity that values emotional connection over material wealth—truly moving.

Released in December 1975 as Hiromi Ohta’s fourth single, it became a major hit, ranking 4th on Oricon’s year-end chart.

Recommended for those in a long-distance relationship or anyone wishing to savor the ache of missed connections.

youKozaka Akiko

Akiko Kosaka “Anata (You)” 1973

Akiko Kosaka’s debut single, released in December 1973, originated from lyrics a second-year high school student wrote in just about 20 minutes during class, paired with a melody composed at home.

It is a wistful, imagined love story that begins with the conditional phrase, “If I were to build a house.” While carefully depicting European-style scenes—crimson roses, white pansies, a fireplace, and a small door—the song quietly reflects on the memory of a love that never came true.

Hiroshi Miyagawa’s arrangement, featuring strings and an elegant piano accompaniment, adds a prayer-like warmth.

One month after its release, the song reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart and held the top spot for seven consecutive weeks, becoming a major hit with total shipments exceeding two million copies.

With its drama-like development worthy of a TV theme and a gentle, singable melody, this masterpiece resonates with everyone who dreams of a peaceful life with someone dear.