Lovely hit song

[1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Thanks to eternally beloved hits and the renewed appreciation for city pop, many masterpiece songs from Japanese music of the 1980s continue to be loved by people of all ages even now, well into the 2020s.

With the resort boom and the popularity of leisure activities, a stream of glamorous winter hits was also released.

In this article, we present winter hit songs from 1980s Japanese music!

We’ll cover everything from massive hits everyone knows to hidden gems that weren’t singles but have become beloved winter staples.

If you spent your youth in the ’80s, these will feel nostalgic; if you’re not from that generation, they’ll feel fresh—so be sure to check them out.

[80s Japanese Pop] Popular Winter Songs: From Hit Tracks to Hidden Gems! (101–110)

White ChristmasJUN SKY WALKER(S)

White Christmas - J(S)W (JUN SKY WALKER(S))

White ChristmasJUN SKY WALKER(S)

This is a 1989 track by JUN SKY WALKER(S), known as Junsuka, who reunited in 2007 ten years after their 1997 breakup.

It’s a song about a lonely farewell, in contrast to a joyful Christmas.

It depicts how the colorful scenes floating against a white Christmas only heighten the heartache.

The distorted guitar tone further amplifies that feeling.

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loadTHE toraburyū

THE Toramaru Dragon “Road” FULL Music Video

loadTHE toraburyū

A song with an emotionally rich melody and lyrics that pierce the heart.

When you listen, you can feel that aching, heartrending emotion that tightens your chest.

Since its release in February 1993, it has been known as a classic that captures people’s hearts and never lets go.

Depicting the sorrow of a man who lost a loved one in a traffic accident, the song reminds us of the importance of the small joys in everyday life.

Listening to it during the biting cold of winter makes it resonate even more deeply.

It’s a song that stays by your side in those moments when feelings for someone precious overflow.

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Cry On Your SmileKubota Toshinobu

Toshinobu Kubota – Cry On Your Smile (1987)

Cry On Your SmileKubota Toshinobu

With Toshinobu Kubota’s warm vocals and melody, “Cry On Your Smile” feels like it softens the cold.

Released in 1987, the song was later chosen as the theme for the 1991 film “Kami-tsukitai” (I Want to Bite You).

It’s a track overflowing with the feeling of cherishing someone deeply, even when you’re far apart.

That warmth seems capable of easing not only winter’s chill but also the heart of someone you love.

When the cold of winter leaves you feeling a bit lonely, why not let this song soothe you?

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Poem of Miso SoupSen Masao

"Miso Soup Poem" by Masao Sen. Covered by Yoichi Higuchi. Released on December 6, 2006.

Poem of Miso SoupSen Masao

On cold winter days, nothing warms the body and soul like a bowl of hot miso soup, right? This is a song released in 1978 that sings about that love for miso soup.

Most of the song is spoken lines by Masao Sen, expressing his feelings for his hometown and his longing for his mother back home—and for her miso soup.

Listen to it, and you’ll find yourself craving your mom’s miso soup too!

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freezing rainHino Mika

Ice Rain - Mika Hino [cover]

freezing rainHino Mika

Mika Hino covered Akio Kayama’s 1977 debut song and released it in December 1982.

It became a big hit in 1983 as a joint competing release with Kayama; on TV music shows, the two sometimes performed it as a duet or took turns singing.

With this song, Hino appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

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