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

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 J-Pop] Popular Winter Songs: From Hit Tracks to Hidden Gems! (31–40)

If tomorrow were to…warabe

Warabe – If Tomorrow Were to Come...
If tomorrow were to...warabe

The second single by Warabe, the trio of Tomoko Takabe, Atsumi Kurasawa, and Mami Takahashi who appeared on the variety show “Kin-chan no Dokomade Yaruno!?”.

It was released in December 1983.

It surpassed the sales of their first single, “Medaka no Kyoudai,” which had been released the previous December, and ranked number one on the annual singles chart for 1984.

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April Fools in DecemberEPO

It’s a bittersweet ballad where the festive sparkle of a winter city at Christmastime overlaps with the sorrow of a love’s end—an irony that cuts deep.

The song by EPO was released as a single in November 1985 and included on the album “PUMP! PUMP!” With lyrics and composition by EPO herself and arrangement by Hiroshi Sato, its sophisticated sound blends AOR balladry with city pop.

The lyrics are striking for how they overlay the pain of heartbreak—realizing the person you believed was your only one was not—onto a title that deliberately invokes a “day of lies.” A self-cover version was released in 1993, and a completely re-arranged re-recording in 1999, keeping the song loved for many years.

It’s a track that quietly stays by your side when you feel a little distant from the dazzling Christmas scene.

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Flying Santa ClausMurata Kazuhito

This is a Christmas song included on GO POP, the first album Kazuhito Murata—one of the masters of ’80s city pop—made after moving to Toshiba EMI.

Released in October 1988, it drew attention for its ambitious sound design incorporating programmed beats.

The sophisticated arrangement, evocative of an urban nightscape, and Murata’s clear, soaring high-tone vocals gently wrap the winter air.

Its warm atmosphere—like spending Christmas Eve in the tropics—is especially appealing, striking a comfortable balance that avoids becoming overly sentimental.

Long out of print, it was passed down as a hidden gem, but its remastered reissue has spurred a fresh wave of appreciation.

It’s a song you’ll want to share with someone special on a quiet Christmas night.

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Ruby RingTerao Akira

Akira Terao – Ruby Ring (1981)
Ruby RingTerao Akira

Released in February 1981, it topped the Oricon chart for 10 consecutive weeks and became the best-selling single of the year.

The song was composed by Akira Terao himself, who also performed it, with lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto.

It won the Gold Prize at the Japan Record Awards that year, and Terao also received the Composer’s Award; it additionally earned the FNS Music Festival Grand Prix and the Japan Music Awards.

It remains Terao’s biggest hit as a singer.

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Merry Christmas for youMinamino Yoko

As a leading idol of the 1980s, Yoko Minamino enjoyed outstanding popularity.

This song, included on the album “SNOWFLAKES” released in December 1988, was also featured on the following year’s album “Dear Christmas,” and is a work that entrusts a prayer for world peace to the Christmas season.

Its lyrics—depicting moments of reaching out to malnourished children and a compassionate gaze toward the vulnerable—carry a depth of message distinct from idol songs that focus mainly on romance.

Carried by a sentimental sound, Minamino’s vocals gently embrace the loneliness and wishes that lie behind the glitter of Christmas.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on a quiet night while spending time with someone special.

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[80s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: From hit tracks to hidden gems! (41–50)

SonatineMatsumoto Iyo

Iyo Matsumoto, who took the nation by storm as a leading idol of the 1980s.

Released in 1988, this song is a poignant ballad written and composed by Senri Oe.

It paints a winter night’s tale where regret and memories intertwine: in the bustle of Christmas, the narrator spots a former lover, but lets them pass by without calling out.

The delicate arrangement, centered on piano and strings, and her mature, low-register vocal delivery are striking, capturing another, less glittering side of Christmas.

The track was also included on the album “Private File” and sold around 5,000 copies.

It’s an adult Christmas song, perfect for nights when you wander the city with a touch of loneliness.

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The Christmas Card That Vanished into the CityReimi

A song by Reimy included on the 1989 concept album “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.” In contrast to the glittering Christmas scenes, it unfolds a poignant world tinged with loneliness and the blues.

Written and composed by Reimy herself, the track takes on a deep, over-five-minute form through Mitsuo Hagita’s arrangement.

You can picture the protagonist, thinking about a Christmas card from an ex and feeling alone amid the bustle of the city.

It’s a grown-up Christmas ballad whose warm, rich vocals gently wrap the pain of heartbreak.

The album won the Planning Award at the 4th Japan Gold Disc Awards.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on a Christmas night spent alone, in those quiet moments when you think of someone.

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