Mutual love, unrequited love, familial love... classic songs that sing about affection

LeoYuuri

Yuuri 'Leo' Official Music Video

Included on Yuri’s first album, “Ichi,” this song gently portrays the precious bond between a dog and its owner—from their first meeting at a pet shop to the warmth of a small body and the time spent side by side.

Released in January 2022 and featured on the album “Ichi,” it resonated widely on social media, and its music video has surpassed 40 million views.

It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to when you want to savor your feelings for someone dear.

A heartwarming message song that reminds us of the importance of time with family and loved ones.

The day we stopped being loversYuuri

Yuri “The Day We Stopped Being Lovers” Official Music Video

Released as a digital-only single in February 2023, it was also included on the album “II,” which came out in March of the same year.

Judging by the title alone, you might assume this is a breakup song, but the lyrics actually feature two different “days we stopped being lovers.” The first is the day they broke up, which is what most people would imagine.

The couple in the song does part ways once.

However, they can’t forget each other, and when they meet again, they get back together.

Determined not to be alone this time, a proposal follows, and they become husband and wife—this is the second “day they stopped being lovers.” It’s a truly lovely story, and I imagine many readers were deeply moved by the lyrics.

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Hane Keisuke

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Goodbye-byeTomioka Ai

Ai Tomioka – Goodbye Bye (Music Video)

A delicate song by Ai Tomioka that sings of a love so pure it almost hurts.

The transparent vocals capture the frustrating feeling of almost closing the distance with someone, yet never quite getting there.

Even while knowing the other person has someone special, the complicated emotions of being unable to let go resonate deeply.

Released in September 2023, it captured many hearts, reaching the Top 10 on Spotify’s Viral charts in six Asian countries.

The song is memorable for its blend of English and Japanese lyrics and its catchy melodic line.

It’s a track that comforts anyone holding onto unspoken feelings for someone they love, or struggling with a love that may never come true.

Drowning loveDomura Riu

Drowning Love – Riu Domura (Official Music Video)

A heart-stirring song by Riu Domura that candidly captures the anxiety and loneliness born from thinking of someone, carried by a melodious sound.

It delicately portrays the fear of parting and the instability of emotions that arise precisely because of deep love for the other person.

Even while being conscious of the inevitable farewell that will come someday, the pure feeling of being unable to stop thinking about them pierces the heart.

Released in December 2020, the track later appeared as a remixed version on the album “Yakei,” and has been cherished as one of Riu Domura’s signature songs.

It’s a song that stays close to your heart when you can’t be honest about your feelings of love, or when your feelings for someone precious become so overwhelming that it hurts.

La La LaDaikoku Maki

La La La

A ballad with delicate portrayals of a woman’s emotions that truly tugs at the heart.

It gently embraces feelings everyone experiences—such as the gap between ideal and reality in love, anxiety about the passage of time, and thoughts of family—making it one of Maki Ohguro’s signature songs.

The bittersweet feelings toward a lover are expressed over a pleasant melody.

Released in February 1995 as Maki Ohguro’s 10th single, it topped the Oricon charts.

It was also used as the theme song for the drama “Aji Ichimonme,” selling 1.34 million copies.

Highly recommended for moments when you want to reflect on the fickleness of love and life.

First LoveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – First Love

A romantic ballad by Hikaru Utada that carries tender, bittersweet feelings of love and the pure pain of parting on gentle vocals and a beautiful piano melody.

Released to the world in 1999 as the theme song for the drama “Majo no Jōken” starring Nanako Matsushima and Hideaki Takizawa, the song was included on the album “First Love” and achieved an astonishing sales figure of over eight million copies.

The young Utada’s portrait of a first breakup and the lingering emotions that follow continues to move many hearts as a universal feeling everyone experiences.

Recommended for those who have known fateful meetings and farewells, or who wish to reminisce about their first love.

I’m glad I met you.Koizumi Kyoko

Kyoko Koizumi – I'm Glad I Met You (Official Video)

A gem of a ballad woven with sweet, bittersweet feelings.

After parting from a loved one, the deep sense of gratitude that only time can bring wells up in your heart.

Released in May 1991, this work features lyrics written by Kyoko Koizumi herself.

Unspoken feelings and gratitude for having someone by your side are expressed atop a beautiful melody.

It became a hot topic as the theme song for the drama “Papa to Natchan,” spending five consecutive weeks at No.

1 on the Oricon chart.

With an astonishing shipment of 1.58 million copies, it became her biggest hit.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to if you’ve experienced a farewell with someone precious or when you want to give thanks for a meaningful encounter.