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

homeKiyama Yusaku

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A song of love from a father to his child.

Yusaku Kiyama’s gentle, embracing voice blends with a heartwarming melody to vividly portray the bond between parent and child.

Through its calm tone, it conveys a parent’s feelings as they stay close to their child’s growth and the importance of cherishing the small joys of everyday life.

Released in February 2008, it was used as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Uta-Suta!!” and Yomiuri TV’s “Joho Live Miyane-ya,” and later that year Kiyama performed it at the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.

Beloved at important life moments such as graduations and weddings, this song is a perfect choice when you want to express gratitude to someone special or deepen your family bonds.

Love MemoryMatsuzaki Shigeru

Love Memory

This is a gem of a love ballad sung by Shigeru Matsuzaki.

The lyrics, celebrating deep affection and the joy of life, overflow with a pure vow of eternal love.

Released in August 1977, it became a major talking point as the theme song for Glico Almond Chocolate, starring Tomokazu Miura and Momoe Yamaguchi in the commercial.

That same year, Matsuzaki made his first appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, and the following year the song was selected as the entrance march for the 50th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to while reflecting on those irreplaceable memories of love that everyone experiences at least once.

Theory of Absolute HappinessMizuki Nana

Nana Mizuki “Absolute Happiness Theory” Music Clip

This is a ballad by Nana Mizuki whose pure, straightforward feelings for another person strike a chord.

Released in December 2016 from the album “NEOGENE CREATION,” the song was also used as the ending theme for TBS’s “Hiruobi!” Gently sung, it expresses the wish for a happy future with an irreplaceable person.

It carries a resolve and desire to grow together with someone dear, even while still imperfect, and its letter-like expressions to a loved one resonate deeply.

It is a song that can deepen the feelings shared by two people who care for each other.

Sentimental KissShio Reira

Reira Shio / Sentimental Kiss Acoustic ver. (full) [Official Music Video]

A gentle ballad by Reira Shio that delivers bittersweet feelings on a warm acoustic sound.

The lyrics delicately portray the distance between lovers after a breakup and the emotions wavering between heart and body, resonating deeply.

Her voice weaves memories of a feverish love and a faint lingering warmth with novel-like beauty, tenderly embracing the kind of heartache everyone has felt at least once.

Released in March 2022, the song was also used as background music for ABEMA’s dating show “He and the Wolf-chan Won’t Deceive.” It’s a track that will stay by your side on nights when you want to bask in memories of someone special, or when you need someone to hear the feelings you can’t hold inside.

flower fortune-tellingShimizu Miisa

MIISA Shimizu – Hanauarai (Flower Fortune-telling)

This is an unrequited love song that delicately portrays fleeting feelings with a clear, translucent vocal.

Released in April 2025 as the opening theme for the drama “Kiri-o Fan Club,” the track features Miisha Shimizu’s expressive vocals, beautifully harmonizing with the poignant melody line.

The sound arrangement, infused with elements of funk music, also leaves a strong impression.

It’s a song that stays close to the pains and anxieties of love, so give it a listen when you’re dealing with those feelings.

This is loveMirei Touyama

Mirei Touyama “This is love”

An emotional love song that conveys feelings of love straight and true.

The lyrics carefully depict the real emotions of a relationship—moments of miscommunication and anxiety—evoking both poignancy and warmth at the same time.

Layered over a sound that fuses R&B and pop, Mirei Toyama’s expressive vocals create a moving finish that resonates with the heart.

Chosen as the theme song for a popular romance drama, it makes the most touching scenes even more memorable.

Give it a listen when you want to reaffirm your feelings for your partner or someone special.

aspiration; longing; ardent desireFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Wishful Longing (Inspire Movie for the film “If Only I Could Meet You Again at the Hill Where That Flower Blooms”) *NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen performance song

This is a work by Masaharu Fukuyama that portrays a heartrending romance and parting during wartime through delicate emotional expression.

The lyrics carefully weave together feelings for a loved one, a longing for peaceful everyday life, and the inescapable flow of fate, conveying the emotions of people buffeted by the era of war.

The tender vocals depict a yearning for the small joys of daily life and the warm moments shared with someone precious.

Created as the theme song for the film “If Only I Could Meet You Again on the Hill Where That Flower Blooms,” released in December 2023, this piece brilliantly expresses the worldview of the original novel through music.

Despite dealing with heavy themes such as war and separation, it is a song that evokes human warmth and hope, recommended for those who wish to reflect on the bonds with their loved ones and the preciousness of peace.