[Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]

Love StoryAmuro Namie

Love Story – Namie Amuro (Full)

This is a song by Namie Amuro, Japan’s songstress whose popularity has never waned even after her retirement.

Released in 2011 as her 38th single, it became a hit after being chosen as the theme song for the drama “The Reason I Can’t Find My Love.” It’s a poignant love ballad that sings, “We can no longer be together, but I’m always thinking of you.”

youieiri reo

Leo Ieiri – “Anata” (Music Video)

A dreamlike love ballad brimming with a sense of the seasons.

It delicately weaves feelings for someone lost through sensory expressions—scents, the desire to touch, and more.

Leo Ieiri’s gentle vocals make it a wonderful piece that conveys both heartache and warmth at once.

The track is included on the album “My name,” released in October 2024.

Its music video, noted for its strikingly dramatic visuals, also drew attention.

Rich with the atmosphere of autumn into winter, it’s a song you’ll want to hear on a quiet night when you’re thinking of someone dear.

Its touching lyrics and melody will softly awaken the precious memories within you.

waltzieiri reo

Leo Ieiri “Waltz”

It’s a ballad marked by Leo Ieiri’s powerful yet heartrending vocals.

Released digitally on April 24, 2024, it was later issued as a single.

The song also drew attention as the theme for the drama “Miss Target.” Its lyrics delicately portray feelings toward a love that has ended, expressing complex emotions such as the regret of having hurt the other person and the affection that lingers even after the relationship is over.

It’s a track likely to resonate with many listeners, offering solace to those who have experienced heartbreak or are struggling with love.

The summer you gave meieiri reo

Leo Ieiri - “The Summer You Gave Me” (Full Ver.)

Debuting in 2012 with “Sabrina,” Leo Ieiri quickly became a much-talked-about singer-songwriter, and this is one of her signature songs.

Released in 2015, it served as the theme song for the drama “Koinaka,” so many people likely first heard it through the show.

It’s a classic mid-tempo ballad with poignant, heartrending lyrics that leave a strong impression.

While the lyrics are written to link with the drama, there are plenty of lines you can relate to even without knowing the story.

I encourage you to read the lyrics and listen while reflecting on your own experiences.

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Hane Keisuke

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Something CertainOda Kazumasa

Something Certain

Kazumasa Oda, who has sung many timeless songs that resonate with listeners’ hearts, released the ballad “Tashikana Koto” in 2005.

In addition to being featured in a Meiji Yasuda Life corporate commercial, it has been used in various dramas and TV programs.

It reached No.

8 on the Oricon singles chart and sold 620,000 copies.

With lyrics that urge you to cherish yourself and Oda’s heartrending vocals, it’s a masterpiece that speaks to the heart—one you’ll want to listen to when times are tough.

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Hamada Takuya

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I LOVE YOUOzaki Yutaka

Special feature clip from the film “Hot Road”: Yutaka Ozaki’s “I LOVE YOU”

This is the last song legendary singer-songwriter Yutaka Ozaki wrote to include on his 1983 debut album, Seventeen’s Map.

Having been covered by many artists, it’s a song known across generations.

Ozaki himself seemed to have a special attachment to it, and he almost always performed it live.

It’s an indispensable classic when discussing Japanese love songs.

OH MY LITTLE GIRLOzaki Yutaka

Yutaka Ozaki – Oh My Little Girl

The song was originally included on an album released in 1983, and about ten years later it was selected to be released as a single as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Kono Yo no Hate.” Yutaka Ozaki’s uniquely tender vocals resonated with the drama and it became a major hit, and it was once again used as the theme song for the 2014 film “Hot Road.” It remains a classic that is still covered by many artists today.