A masterpiece coupling track. Recommended popular songs.

Lonely ChaplinSuzuki Kiyomi with Rats & Star

Lonely Chaplin - Seimi Suzuki & Masayuki Suzuki

A coupling track from Masayuki Suzuki’s single “Liberty.” It’s a brother-sister duet sung with his older sister, Kiyomi Suzuki.

Both deliver powerful vocals, making it a compelling listen.

Despite being a coupling track, it remains a staple choice for karaoke duets even today.

Clair de Lunemiwa

[Live Acoustic] Clair de Lune / miwa [Me]

It was released in 2012 as a coupling track to miwa’s eighth single, “Kataomoi.” The song title “Clair de Lune” means “moonlight” in French, and it was used as the theme song for the Nintendo 3DS game Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure.

wet shoesSuga Shikao

Shikao Suga “Wet Shoes”

“It’s like reading a short story,” “I find myself wanting to listen to it in unguarded moments”—hardcore fans are raving too! ‘Nureta Kutsu’ (Wet Shoes) was the B-side to Shikao Suga’s 2000 single ‘AFFAIR,’ and it was also included on the compilation album ‘Sugarless’ released the following year.

The gloomy mood—evoking a conversation after attending a wedding or a funeral—comes across vividly through Suga’s laid-back, husky voice.

Many listeners have probably experienced a situation like the one depicted in this song.

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Saddle of a Shooting StarKubota Toshinobu

Toshinobu Kubota – Shooting Star Saddle [Official Video Short ver.]

This is a track from Toshinobu Kubota’s debut album, SHAKE IT PARADISE, released in 1986.

Although it wasn’t released as a single, it’s highly regarded by fans and within the industry, and was included on the 1989 best-of album the BADDEST, among others.

Its distinctive sense of groove and rhythm pairs perfectly with Kubota’s deep, nontraditional-for-Japanese vocals.

Hearing his crisp, signature lyrics that blend English and Japanese will have you instinctively tapping along to the beat.

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ANNIVERSARYMayo Okamoto

Anniversary Mayo Okamoto

It was released in 1997 as the coupling track to Mayo Okamoto’s fourth single, “Sono mama no kimi de ite.” The lyrics and music were written by Mayo Okamoto herself, and it’s a self-cover of a song she provided to Seiko Ishii in 1996.

With a wedding anniversary as its theme, the song evokes a warm and heartwarming image of a couple who aim to remain wonderful together as they grow older.

What a nice hot bath (Viva Non Rock)The Drifters

What a nice hot bath—Viva Non Rock!

A song that probably every Japanese person knows.

The song “Ii Yu da na” itself was sung by Duke Aces before the Drifters ever performed it.

When the Drifters released it under the title “Ii Yu da na (Viva Non Rock)” as the B-side of the single “Zukkoke-chan,” the B-side became the more famous track.

It was released in 1989.

Yagiri no Watashi (Yagiri Ferry)chiaki naomi

Naomi Chiaki – Yagiri no Watashi

This is a song by Naomi Chiaki that was included on the B-side of the 1976 single “Sakabagawa,” and, due to its popularity, was released as an A-side single in 1982.

The following year, it was covered by famous singers such as Takashi Hosokawa, Eiko Segawa, and Kiyoshi Nakajo, but many kayōkyoku fans still rave that “Naomi Chiaki’s version is the best!” The song portrays the feelings of a man and a woman heading to an unfamiliar place as if fleeing from something.

Indeed, Naomi Chiaki’s sultry, heartrending voice fits the image perfectly, doesn’t it?

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