Tear-jerking love songs: classic and popular hits from Japanese music

to go see (someone) / to go meetaimyon

aimyon – Going to See You [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This is a poignant song that portrays unspoken feelings and fading memories through the image of a love letter left in the refrigerator gradually turning white.

Released by Aimyon in May 2024, it was selected as the theme song for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “Unmet: A Neurosurgeon’s Diary.” The track is also included on the album “Neko ni Jealousy” and won the Drama Song Award at the 120th The Television Drama Academy Awards.

With lyrics that empathize with a protagonist struggling with memory impairment and a warm melody, it deeply resonates with those who carry regrets or lingering attachments to the past.

I LOVE YOUkurisu haato

Chris Hart – I LOVE YOU

A heart-stirring ballad that poignantly sings of a love growing cold.

Released in February 2014 as Chris Hart’s first original single, the song is known as the theme for the ACE JTB TV commercial.

While cherishing the happy memories with a lover, it vividly portrays the emotional turmoil of drifting apart.

Though American-born, Hart masterfully conveys the delicate nuances of Japanese and delivers a warm vocal that resonates deeply with listeners.

Scenes of memories unfolding with the changing seasons—like springtime cherry-blossom viewing and winter kisses indoors—further heighten the ache of heartbreak.

It’s a song that gently supports those who have lost someone precious or who are seeking closure.

Linju Lovemakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu “Rinju Love” MV

A moving story that portrays profound love and longing in the face of death.

This piece was released as a single by Macaroni Empitsu in January 2023.

Created as the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “I Wish I Had Said It a Million Times,” it captured the hearts of many viewers alongside the show’s poignant narrative.

Woven with a heartrending melody of love and an emotional vocal performance, the lyrics contain the soul’s cry of someone forced to part with the one they love.

It’s a song that brings to the fore the ache of holding someone dear in your heart right up to the final moment, along with the feelings left unspoken.

Perfect for those who want to empathize with the pain of lost love or are seeking music that stirs the soul.

Only a single voicerokudenashi

Rokudenashi “Just One Voice” / Rokudenashi – One Voice [Official Music Video]

It’s a poignant song that empathizes with people carrying the pain of heartbreak and the struggle of living.

Released in December 2021, it delicately portrays the loneliness and inner conflict of young people today, accompanied by the gentle tones of the piano.

The emotions expressed by Rokudenashi reflect the image of people who, though hurt by everyday words, still try their best to smile.

The song resonated across borders, reaching No.

1 on Hong Kong’s Spotify Viral Chart and moving many hearts.

It’s a track I wholeheartedly recommend to those who can’t quite put their feelings into words or who are wrestling with worries alone.

Its tender melodies and vocals will surely stay close to your heart.

Above the setting sunKawasaki Takaya

Takaya Kawasaki - Above the Sunset [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A poignant love song by Takaya Kawasaki that strikingly portrays a person who appears calm and quiet yet harbors passionate feelings deep inside.

Released in July 2024 as the ending theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Hidamari ga Kikoeru,” the song delicately weaves in imagery of wind, scents, and scenery to express unspoken feelings and the ache of missed connections.

It’s a recommended track for anyone who carries a faint crush yet struggles to put it into words, or for those who wish to look back on the dramatic, bittersweet trajectory of a romance.

Me too,YUTORI-SEDAI

YUTORI-SEDAI – Me Too, [Official Music Video] (Theme Song for the Drama “I’m Being Toyed With by a Younger Virgin Guy”)

A ballad that poignantly portrays an unrequited love, set to the aching timbre of a piano.

Upon learning that their crush is dating a close friend, the protagonist carefully weaves their feelings as they have no choice but to give up while keeping their emotions hidden.

The more they think about the person they love, the more the pain intensifies—an experience many share as a bittersweet memory that lingers in the heart.

Included on YUTORI-SEDAI’s major first EP “blanket,” released in April 2025, this song was also chosen as the ending theme for MBS’s Drama Tokku series “I’m Being Toyed With by a Younger Virgin.” It’s a track that gently accompanies the hearts of those in one-sided love, where simply thinking of someone makes your chest tighten.

Only HumanK

K　『Only Human』

A dramatic ballad by K that shines a light of hope, telling us that “beyond sorrow lies a smile.” Chosen as the theme song for the drama One Litre of Tears, the piece portrays people who keep looking forward even as they face life’s hardships.

When you’re exhausted, when you stop and wonder if things are okay as they are, this song gently gives you a push.

Released in November 2005, it reached No.

5 on the Oricon charts.

It’s also included on the album Beyond the Sea and continues to be cherished as one of K’s signature works.

Its tender, enveloping vocals are sure to give you strength.