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

meeting upHanbaato Hanbaato

"Appointment" Humbert Humbert / Fiddler's Bid

The charm of male-female duos lies in the beauty of their harmonies, and Humbert Humbert’s songs are undeniably beautiful.

They’re a couple I admire.

When it comes to Humbert Humbert, “Onaji Hanashi” is often cited as their signature song, but “Machiawase,” which was used in an Odakyu Electric Railway commercial, is also a wonderful track.

monologueOmoinotake

Omoinotake | Soliloquy [Official Music Video]

Haven’t many of us experienced drifting apart because we couldn’t share our true feelings with someone important? Released in April 2025, this work by Omoinotake—whose roots lie in Black music—is an emotional ballad that sings of that very frustration and sense of loss.

It captures a heart-wrenching realization: words only gain meaning when there’s someone to receive them.

You may find yourself overlaying your own experiences onto the protagonist’s regret—if only I had noticed the hidden truth back then.

This song served as the ending theme for the second cour of season 2 of the TV anime The Apothecary Diaries.

While it gently accompanies the pain of heartbreak, it also leaves a faint glimmer of hope at the end.

for a whilerikon densetsu

Divorce Legend – For a While (Official Music Video)

A ballad that gently nestles up to memories of lost love.

The music unit Divorce Densetsu released it in January 2025.

While lamenting a past that can never return, the song portrays the aching sway of trying to forget someone dear.

Vocalist Matsuda’s sweet, mellow voice rides atop a nostalgic sound reminiscent of ’80s New Music, soaking into the heart.

A healing track that wraps you in sentimental emotion.

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai

God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]

A gem of a rock ballad by Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai that became a hit after gaining buzz on social media.

Its melody, vocals, and lyrics each carry a sensational power that speaks straight to the heart.

The song was included on the mini-album “An Opinion on Lambda,” released in May 2019.

It expresses an overwhelming longing for someone precious you can never meet again, and many listeners find themselves moved to tears even without having gone through a breakup.

Vocalist and lyricist Shusaku Yanagita reportedly cried many times during production.

Listen to it on a night when you can’t forget someone, and your tear ducts will surely be stirred.

AiHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata / Ai from 'A Night With Strings'

Sung by Motohiro Hata in a delicate, tear-evoking voice, this song is a moving number that portrays how emotions one couldn’t believe in before begin to gently take root in the heart after meeting someone irreplaceable.

The beautiful guitar arpeggios and clear vocals deliver that heartrending love straight to the listener’s heart.

Released in January 2010 as his ninth single, it reached No.

5 on the Oricon weekly chart and was also used as the ending theme for a TV Miyazaki program.

It’s the perfect track for those moments when you want to once again feel the presence of someone precious to you—be it a partner, family member, or any loved one.

end rollAndrop

androp「End roll」(from 2nd full album “one and zero” )

Among androp’s songs, this is a very beautiful ballad where vocalist Takahito Uchisawa’s voice is pure and divine.

The end roll lyrics, which powerfully think of “you,” make it a song that anyone with a cherished “you” can project themselves onto, empathize with, and be moved to tears.

Snow SmileBUMP OF CHICKEN

Snow Smile @ Zepp Sapporo

Among BUMP OF CHICKEN fans, the quintessential winter love song is “Snow Smile.” The fourth album “Yggdrasil,” which includes this track, is in my opinion the finest masterpiece among BUMP’s albums.