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

Rainy Amusement ParkSasuke

Rainy Amusement Park

This is a ballad that poignantly depicts memories of a couple’s date at an amusement park and their bittersweet parting.

It weaves together contrasting scenes: a past moment of riding a carousel in the rain, and the present, where the narrator catches sight of a former lover with shorter hair, looking happy.

The lingering attachment the protagonist still feels, along with a quiet resolve to face forward and live on, gently presses on the heart.

A warm sound centered on acoustic guitar and piano highlights the story-rich lyrics.

Included on Sasuke’s album “Smile,” the piece was released in October 2004, reached No.

3 on the Oricon charts, sold over 450,000 copies, and was certified Platinum.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on a rainy day, especially when you’re trying to heal the pain of a broken heart.

NOW LOADINGmakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu "NOW LOADING" Music Video

A sweet and bittersweet love song by Macaroni Empitsu that traces the journey of conveying feelings that are hard to put into words.

It beautifully captures the awkwardness of love and the dilemmas of emotion, carried by a gentle yet powerful melody.

Included on the album “Ima Dakishimeru Tarinai Dake o,” released in March 2025, the song was produced as the theme for the film “My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999.” In collaboration with the movie starring Mizuki Yamashita, it perfectly matches a story that portrays modern romance sparked by gaming.

This track gently stands by those troubled by love or frustrated by unspoken feelings, giving them a soft, encouraging push forward.

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

A poignant ballad that likens a breakup with a live-in lover to the children’s game of hide-and-seek.

Through images of a tumbler left behind and a messy room, it vividly portrays a man’s heart steeped in emptiness and loneliness.

Yuuri’s delicate vocals, paired with a simple, guitar-centered arrangement, superbly convey the pain of heartbreak.

Released in December 2019, the recording was supervised by Hiro of MY FIRST STORY.

The music video, directed by Elizabeth Miyaji and featuring actress Yuu Kinoyama, further deepens the work’s world.

It is a gem of a love song that closely resonates with those who have just experienced a breakup or who still harbor longing for someone dear.

Why did I end up falling in love with you?Tōhōshinki

Tohoshinki / Why Did I Fall in Love with You?

A gem of a ballad that captures the aching heartbreak and pure love for another, pressing on the listener’s heart.

It delicately portrays the feelings of a protagonist watching a bride and groom at their wedding, touching on the subtle emotions woven from a wish for a loved one’s happiness and lingering regret.

Released by Tohoshinki in July 2008, the song’s elegant piano-and-strings arrangement blends beautifully with the five-member harmony, earning it the No.

1 spot on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It also won an Excellent Work Award at the 50th Japan Record Awards, paving the way for the group’s first appearance on the Kohaku Uta Gassen.

A track that seeps into your heart on night drives, rainy days, or when love is weighing on your mind.

Flavor Of LifeUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-

This is a masterpiece that delicately portrays the bittersweet pain of heartbreak and parting.

Released in February 2007, it’s a song by Hikaru Utada and served as the image song for the TBS drama “Boys Over Flowers 2 (Returns).” It beautifully expresses the many emotions brought on by saying goodbye to someone you love, with a memorable melody that resonates as if you can feel the very essence of love throughout your whole body.

The song topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and was also included on the album “HEART STATION.” It’s a track that resonates deeply during the poignant moments of love or when you’re feeling uncertain about a relationship with someone important.

crescent moonayaka

Ayaka – Crescent Moon

This ambitious work powerfully sings of the aching feelings of longing for a faraway lover.

Released as a single in September 2006, it showcases Ayaka’s outstanding expressive ability to the fullest.

The song is memorable for its forward-looking resolve to overcome parting and loneliness with a loved one, as well as its strong will to keep thinking of that person, while also conveying a sense of a positive future.

It was featured as the CM song for au’s “LISMO” and as the theme song for NHK General TV’s “Tsunagaru TV @ Human,” and it won the Best New Artist Award at the 48th Japan Record Awards.

It’s a song that offers comfort to those in long-distance relationships or anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone dear.

Dinner Songtuki.

tuki. “Banquet Song” Official Music Video

A song that poignantly grips the heart with the ache of heartbreak.

Since its release in September 2023, it has drawn attention as tuki.’s debut work, and the music video featuring beautiful illustrations by Posuka Demizu also became a hot topic.

It portrays the image of oneself making a loved one cry and the wavering feelings of being unable to let go nonetheless, stirring the heart with gratitude and pain toward the other person.

With an appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen secured, this work has established a solid presence in the music scene despite the artist being just 15 years old.

It’s a recommended track for those who carry memories of a bittersweet romance or who want to reexamine their feelings for someone dear.