[Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul

BoyhoodInoue Yosui

Yosui Inoue – Shonen Jidai (Live) NHK Hall 2014/5/22

This is the 29th single by singer-songwriter Yosui Inoue, whose unforgettable, distinctive voice and uniquely imaginative lyrics have led the folk and New Music scenes.

It’s Inoue’s biggest hit and is also well known for being covered by many artists.

In 2021, it gained attention again when suis from the rock band Yorushika covered it as the Japanese end song for the Disney film Luca.

Its melody, which evokes the bittersweet passing of summer, and its lyrical poetry create a timeless world that any era can envision.

A classic summer song that brings tears to your eyes with the loneliness of a season’s end.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi

Rimi Natsukawa “Nada Sousou” Music Video

This is the third single by Rimi Natsukawa, a female singer from Okinawa who swept singing competitions across Japan from a young age.

The song was born from lyrics by singer Ryoko Moriyama and music by the acoustic band BEGIN, and it became a cover at Natsukawa’s passionate insistence that she absolutely wanted to sing it.

As the title—Okinawan for “tears falling in drops”—suggests, the lyrics, which trace memories and feelings for someone lost, are enough to make your tear ducts overflow.

The sound of the sanshin and the gentle melody further build the song’s emotional world, making it a masterpiece that’s impossible to listen to without tears.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Broken RadioTokunaga Hideaki

Hideaki Tokunaga – The Broken Radio

Released in 1990, this ballad—emblematic of Hideaki Tokunaga—features a beautiful, clean-toned voice that leaves a strong impression.

Its lyrics, which evoke a nostalgic reflection on the sensitivities of adolescence, are paired with echo and reverb that resonate like wandering into a cave, and the crystalline synth textures provide the perfect contrast for a transparent, shimmering sound.

Things that have formShibasaki Kou

Ko Shibasaki / Things That Have Form

The theme song of the drama “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World.” The drama itself is an incredibly tear-jerking story, and this theme song also brings on the tears.

The string arrangement throughout the track is exquisitely beautiful, and Kou Shibasaki’s vocals shine in this masterpiece.

Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

Although he was born a musician and raised in a family of musicians, singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama is also active on variety shows thanks to his distinctive personality.

This is his second single.

Originally written to celebrate a friend’s wedding, it has become a famous song that is virtually synonymous with “sakura songs” in the J-pop scene.

Its lyrics, evoking farewells and new encounters that come with cherry blossom season, make it an inevitable tearjerker for students, especially during graduation season.

The distinctive falsetto further tinges the beautiful melody with poignancy—a heart-trembling track.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Let’s become a familyFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Let’s Become a Family (Full ver.)

This song is a wedding reception classic.

Its lyrics paint an ideal picture of a wonderful family, and they portray the couple’s resolve to walk through life together, moving closer to that ideal.

It’s a song that makes you reflect on how warmly and wonderfully you were raised, and brings you to tears with gratitude.

AiHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata / Ai from 'A Night With Strings'

A heartfelt ballad by Motohiro Hata that you might find yourself listening to absentmindedly—only to end up in tears.

With this song, Hata debuted at No.

5 on the Oricon chart, marking his second entry into the top five.

I’ve heard it’s also used as the ending theme for a news program in Miyazaki, making it a perfect song to gently close out the day.

The lyric “I couldn’t believe in love, but after meeting you I learned what love is” feels like a long story, and it suits Hata’s vocal timbre perfectly.

The words of kindness in the lyrics never lose their sense of reality, which is exactly why it makes you cry.

On days when things don’t go your way, give it a listen before bed.