Tear-jerking youth songs: recommended classics and popular tracks

Unchanging ThingsOku Hanako

Unchanging Things

This is a piece with a beautiful piano melody, perfect for those summer evenings when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood.

Through the lyrics—almost as if a character in a film were speaking directly to you—feelings of nostalgia for irreplaceable days gone by and a deep, unwavering affection for someone precious, unchanged by time, come straight through via Hanako Oku’s clear, translucent voice.

If you’ve ever had those sudden moments when a memory rushes back and your chest tightens, this will really resonate.

The song is included on the single “Garnet,” released in July 2006, and can also be heard on the album “TIME NOTE,” released in March 2007.

It is also known for coloring some of the most moving scenes as an insert song in the feature-length animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

It’s a work I hope you’ll experience at least once in a summer filled with youthful memories—friendship, first love, and more.

Blown by the windElefanto Kashimashi

Elephant Kashimashi – Blown by the Wind [Official Video]

This is a coming-of-age song that portrays the premonition of parting and a turning point in life.

Hiroji Miyamoto of Elephant Kashimashi weaves his innermost feelings into lyrics that flow naturally.

Strikingly using the contrast between the sun and the moon to depict a journey of departure that stretches on forever, this work was released as a single in November 1997.

Selected from the album “Run Toward Tomorrow – Moonlit Songs,” it also became a memorable piece as the theme song for Glico Almond Chocolate’s commercial.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when you want to linger in the afterglow of a faint romance, when you’re about to take a new step forward, or when a touch of sentimentality finds its way into an ordinary day.

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.

sunflowerAdo

[Ado] Sunflower

It takes courage to be honest with your feelings, doesn’t it? That’s why I’d like to introduce a cheering song that gives you a gentle push: “Himawari” (Sunflower).

This track by Ado was created as the theme song for the drama “18/40: Dreams and Love, Together.” It’s a warm ballad that portrays a woman who thinks of herself as timid mustering the courage to take a step forward.

It’s also sprinkled with summery imagery, so keep an ear out for that as you listen.

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this very momentLittle Glee Monster

Little Glee Monster “This Very Moment”

Let me introduce a youth anthem that’s sure to tug at your heartstrings the moment you hear it: “Ima Kono Shunkan o” (“This Very Moment”).

The song is by Little Glee Monster, renowned for their powerful vocals, and it’s used as the ending theme for the anime MIX MEISEI STORY: “A Second Summer, Soar Beyond the Sky.” Its lyrics are crafted to give a push to anyone chasing their dreams.

Give it a listen while thinking back on your own youth or picturing the anime’s story.

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DarlingMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE "Darling" Official Music Video

A gem of a medium-tempo ballad that gently embraces the doubts and struggles of adolescence.

Released in January 2025 as the theme song for NHK General’s special program “Mrs.

GREEN APPLE 18 Festival,” the piece sings, like a letter to a loved one, of the beauty of being true to yourself.

The grand performance delivered by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE together with a thousand 18-year-olds brilliantly captured the interplay of youthful radiance and anxiety.

It is a song that stands by the feelings of those who, on the verge of losing their sense of self, long for someone who will accept their true selves.

Its tender melody is one that brings tears to your eyes.

sentimentalculenasm

culenasm “Sentimental” (Official Music Video)

Culenasm’s song delivers sentimental feelings with raw emotion.

It’s a shoegaze number where roaring guitars resonate beautifully.

Released digitally on February 5, 2025, the track centers on themes of regret over past relationships and the bittersweet wish to return to those moments.

Through its guitar sound, it expresses both the beauty of memories and the ache of regret.

In December 2023, they also provided the theme song for director Hideki Noda’s film “Futari no Kizuato” (The Scars of Two).

It’s a recommended listen for anyone looking to confront past memories and emotions as graduation season approaches.