[Songs to Listen to in December] J-POP and Christmas Songs that Feel Like Winter [2026]

Christmas Nightatarayo

Atarayo – Christmas Night (Music Video)

Atarayo is a Tokyo-based three-piece band with the tagline “a band that grows by feeding on sorrow.” Their 10th digital-only single, “Kurisumasu no Yoru,” features a spacious ensemble centered on piano and strings that conjures a wintry atmosphere.

The lyrics, which recall someone you’ve parted ways with, may evoke that feeling where the glitter of Christmas only makes the pain sharper.

It’s a lyrical mid-tempo ballad whose beautiful yet sentimental melody stirs the heart.

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Hoshino Takashi

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wishasmi

wish – asmi (Official Music Video)

Singer-songwriter asmi from Osaka.

Released digitally in November 2022, this work is her first Christmas song under her solo name.

The lyrics, which sing about the warm feelings you get in a winter city, evoke the anticipation of spending special time with someone.

With its relaxed, lyrical sound and asmi’s charming vocals, it’s sure to color the holy night.

A pop ballad born in the Reiwa era, perfect for a quietly spent Christmas Eve with someone special.

Mont BlancIkuta Erika

Erika Ikuta “Mont Blanc” Lyric Video

Since graduating from Nogizaka46, Erika Ikuta has been forging her path as a solo artist.

Released in November 2024, this track is her first song themed around winter.

On a Christmas night when lovers gather, it delicately portrays the feelings of a protagonist spending the evening alone, layering the sweetness of a cake they ordered with the aching sadness of an unattainable love.

The lyrics, where the dream of a pure love like a white shortcake intersects with the bittersweetness of reality, will resonate in the stillness of a winter night.

A gentle arrangement anchored by piano highlights her clear, translucent voice, evoking a nostalgic mood.

It’s a Reiwa-era Christmas ballad that quietly stays by your side on a holy night spent alone.

PresentAwich

Present

The hip-hop artist Awich from Okinawa released a song in December 2020 that was created as an insert track for the film “Silent Tokyo.” The title carries a double meaning—“gift” and “the present”—and, in her own words, conveys the message that “each of our existences is the greatest present.” It’s an R&B-infused number built on gentle piano and a subdued beat, with lyrics interweaving English and Japanese that are sure to resonate.

Centered on appreciating a loved one’s very existence, it’s a warm track perfect for those spending Christmas with someone special.

On Christmas nightYUTORI-SEDAI

YUTORI-SEDAI – On Christmas Night - [Official Music Video]

This release by YUTORI-SEDAI, a three-piece band from West Tokyo, dropped digitally in November 2021 and is a ballad that straightforwardly captures the feeling of wanting to see someone special on Christmas night.

While the narrator blames their trembling legs on the cold, in truth they’re wrapped in the nervous tension of love—a delicate inner state expressed with great care.

Ryouki Kanehara’s tender, heartrending vocals resonate over the band’s unhurried performance, taking nearly six minutes to carefully convey the nuances of emotion.

It’s a winter night love song that expands on YUTORI-SEDAI’s signature world—lyrics about love that invite empathy.

A perfect track for anyone spending that moment when you wish to confess your feelings to someone you like.

The Christmas SongISSA

The Christmas Song

This is an adult Christmas song released via streaming in November 2024 by ISSA, the vocalist of DA PUMP.

There’s a touching backstory: the song was originally co-written in a casual, playful session in 2001 with Hatake from Sharam Q at his private studio, and after a long 23 years, it has finally been officially released.

It’s a classic-style Christmas tune where ISSA’s rich, layered chorus work intertwines with Hatake’s lustrous guitar solo.

The roughly five-minute track is also slated to appear on ISSA’s solo album “I SING,” due out in March 2025.

Rather than showcasing intense dance moves, this work is filled with ISSA’s new approach that returns to the essence of singing itself—a lovely song you’ll want to listen to on a quiet winter night.

RikaSIX LOUNGE

“Rika” SIX LOUNGE Music Video / Illustration by Miku Masuda

This song, originally included on SIX LOUNGE’s 2016 album Shinonome by the three-piece rock band from Oita Prefecture, drew attention when a newly recorded version was released digitally in August 2023.

Set in December and themed around a mad, obsessive love, the lyrics depict a resolve to head toward ruin together in a world of just the two of them, delivering a striking portrayal that pursues universal emotions to their limits.

Though built on a simple band sound, it’s crafted as a mid-tempo track whose richly expressive melody lingers in the heart.

It’s recommended as a song that warms a chilled heart and helps you rediscover the preciousness of time spent with someone important.