The lyrics are profoundly good. The more you listen, the more it sinks in. Masterpieces of Japanese music, recommended popular songs.
When you listen to music, what do you focus on?
There are many aspects you might pay attention to—such as the vocals, the mood of the song, or, if you create music yourself, the overall structure of the track.
Among these, many people probably focus on the lyrics.
One of the best things about lyrics is that they let you feel the message of the song in the most direct way!
In this article, we’ll be introducing plenty of songs with deeply evocative lyrics that are incredibly compelling.
We’ve picked out many pieces that become moving once you understand their meaning, so be sure to listen closely.
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- Good songs themed around love, encouragement, and life—tracks with lyrics you can relate to.
The lyrics are profoundly good. A song that sinks in more the more you listen. Masterpieces of Japanese music: recommended popular songs (41–50)
Eine KleineYonezu Kenshi
This is a work by Kenshi Yonezu that delicately captures the poignancy of living and the sway of shifting emotions.
The protagonist hides the feelings they wish to convey, and their inner world is expressed through a delicate, translucent vocal and the gentle tone of an acoustic guitar.
Included on the album “YANKEE,” this song was featured in a Tokyo Metro commercial in March 2014, becoming Yonezu’s first tie-in track.
Its lyrics—read by some as a song about a mother’s deep love for her child, and by others as a bittersweet tale of unrequited love—have resonated with many.
It’s a warm piece that stays close to your heart when you think of someone important in your life.
contrailArai Yumi
The B-side of her second single, released in 1973.
It became widely known again in 2013—forty years after its release—when it was used as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli film The Wind Rises.
Even now, it hasn’t faded in the slightest: a gem of pop music that blends beauty with bittersweet sorrow.
In fact, Yumi wrote the song in memory of a friend who passed away young, likening that life to a single streak of cloud.
Though it deals with the heavy theme of death, the lyrics, melody, and arrangement exquisitely capture its transience and beauty—truly breathtaking.
KanadeSukima Suichi
“Kanade,” celebrated as a classic love song and one of Sukima Switch’s signature tracks, is their second single, released in 2004.
The song has been widely used for tie-ins and covered by many artists.
Its piano melody heightens the sense of longing, making it a love song that tightens your chest.
It’s a number that amplifies the bittersweet feeling through lyrics capturing the emotional shifts you notice only by watching someone you love for a long time, leading you to reaffirm your own feelings.
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko
It’s a signature ballad by singer-songwriter aiko, and it still ranks high on karaoke charts! The song’s lyrical charm lies not only in its distinctive lines that compare herself to a rhinoceros beetle, but also in the many lyrics that convey straightforward love and trust.
Cherishing the time spent together now and in the future, and feeling that no matter how sad things get, it’s okay as long as you’re together—these words make you think about what true love really is.
If you have someone special, I hope you’ll take your time to listen while looking closely at the lyrics.
Footsteps ~Be StrongMr.Children
Mr.Children’s “Ashiatō ~Be Strong~” is, as the title suggests, unlike any other song in how much it makes you want to cherish each step you take.
It affirms even your small bits of growth and gives you the reassuring sense that someone is watching over you.
On the path toward your goals, there are times you feel like you might lose heart, but when you listen to this song in those moments, the words “It’s okay” arrive with real weight.
Velvet Poemback number
Velvet no Uta is a song I want people who want to move forward as their true selves to hear.
Released in August 2022 by back number, a rock band whose many memorable lyrics—often centered on love songs—captivate listeners.
Its words stand by each person’s dreams even as they face reality.
When you feel, “I can’t do this anymore, I’m at my limit,” this song gives you a light to guide you.
It’s only natural to feel frustrated on days when you can’t fight the unfairness of the world.
The latter half unfolds like the fog lifting, and the powerful lyrics are truly beautiful—enough to bring you to tears.
It’s a wonderful anthem of encouragement that feels connected to Suiheisen, which gave courage to so many people.
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
It was released in 2004 as Yo Hitoto’s fifth single.
The song, which served as the theme for NTV’s “Tuesday Suspense Theater” among other tie-ins, is said to have been written in about a week, inspired by an email from a friend who was in New York at the time of the September 11 attacks.
Despite its heavy theme, the lyrics—wishing for a love to last forever—make it a profoundly moving piece.