[Easy Chords] A collection of popular Japanese songs that are easy to play on guitar
Especially those who are thinking, “I’m going to start playing guitar,” might have found our site.
In this article, I’ve put together a list of popular Japanese songs that are easy to play on guitar.
Even songs that feel difficult—like ones with complex arrangements or fast tempos—can sometimes have surprisingly simple finger movements.
It’s a playlist full of classics that are easy yet cool, exhilarating, or warm!
You could say that “simple” also means “refined.”
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[Easy Chords] Collection of Popular Japanese Songs with Easy Guitar (1–10)
March 9Remioromen
A third single by Remioromen, the three-piece rock band known for the massive hit “Konayuki,” who are currently on hiatus yet active individually.
The song was featured in the TV drama “1 Litre of Tears,” and although it was originally written to celebrate a friend’s wedding, it’s also well known as a staple graduation song.
By using a capo on the 5th fret, you can play it with only basic chords; the tempo and chord changes are slow, making it approachable for beginner guitarists.
If the occasional barre chords are difficult, it’s fine to use simplified chord shapes—so give it a try and add it to your repertoire.
Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro
The 17th single by singer-songwriter Motohiro Hata, who has numerous tie-ins including the theme song for the 3DCG animated film “STAND BY ME Doraemon.” It’s his biggest hit to date and is known for bringing Hata’s name to a wider audience.
D/F# can be substituted with D, and A7/C# with A7; furthermore, you can omit progressions like A7/C# to Dsus4 before the chorus and the song will still work, making it easy for beginner guitarists to play.
However, those omitted chords and progressions are originally there to add more color to the music, so we recommend starting with the simplified chords and gradually working your way closer to the original.
Heroamazarashi
A two-piece rock band, amazarashi, whose intense rock sound is compelling and carries a powerful message about confronting adversity.
This song was chosen as the theme for the TV drama “Silver and Gold,” and its unadorned vocals make the emotional melody resonate all the more—it’s outstanding, isn’t it? Since only easy, straightforward chord shapes appear throughout, it’s recommended for beginner guitarists or anyone looking for a simple song.
With impactful lyrics and a lyrical melody that’s perfect for solo singing with guitar, it’s an easy number precisely because it’s simple—so go all out and sing your heart out.
[Easy Chords] Collection of Popular Japanese Songs with Easy Guitar (11–20)
Song of PointillismMrs. GREEN APPLE
A song by the three-piece rock band Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, who announced they would resume activities in spring 2022 as Phase 2 after overcoming member departures.
The track was used as an insert song in the film “Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi,” and is also known as a signature number representing Phase 1, which concluded in 2020.
By using a capo on the 5th fret, you can play mainly with simple chords, but since the chord changes are frequent, it’s fine to omit accents like switching from Em to Em7 if you can’t keep up.
However, there are chords like Em7/D that require playing the 1st to 4th strings open without fretting, so be sure to properly mute the 5th and 6th strings, which shouldn’t be played.
Racing into the NightYOASOBI
This is the first digital-only single by the two-person music unit YOASOBI, who have released numerous buzzworthy works since their major debut.
Their unprecedented concept of basing songs on novels shocked the J-pop scene and sparked a social phenomenon in 2020—you practically couldn’t go a day without hearing it.
The E7/G# chord that appears here and there uses a rather tricky shape, so it’s fine to substitute E7 if it’s too difficult.
Also, after the key change in the latter half, there are more barre chords, but you can play simplified voicings instead.
For singing with guitar, it might be best to choose chords that let you stay focused on your vocals.
I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci
This is the seventh digital-only single by wacci, a five-member pop-rock band, which became the catalyst for making their name widely known thanks to surpassing 100 million total streams.
Its strikingly impactful title and lyrical melody resonated with a broad range of listeners, and it became a hot topic through numerous cover videos by everyone from musicians to YouTubers.
Although the chord D/F#—a shape that can be tricky—appears frequently, it can be substituted with basic chords like D or F#m, making it easy for beginner guitarists to use for acoustic covers.
With its relaxed tempo and gentle chord changes, it’s a song you’ll likely have many chances to perform once you add it to your repertoire.
Goodbye ElegySuda Masaki
A singer who stands out in everything he does—music, artistry, and acting—Masaki Suda’s third single.
The song was featured in the TV drama “Kiss that Kills,” and it became a hot topic when he performed an acoustic version in the show as a street musician.
By using a capo on the first fret, you can play it with only basic chords, but it does include many barre chords—the usual hurdle for beginner guitarists—so practice is needed.
If you just can’t get the barre chords to ring cleanly, it’s fine to use simplified chords, so definitely give it a try.