If you’re a woman in your 80s, you probably have many unforgettable classic songs from the Showa era.
In this article, we’ll spotlight especially moving songs from among those classics and introduce our top recommendations.
From songs about heartbreak to ones that portray the straightforward love women carry, we think you’ll find tracks that draw you in and bring you to tears.
Be sure to read the lyrics and listen while feeling the stories and emotions woven into each song.
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- Recommended love songs for people in their 80s: A collection of classic love songs that colored the Showa era
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Tear-Jerking Songs Recommended for Women in Their 80s: A Collection of Moving Masterpieces (1–10)
umbilical cordNEW!SOFFet
This song, perfect for Mother’s Day when feelings of gratitude toward parents overflow, is a number that weaves together thanks to one’s mother—thanks that become harder to express in words as we grow up.
The reason we’re alive like this now is undoubtedly because our moms were always watching over us.
That sentiment is embedded in the song.
It’s a single released in June 2005 by SOFFet, a music group formed by childhood friends from their elementary school days.
It was the ending theme for Fuji TV’s “Enta! Mitamon Kachi.” It was later included on the album “Kokoro Film Note.” The gentle melody featuring piano and strings paired with rap feels so pleasant, doesn’t it? While reflecting on your own childhood memories, it’s also recommended as a message song for older listeners.
threadNEW!Nakajima Miyuki
It’s a classic song that likens the ties between people to a woven textile, portraying the warmth of living while supporting one another.
Its profound message—that the mystery of encounters and even painful experiences will someday transform into the power to embrace someone—gently resonates in the listener’s heart.
This song by Miyuki Nakajima is included on the celebrated album “EAST ASIA,” released in October 1992.
It later became widely known when it was used as the theme song for the 1998 TV drama “Seija no Koshin” (March of the Saints).
It has enjoyed enduring support, including a film released in 2020 that was inspired by the piece.
It’s especially recommended for Mother’s Day, when feelings of gratitude toward parents abound, to listen to together with older adults and savor its content.
pure-heartedNEW!Tamaki Kōji
A love that wells up for one’s mother precisely because we’ve grown into adults.
It’s a love song filled with feelings for that one irreplaceable person in the world.
Written and produced by singer-songwriter Koji Tamaki, it was released as a single in April 2013, and was later included on the best-of album “ALL TIME BEST.” The unadorned vocals and gentle melody are crafted so that tears come naturally as you listen.
Truly, just as it is—without any twist—it’s a song imbued with gratitude to one’s mother.
It expresses thanks while looking back on memories from childhood.
It’s also recommended as a message song to hum together with older adults as you go through a long life, conveying everyday gratitude.
applausechiaki naomi
Chiaki Naomi’s signature song “Kassai” (Applause) is a moving masterpiece that hides the sorrow of losing a loved one behind the glamour of the stage.
Released in 1972, it became a hit and won the Japan Record Award.
Chiaki’s voice exquisitely conveys both brilliance and loneliness.
It’s striking how the deep grief of losing someone dear is embedded in her singing of “Kassai.” It’s surely a song that will resonate with older listeners who have experienced both the joys and sorrows of life.
From the northern innMiyako Harumi
Harumi Miyako’s “From the Northern Inn” is a classic distinguished by lyrics that portray loneliness and heartache.
In the winter cold, a woman keeps knitting a sweater alone, holding on to lingering feelings for a former lover.
Her solitary figure conveys deep love and the sorrow of parting.
Since its 1975 release, the song has been cherished for many years, selling over 1.4 million copies.
It won both the Japan Record Award and the Japan Cable Awards.
It’s a perfect song for a quiet winter night spent alone—Harumi Miyako’s powerful voice will surely resonate in your heart.