[Grateful for Encounters] A Collection of Classic Songs Celebrating Cherished Meetings [Love & Friendship]
When you hear “a song about encounters,” what kind of meeting do you imagine?
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is a man and woman meeting in a romantic context!
But there are many kinds of encounters—between friends, between teammates—and there are songs that celebrate each kind of meeting.
In this article, I’ll introduce songs themed around all sorts of encounters!
Just as people say “after parting comes a new meeting,” some songs that seem at first glance to be about farewells are actually about encounters when you look closely at the lyrics!
We’ll be introducing lots of songs, so read on to the end!
- [Thank-You Song] A song to convey your feelings of “thank you” to someone special
- [Song of Destiny] Love songs to listen to when you meet your destined person
- A bright song about comrades. A roundup of classic tracks that make you feel the bonds.
- [A New Love Song] A romance song themed around meeting someone
- Only masterpieces that color the season of meetings and farewells! Spring songs recommended for Gen Z.
- [Tears of Joy] Beautiful Friendship Songs with Lyrics You’ll Want to Gift to a Dear Friend
- A gratitude song for friends. A thank-you song dedicated to someone special.
- [Song of Gratitude] Timeless classics and the latest tracks that convey heartfelt “thank you” to your seniors
- Mutual love, unrequited love, familial love... classic songs that sing about affection
- Friendship Songs: Rediscover Your Bonds! A Carefully Curated Selection of Moving Masterpieces That Will Bring You to Tears
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Emotional songs to listen to in spring: a collection of masterpieces that suit the season of meetings and farewells.
- Love, bonds, parting, cheers… songs so moving they pierce the heart and make you cry uncontrollably
[Grateful for Encounters] A Collection of Classic Songs About Precious Meetings [Love & Friendship] (71–80)
Love ForeverShimizu Shota × Kato Miliyah
When you think of songs about meeting someone, I imagine many people think of this one.
From the very start of the chorus, the lyrics strikingly express gratitude for that encounter! Surely everyone can relate to feeling thankful for meeting a beloved partner, right? In that sense it might seem like a love song for a couple whose relationship is going well, but looking at the lyrics as a whole, it’s a heartrending song that can be taken as a heartbreak tune.
The collaboration between Miliyah Kato and Shota Shimizu—two hugely popular singers representing this scene—features wonderful call-and-response and harmonies that further enhance the story and poignancy of the lyrics.
Encounteranzenchitai
Deai by Anzenchitai is their 24th single, released on July 10, 2002.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama Tuesday Suspense Theater, the track is notable for its lyrics that express heart-wrenching emotions.
Every time I listen to it, I’m reminded of the joy of meeting someone and the weight of love.
The precious memory of an encounter you can never forget… this work appeals to listeners with that sentiment.
While it is a song about parting, it also has a beautiful side that gives thanks for the encounter itself.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to while thinking not only of a lover, but of any precious presence you’ve lost.
I love you!Hirano Aya
This is a song by Aya Hirano, who is also active as a voice actress.
It was included as a coupling track on the single “Super Driver,” released in July 2009.
It reached No.
2 on the Oricon daily chart and No.
3 on the weekly chart.
I can’t put it into wordsOda Kazumasa
A signature song by Off Course, led by Kazumasa Oda.
In the wordless chorus, a rush of emotions wells up and I’m moved to tears before I know it.
Parting is painful, no matter the form it takes.
But perhaps it’s precisely because we part that our encounters are beautiful, and the time we shared can shine.
The song expresses both the earnest feeling that there might have been more we could have done, that we wanted to laugh together more, and the gratitude for having met at all.
Oda occasionally performs it in his solo shows as well, and his beautiful voice and the wonderful lyrics never fail to bring me to tears.
Angel BlossomMizuki Nana
It’s a single by Nana Mizuki released in April 2015, and it was used as the opening theme for the TV anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid, in which Mizuki herself also appeared as a voice actor.
It ranked second on the Oricon daily chart.
SAKURA DropsUtada Hikaru
This is a single by Hikaru Utada released in May 2002, which reached number one on the Oricon weekly chart.
It is the theme song for the TV drama “First Love.” Incidentally, there’s an anecdote that thanks to this song, Sakuma Drops saw an increase in sales.
EncounterMACO
This is a song performed by MACO that expresses the exhilaration of budding romance and the joy of cherishing the moment of meeting someone special.
With a gentle sound centered on acoustic guitar and piano tones, it conveys warmth and happiness straight from the heart.
The lyrics charmingly depict how everyday life changes after meeting that important person, and how you find yourself thinking of them in quiet moments.
It’s a bright, uplifting song that also portrays a strong wish for the happiness felt throughout the body to continue into the future.
