[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)
Snow SmileBUMP OF CHICKEN
This is the fifth single by BUMP OF CHICKEN, a four-piece rock band whose avant-garde, ever-evolving sound has continued to influence artists since the 2000s.
The track features ear-catching acoustic guitar arpeggios, and its arrangement—somehow dry yet transparent, evoking wintry scenes—feels wonderfully comfortable.
The lyrics, which express gratitude for a precious encounter and depict someone setting off while holding those memories close, let you sense the depth of a bond that undeniably existed.
It’s a song about a connection that doesn’t fade with distance, a number that stirs a sentimental mood as spring approaches.
BelieveChe’Nelle
Woven with a warm, heartfelt vocal, this song expresses gratitude for meaningful encounters.
It portrays the precious bonds of friendship and love, with lyrics that gently reach the heart.
Even when apart, it conveys that our hearts are one, and it sings of the importance of trusting and supporting each other at all times.
Included on Che’Nelle’s third album, “Believe,” it was released in July 2012.
The song also served as the theme for Toho’s film “BRAVE HEARTS: Umizaru.” It’s a track that reminds us—amid the busyness of everyday life—of the connections we tend to forget, inviting listeners to hear it as a message of thanks to someone special.
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.
Because I met youmiwa
A refreshing song you’ll want to listen to in summer, “Because I Met You.” Written with the theme of a “cheering song for students devoted to club activities,” it’s the Shiseido SEA BREEZE commercial song.
The lyrics, which express gratitude for the encounter and how the presence of the person you met inspires you, are very uplifting! It’s perfect for times when you want to push yourself and move forward.
Although it’s a cheer song for students, it’s a number that lets anyone connect their thoughts and memories—whether it’s a lover or friends you met in the summer—with whoever that special person may be.
Flower in the mirror, moon on the waterThe SHIGOTONIN
It’s a single by the unit The SHIGOTONIN, formed by Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiro Matsuoka, and Tadayoshi Ohkura, released in February 2009.
Since Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009, it has been used as the theme song for this series.
45 minutes to the backsawada kenji
This is a single by Kenji Sawada released in January 1983, which reached No.
20 on the Oricon chart.
The lyrics and composition were handled by Yosui Inoue, and a self-cover version is included on his album “LION & PELICAN,” released the following year.
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.
