Encouraging songs: timeless masterpieces that resonate with the heart, recommended popular tracks

If I can laughUrufuruzu

Ulfuls – If I Can Laugh

This is the song that became a hot topic because Yo Oizumi sings it in the Recruit Rikunabi NEXT commercial.

The commercial shows people being encouraged to take the next step, and this song is truly an anthem for those very people.

It has a powerful energy that makes you want to smile and take that first step forward.

I look up as I walkSakamoto Kyu

Walk looking up Sakamoto Kyu — with lyrics

Kyu Sakamoto’s “Ue o Muite Arukou,” known and cherished overseas under the title “SUKIYAKI,” is one of Japan’s most iconic songs.

So beloved that it’s been covered around the world, it’s a track that resonates anew after disasters or during prolonged hardship, and it’s easy to see why it’s been sung across generations.

Its lyrics and melody are very simple, but that simplicity is exactly what makes it so moving—a quietly wonderful, encouraging song.

It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to slowly while gazing up at the night sky.

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Our TomorrowElefanto Kashimashi

Elephant Kashimashi – “Our Tomorrow”

It’s a cheer song for people living in the present, starting with lyrics that speak directly to each listener.

What’s warm about it is that it uses “Let’s do our best” rather than “Do your best!!.” The powerful vocals deliver rousing lyrics that many people—young and old, regardless of gender—will draw strength from.

It’s a song that makes you feel like, “Let’s do our best today, too.”

miraclekururi

Quruli – Miracle

A track distinguished by its acoustic guitar and soothing vocals.

When you’re tired or feeling down, the gentle lyrics that affirm you pierce through the haze in your heart.

The guitar solo adds a pleasant interlude, and the outro enhances the lingering aftertaste.

footstepsMr.Children

Mr.Children “Footsteps ~Be Strong” MUSIC VIDEO

A powerful track by Mr.Children, written specifically as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Nobunaga Concerto.” There are moments when studying doesn’t go as planned and you feel like you can’t move forward anymore.

But this is exactly the kind of song that makes you trust the feel of your feet on the ground and take that next step.

Released as a single in November 2014, it carries the band’s passionate resolve as they created it under a new production setup.

When you feel like you’re about to lose heart, its sweeping sound will give you a push and the courage to sit back down at your desk.

TOMORROWMayo Okamoto

Mayo Okamoto TOMORROW HD

This song, Mayo Okamoto’s “TOMORROW,” is always mentioned as one of the definitive hit tracks of the ’90s.

Released in 1995, it’s also a hugely popular karaoke favorite among people from the generation who experienced its success at the time.

Okamoto’s gentle vocals and the truly forward-looking lyrics resonate deeply with listeners of any age and with any worries, making it easy to see why it became such a big hit.

It’s a song that offers comfort no matter what you’re going through—heartbreak, work troubles, or anything else.

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I’ll walk home.Saitō Kazuyoshi

Walk Home YouTube

This is a song I want to listen to when I feel a bit worn out in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

It’s a track that makes you feel like it’s okay to take a breather—like walking home for a change or taking a little detour.

If you listen to it while strolling slowly, I think you’ll feel your heart being gently encouraged.