Recommended tear-jerking songs for women: classic and popular J‑pop tracks
We’ve put together a collection of songs you’ll want to listen to when you’re heartbroken, or when, for reasons you can’t quite explain, you just want to have a good cry.
From famous tracks to hidden gems, this feature is sure to help you find the perfect song to match your mood.
Listen while thinking of someone, or while facing your own feelings.
Even well-known songs you hear all the time can make you think, “Wait, was this always such a tearjerker?” when you really listen closely.
So go ahead and cry your heart out—and feel refreshed afterward!
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Tear-jerking songs recommended for women: Japanese masterpieces and popular tracks (1–10)
365 daysMr.Children
It’s a love song that conveys a heartrending feeling.
The lyrics, which let you feel a deep affection, seem to lead you into a world of happiness.
Not only the lyrics and melody, but Kazutoshi Sakurai’s vocals also tug at your heartstrings.
It was used as a commercial song for a mobile phone company.
aitaiKato Miria
Among Kato Miliyah’s songs, isn’t this track the quintessential “tearjerker”? The song “Aitai,” included on Kato Miliyah’s fourth album “Ring” released in 2009, is a highly popular track and well-known as a heartbreak anthem.
It portrays an unfulfilled love: a man who chose someone other than you, or the person you like already has someone they love.
Her voice sounds as if it’s crying, pleading—an aching number that squeezes your heart.
Things that have formShibasaki Kou
Ko Shibasaki, who is active not only as an actress but also as a singer.
Her song “Katachi Aru Mono” is her sixth single, released in 2004.
It was also used as the theme song for the TV drama adaptation of “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World,” which became a sensation as both a novel and a film.
It’s a song that, of course, resonates with those heartbroken after a breakup, but also makes listeners recall someone, relate the lyrics to them, and shed tears.
For those who have lost someone dear, it’s surely a song that will move you to tears.
Tear-jerking songs recommended for women: Japanese classics and popular tracks (11–20)
setting sunToukyou Jihen
This song “Rakujitsu” by Tokyo Jihen, led by Ringo Sheena and featuring a stellar lineup, was included as the B-side to their third single “Shuraba,” released in 2005.
It’s a hidden gem among Tokyo Jihen’s tracks, and many fans count it as a favorite.
If you’ve ever lost someone dear or a pet who was always by your side, this song will likely bring them to mind and move you to tears.
Ringo Sheena’s overwhelming, deeply emotional vocals make it a track that leaves you unable to stop crying.
I long to see you now.MISIA
MISIA, an artist with a voice that moves the soul.
All of her songs are wonderful and resonate deeply, but “Aitakute Ima” is especially famous as a tear-jerking number that strikes a chord.
Released in 2009 as MISIA’s 23rd single, it also served as the theme song for the popular drama “JIN.” It’s a heart-wrenching track that brings to mind heartbreak, unrequited love, and someone you can never meet again.
With the chorus’s swelling emotion and expansive sound, it’s the kind of song that could make your tears flow all at once.
planetariumOtsuka Ai
When you think of Ai Otsuka’s signature songs, several come to mind, and “Planetarium” is definitely one of them.
Released in 2005 as her 10th single, it was used as the image song for the hugely popular drama Boys Over Flowers, often playing during heartbreaking scenes.
This song is guaranteed to make anyone who’s gone through a breakup or can’t let go of an unforgettable past love cry.
The pleading emotion in the chorus—the desperate wish to see that special someone you love—hurts so much because it’s so relatable, doesn’t it?
GarnetOku Hanako
The piano that slips gently into your ears and Hanako Oku’s clear, translucent voice.
This song, Garnet, was released in 2006 as her fourth single and became the theme song for the animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, so many people may associate it strongly with that.
It’s a track whose lyrics, linked to the heartrending story, make your chest tighten.
Don’t we all have someone like that—someone who’s always in our memories and makes us feel this way?