Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese hits
Every listener has their own memories and personal connections to musical works.
This time, we’ve put together a selection of “tear-jerker” songs that are likely to be especially memorable for women in their 50s.
The focus is on hit songs from the 1980s to the 1990s and the popular ballads of the time.
As you read this article, we hope it helps you recall your own “good old days,” and that just hearing a melody or a line of lyrics will instantly bring back the atmosphere of that nostalgic era—letting you feel the power of music.
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- Tear-jerking J-pop from the ’90s. Hit songs and real tearjerkers.
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Tear-Jerking Songs Recommended for Women in Their 50s: Classic and Popular Japanese Hits (11–20)
Azure NocturneOzaki Ami
Aozekyoku ~ Serenade is characterized by its romantic yet razor-sharp sound.
It’s a song released by singer-songwriter Ami Ozaki.
To discuss this work, it’s essential to understand the “serenade” mentioned in the title: a serenade is a piece performed beneath a lover’s window to express one’s love.
In this song, the wish is sung for one’s beloved to sing a serenade to them.
There are actually both single and album versions, so be sure to check out each.
Just loveWatanabe Machiko
Many of us have probably experienced heartbreak.
Sometimes the shock can even make you feel like you’ve lost the will to live.
The song ‘Takaga Koi’ portrays a woman who finds herself in that very situation.
This piece is by Machiko Watanabe, a singer-songwriter known for her expressive vocals.
Her vibrato-laden voice resonates to the depths of the listener’s heart.
It’s also wonderful how the lyrics hint at the drama unfolding in the background throughout the song.
Let yourself go with the flow of timeTeresa Ten
Teresa Teng, known as the diva of Asia.
When it comes to her signature songs, many people probably think of this one.
Released in 1986, it’s a moving ballad where passionate, love-themed lyrics blend beautifully with Teng’s clear, translucent voice.
The words, which strike a deep chord with listeners, portray complex emotions that balance profound love for a cherished person with a sense of resignation—entrusting oneself to the passage of time.
Beloved as a karaoke staple, it has been covered by many artists.
It’s a recommended listen when you want to look back on memories with someone special, or when you find yourself at a crossroads in life.
Sometimes, old storiesKatō Tokiko
A song filled with memories of youth.
Tokiko Kato’s gentle voice evokes a deep sense of nostalgia.
Released in 1987, this piece portrays young people who, though poor, lived with hope.
In 1992, it was chosen as the ending theme for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film Porco Rosso, resonating with many hearts.
It’s a song that can give you courage when you want to look back on memories with someone dear or when you stand at a crossroads in life.
Swaying feelingsZARD
This was ZARD’s eighth single, released on May 19, 1993.
It was used in a commercial for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Pocari Sweat and became ZARD’s second million-selling hit.
Since the early 1990s—when this song came out—are considered the golden age of J-pop, I imagine that as of March 2022, most people in their 50s have heard this track at least once.
I’m sure each listener has a personal memory that resurfaces along with the melody.
Izumi Sakai’s vocals are also very gentle and striking.
A Good Day to Set Out on a JourneyYamaguchi Momoe
This was Momoe Yamaguchi’s 24th single in total, released on November 21, 1978.
It was created as the theme song for a travel promotion campaign by the then–Japanese National Railways (now JR) with the same title.
The lyrics and composition were by Shinji Tanimura, a member of Alice, which was one of the leading New Music groups at the time, and the single sold over one million copies.
When it was released, the JNR campaign TV commercials were aired frequently, so there are probably very few Japanese people in their 50s today who haven’t heard this song.
Although it has a melancholy melody that evokes the season in which it was released—autumn—the lyrics layered over it convey a sense of “anticipation” for encounters yet to come.
Listening to it again like this, the song seems to possess a mysterious charm.
Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 50s: Japanese classics and popular tracks (21–30)
MPRINCESS PRINCESS
Back before we had cell phones, we kept everyone’s numbers in a phone book—even our crushes.
This song is about that classic old experience of not being able to open to the section with the initial of the guy you were heartbroken over.
It’s a ballad that brings back those youthful feelings of love and can move you to tears.