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 songs recommended for women in their 50s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (51–60)
MissingKubota Toshinobu
A track from the 1986 album “SHAKE IT PARADISE.” When it comes to bittersweet love songs, this is the one.
Even if you love each other, you mustn’t hope to be together… How sweet, how heartrending, and how painful! Highly recommended for when you want to fully sink into a tearful mood.
In the Name of LoveHamada Shogo
A track from Shogo Hamada’s album “Before the Generation of Love,” released in September 1981.
It drew attention partly because another song from the same album, “Like Sorrow Falling as Snow,” later became a TV drama theme.
Although it’s a ballad in a major key, its melody and lyrics convey a sense of melancholy, and above all, Hamada’s earnest vocals still resonate and speak to the heart even today.
I’m sure many people have all kinds of memories tied to this song.
Rainy BlueTokunaga Hideaki
The debut song by Hideaki Tokunaga, a poignant love story that begins in a late-night phone booth.
Its lyrics—quintessentially Showa—paint cinematic scenes of urban stillness and rain, perfectly intertwined with delicate, emotionally rich vocals to create a gem of a track.
Released in January 1986, it reached No.
90 on the Oricon charts.
A rearranged version released in November 1997 rose to No.
31, capturing the hearts of many.
By portraying heartbreak and loneliness as universal themes, it remains a beloved classic that resonates even today.
It’s the kind of bittersweet love song you’ll want to play on a rainy day—why not give it a listen?
LOVE LOVE LOVEDREAMS COME TRUE
This is a song by DREAMS COME TRUE released in 1995.
It’s also said to be DCT’s biggest hit, a massive hit song.
It’s left such a strong impression that you almost feel like the track can only be truly heard with Miwa Yoshida’s husky yet soaring vocals.
The intro alone floods you with nostalgia.
The melody is basically a simple, repeated motif, making it easy to follow.
The lyrics are on the sparse side, but when you really listen to those few lines, they make you think about so many things.
A swirl of feelings and memories rises up, and the tears come naturally.
Tearjerker songs recommended for women in their 50s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (61–70)
Cactus FlowerZaitsu Kazuo
I feel like many of the hit songs from that time were theme songs for TV dramas.
So when I hear a song, it brings back memories of that drama and of who I was when I watched it every week.
In that sense, this song also reminds me not so much of Tulip’s 1975 version, but of Kazuo Zaitsu’s 1993 version “Saboten no Hana ~Hitotsu Yane no Shita yori~,” which was used as the theme song for Under One Roof.
The lyrics are about grieving a love that has ended, yet not clinging to it and facing the future.
If you’re in your fifties, don’t you have one or two such romances you can look back on with a smile?
CAN YOU CELEBRATE?Amuro Namie
It was Namie Amuro’s ninth single under her solo name, released in February 1997.
Produced by Tetsuya Komuro—although it almost feels silly to spell that out, given how massive a hit this song was.
I remember it being used often as wedding BGM back then.
Amuro’s vocals really resonate with the heart; you could truly call it a timeless classic.
Including the choice of singer, Komuro’s production prowess and his sensibility as a melody-maker make you want to say, “As expected—brilliant!”
Let’s Count Your Kisses ~You were mine~Koyanagi Yuki
This is the song Yuki Koyanagi debuted with in 1999, and I think it’s a ballad everyone admires.
Some of you might have listened to this track on repeat, right? Even if you think you’re tone-deaf, songs you’ve listened to a lot tend to stick in your memory, so when you actually sing them, you’ll often find you can surprisingly stay on pitch! So don’t be afraid to give it a try.
The A and B sections sit in a relatively calm range, but the pitch jumps up quickly from the chorus into the C section, so it feels great if you adjust the key to one that’s comfortable for you and sing the English parts too.
The accompaniment is solid, so you should still be able to sing it coolly even if you lower the key.
Overall, there’s no need to belt—sing with a light touch, keeping a head-voice feel in mind, and give it a try.
