Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
Here are some tear-jerking J-Pop songs I’d recommend for women in their 40s!
Your 40s can be a busy time, with lots of changes both at work and in your personal life.
In the midst of an overly hectic routine, you might feel worn out or suddenly feel like crying when you finally get a moment to breathe.
At times like that, why not listen to some songs that let you cry and reset your feelings?
I’ve gathered a variety of moving tracks—songs you might have listened to in your youth, as well as ones that resonate precisely because of the age you are now.
When your body and mind both feel unsettled, please give them a listen.
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Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 40s: Classic and popular Japanese hits (71–80)
Come, spring.Matsutōya Yumi
A gem of a mid-tempo ballad by Yumi Matsutoya, whose lyrical melody heralds the arrival of spring.
The lyrics, evoking feelings for a cherished person who has been lost, quietly seep into the listener’s heart.
Released in October 1994 as the theme song for an NHK morning drama series, the song topped the Oricon charts and became a million-seller.
It was also featured in commercials for Suntory’s BOSS Rainbow Mountain Blend and All Nippon Airways, winning love across a wide audience.
Brimming with hope, it’s a song that stays close to your heart during life’s milestones—graduations, new beginnings, and other seasonal turning points.
romantic feelingsAikawa Nanase
Nanase Aikawa’s powerful vocals brilliantly capture this classic song woven with bittersweet longing and anxious emotion.
While looking back on happy memories of the past, the protagonist’s confusion about their current relationship is beautifully depicted through evocative imagery like the sound of waves and the darkness of night.
Released in October 1996, the song was featured in a Camelia Diamond commercial and became a major hit, reaching No.
2 on the Oricon chart and selling a total of 1.129 million copies.
Its innovative sound—bringing elements of folklore into J-pop—also drew attention, and it continues to be cherished by many as one of Nanase Aikawa’s signature tracks.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you can’t move on from heartbreak or when you’re struggling with a relationship with someone important to you.
Pink sighTakahashi Mariko
It is a masterpiece that fuses an exotic, Mediterranean-like atmosphere with an urban, sophisticated sound.
The song dreamily portrays a woman who blossoms like a flower when embraced by her lover, expressing both the beauty and the fragility of love.
Mariko Takahashi’s delicate yet powerful vocals further deepen the work’s unique world.
Released in May 1984 as the commercial song for Sanki’s “Camellia Diamond,” it was also included on the album Triad.
Highly acclaimed—including winning the Lyrics Award at the 26th Japan Record Awards—it became a long-running hit.
With a quiet mood that hints at hidden passion, this is a perfect track for spending peaceful moments with someone special.
Tearjerker songs recommended for women in their 40s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (81–90)
Wherever you areONE OK ROCK
Is there any song that expresses the feelings I have for you so powerfully, so poignantly, and so straightforwardly? It’s not just because the vocal expression is phenomenal—the lyrics, melody, arrangement, and performance all come together as one force that reaches the heart.
It’s a number whose bittersweet ONE OK ROCK melody resonates in the chest and is loved by a wide range of generations.
Unrequited lovemiwa
Once I fall for someone, the more I think about it, the stronger those feelings grow, and I can’t help wondering how I look in your eyes… You find yourself thinking about nothing else, right? The arrangement is heartrending too—it’s a song that could make you cry if you listen to it alone.
But it’s also a song that makes you feel you should never blame yourself for falling in love.
ElegyHirai Ken
This song, Elegy, was written as the theme for the film Forbidden Love.
It’s a love song told from the heroine’s, a woman’s, perspective.
The heartrending lyrics evoke an indescribable feeling, and on top of that, Ken Hirai’s vocals amplify the sorrow, cutting straight to the heart.
It’s a track with a distinctly mature mood.
For those spending their days in a gloomy or withdrawn state of mind, it will likely resonate deeply.
Instead of goodbyeYuki Saori, Yasuda Shoko
This song was written by Hiroko Taniyama and sung by the sisters Saori Yuki and Sachiko Yasuda.
They tour schools with handmade concerts.
This is the final song in their set.
It’s a piece that makes you think it would be nice to be thought of this way by a first love or a friend.