Unrequited love songs recommended for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese tracks

Wine Red Heartanzenchitai

Wine Red No Kokoro

A gem of a love song that portrays an adult romance where reason and instinct intersect.

Its melody, passionate yet tinged with a certain fragility, and Koji Tamaki’s sweet, aching vocals resonate deeply.

When we look back on the loves of our past, perhaps the memories of forbidden romances we all may have experienced will vividly return.

Released in November 1983, this track became Anzen Chitai’s first number-one hit on the Oricon charts.

It also drew major attention as the image song for Suntory Akadama Punch’s commercial and as the theme song for the drama “Machigai Darake no Otto Erabi” (“Choosing the Wrong Husband”).

I recommend this piece to those who have experienced profound love that touches on the subtleties of life, or to anyone who wishes to convey long-slumbering feelings in their heart to someone special.

Let’s count your kissesKoyanagi Yuki

Let's count your kisses {Furū} | Monique Dehany

A song about the regret and remorse you feel after losing someone important, wishing you had done more.

It’s a heartrending piece that powerfully conveys the sadness of realizing the person who was once right beside you, within your reach, is no longer there.

Yuki Koyanagi’s mature voice is also wonderful.

1/2Kawamoto Makoto

【MV】Makoto Kawamoto “1/2”

A timeless youth anthem where tender ache and deep affection overflow, carried by the comforting resonance of acoustic guitar.

The lyrics delicately depict a powerful wish to become one with another, and the frustration of that wish remaining out of reach, gently embracing the kind of love we’ve all felt.

Seamlessly blending Makoto Kawamoto’s translucent voice with her unique worldview, the song reached No.

2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart after its release in March 1997, and etched itself into many hearts as the opening theme of the anime Rurouni Kenshin.

It’s a heartwarming track you’ll want to listen to when you long to share in pure feelings, thinking of someone special.

wailing in griefKudō Shizuka

Kudō Shizuka - Dōkoku

“Doukoku” is Shizuka Kudo’s 18th single, released in 1993.

When the guy you liked finds someone he likes, and whether he knows how much it hurts or not, he tells you, “You should hurry up and find someone too.” That’s truly painful, isn’t it?

is this LOVE？Hamasaki Ayumi

Ayumi Hamasaki / is this LOVE? (Short Ver.)

“Is this LOVE?” is Ayumi Hamasaki’s 35th single, released in 2005.

The song powerfully conveys the heartbreak of realizing that the one who can be gazed at with gentle eyes by the person you love, and the one who can heal their sorrowful gaze, is not yourself but someone else—and that realization is deeply painful.

One-Sided Love in TearsTakeuchi Mariya

One-Sided Love of Tears / Mariya Takeuchi, covered by makigon

“Namida no One-Sided Love” is the B-side track to Mariya Takeuchi’s third single “SEPTEMBER,” released in 1979.

The song tells the story of a chance encounter that leads to love at first sight and a one-sided crush, but just as she resolves to confess her feelings, she finds out he already has a girlfriend.

I BelieveKahara Tomomi

Tomomi Kahara – I BELIEVE (from “DREAM -Self Cover Best-”)

Tomomi Kahala has a lot going on in her private life, and when she sings, the lyrics end up feeling heavier than they need to.

This song doesn’t just deal with unrequited love; it also carries a sense of struggling with the present.

Because the expressions are abstract, the lyrics seem open to many interpretations depending on the listener.