[2026] Recommended for Men in Their 40s! A Collection of Classic Japanese Breakup Songs
When you go through a heartbreak, it can feel like there’s a gaping hole in your heart.
Little moments can bring those memories rushing back, leaving you with a pang of sadness.
In this article, we’ve gathered Japanese breakup songs released from the 1990s to the mid-2000s—the soundtrack to the youth of those who are now in their 40s.
The nostalgic melodies you used to listen to back then and the lyrics that resonate in your chest may hit even deeper now.
As you look back on past loves, why not find a small push to move forward, together with these timeless songs that stay close to your heart?
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[2026] Recommended for Men in Their 40s! A Collection of Classic Japanese Breakup Songs (31–40)
Hide-and-seekYuuri
A poignant ballad that likens a breakup with a live-in lover to the children’s game of hide-and-seek.
Through images of a tumbler left behind and a messy room, it vividly portrays a man’s heart steeped in emptiness and loneliness.
Yuuri’s delicate vocals, paired with a simple, guitar-centered arrangement, superbly convey the pain of heartbreak.
Released in December 2019, the recording was supervised by Hiro of MY FIRST STORY.
The music video, directed by Elizabeth Miyaji and featuring actress Yuu Kinoyama, further deepens the work’s world.
It is a gem of a love song that closely resonates with those who have just experienced a breakup or who still harbor longing for someone dear.
Oh, Girl (The Sad Screen of My Heart)Sazan Ōrusutāzu
A gem of a ballad crafted by Southern All Stars.
It portrays, from a third-person perspective, a woman who single-mindedly continues to long for someone she can no longer meet.
The metaphor in the lyrics—that her sweet yet painful emotions are projected onto a screen—is truly superb.
This piece is included on the classic album “Southern All Stars,” released in January 1990, and was later featured on the best-of collection “Ballad 3: the album of LOVE.” Keisuke Kuwata’s wistful vocals and melody link exquisitely with the lonely, autumnal atmosphere, making it a masterpiece.
Before you become a memoryCYCLE
A heart-wrenching masterpiece about deciding to part ways after being separated from the girl he loved.
Masamune Kusano’s delicate, boyish vocals convey the fleeting nature of love.
The gently enveloping melody is beautiful and incredibly soothing.
The lyrics depict their final visit to a place full of shared memories, bringing tears to your eyes.
Just… I want to see youEXILE
It was released in 2005 as EXILE’s 19th single.
The song was used for the KDDI/Okinawa Cellular “au × EXILE” campaign, and it became the last song with lyrics written by SHUN (Shunsuke Kiyokiba) during his time in EXILE.
It’s a track that foregoes dancing to focus solely on vocal performance, and it’s a heartbreak song whose lyrics convey the lingering regret and melancholy of a man after a breakup.
Surely, somewhere…TUBE
It was released in 1998 as TUBE’s 28th single.
The song evokes themes of meeting and parting, and it was used as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Sekai de Ichiban Papa ga Suki” (I Love My Dad the Most in the World).
Although TUBE is known for many “summer” songs, this track drew attention for not conveying any sense of summer at all.
With this song, they performed at the 49th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Festival).
[2026] Recommended for Men in Their 40s! A Collection of Classic Japanese Breakup Songs (41–50)
even ifHirai Ken
It was released in 2000 as Ken Hirai’s 11th single.
As it was a limited-time release, the single is no longer available.
Both the lyrics and music were written by Ken Hirai himself, and it reached No.
3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It is a poignant ballad that conveys the sorrow of an unrequited love—falling for a woman who already has someone.
OrangeSMAP
It was released in 2000 as the coupling track to SMAP’s 32nd single, “Lion Heart.” Despite being positioned as a B-side, it’s a renowned song that has ranked high in karaoke charts, and it’s a poignant breakup song from a man’s perspective.
After SMAP announced their disbandment, the song drew renewed attention and ranked high on digital distribution sites.