Recommended love songs for men in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese tracks.

somedaySaucy Dog

Saucy Dog "Someday" MUSIC VIDEO

A straightforward, honest love song that brings the ache and poignancy of heartbreak right to your chest.

Through real-life scenes—like the deserted park at Tawarayama and the sloping road where you can see the starry sky—the memories woven together vividly portray feelings for a precious person you can never meet again.

Released in May 2017 as a track on the album “Country Road,” this piece gently embraces an unforgettable love with warm lyrics that blend in the local Shimane dialect.

Its softly resonant melody offers quiet comfort to those who want to hold their one-sided love close, and to those who can’t quite put an end to a past romance.

Goodbyeofukōsu

Sayonara

This is a pure love ballad that poignantly portrays the end of a romance, released as an Off Course single in December 1979.

With Kazumasa Oda’s warm yet translucent vocals and a heart-stirring melody, the song richly conveys the sorrow of parting.

Its gentle, relatable lyrics—about a first heartbreak or a bittersweet farewell to someone dear—have made it a beloved classic that quietly resonates with listeners.

It was also featured as an insert song in the first season of the TBS drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B” and later included on the album “SELECTION 1978-81.” As a song that stands by you through the poignant end of love that comes with winter’s chill, it’s especially recommended for those facing a farewell with someone important.

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

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.

Close your eyesHirai Ken

Hitomi wo Tojite – Ken Hirai (Full)

A gem of a ballad suffused with the lingering ache of deep, bittersweet love.

Ken Hirai’s delicate, soul-stirring vocals beautifully convey the profound longing and sense of loss for a departed lover.

Sung with the purest feeling of closing one’s eyes and picturing the one you love, this work was released as a single in April 2004.

Chosen as the theme song for the film “Crying Out Love in the Center of the World,” it topped the Oricon year-end chart.

Its heart-piercing vocals and beautiful melody line make it a refined track for adults—perfect for a night drive or a quiet moment alone.

Why did I end up falling in love with you?Tōhōshinki

Tohoshinki / Why Did I Fall in Love with You?

A gem of a ballad that captures the aching heartbreak and pure love for another, pressing on the listener’s heart.

It delicately portrays the feelings of a protagonist watching a bride and groom at their wedding, touching on the subtle emotions woven from a wish for a loved one’s happiness and lingering regret.

Released by Tohoshinki in July 2008, the song’s elegant piano-and-strings arrangement blends beautifully with the five-member harmony, earning it the No.

1 spot on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It also won an Excellent Work Award at the 50th Japan Record Awards, paving the way for the group’s first appearance on the Kohaku Uta Gassen.

A track that seeps into your heart on night drives, rainy days, or when love is weighing on your mind.

dearestFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Beloved (Full ver.)

Produced in October 2008 as the theme song for the film “The Devotion of Suspect X,” this gem of a ballad portrays deep affection and the ache of parting.

While anticipating farewell to a dreamlike presence, it sings of the fragility and beauty of continuing to love.

The pure love that Tetsuya Ishigami, a character in the story, holds for Yasuko Hanaoka is expressed through the delicate words crafted by Masaharu Fukuyama, and the song was also used in Toshiba’s LCD TV “REGZA” commercial.

As the unit KOH+ with Kou Shibasaki, it reached No.

5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Fukuyama later included his own version on the album “Zankyo.” It is a supreme masterpiece that accompanies adult romance—perfect for quietly savoring a drink in a night lounge.

First loveHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata – “First Love” Music Video

A ballad by Motohiro Hata, woven with sincere feelings carried by his clear, translucent voice.

He tenderly portrays memories of a love that ended against the flow of fate, likening them to a blue apple and tangled threads.

Released in January 2013 as the ending theme for the TV anime “Space Brothers” and later included on the album “Signed POP,” this work is a characteristically minor-key song from Hata.

Coupled with Seiji Kameda’s delicate arrangement, it strikingly depicts the pain and regret of a love that reached its farewell while still immature.

Hata’s relatable vocals make it a song that recalls the bitter experiences of a first love.