Love Hit Song Collection for Gals [A Must-Listen for Heisei-Era Gals]
The concept of “gyaru,” which emerged in the 1980s, has continued to develop as a part of Japanese street culture.
Gyaru culture has created a wide range of fashion styles in step with the times, and it has also sparked many trends beyond fashion.
In this article, we’ll introduce love songs that are popular among gyaru.
We’ve especially highlighted tracks from artists like Ayumi Hamasaki and Kumi Koda, who were hugely popular among gyaru in the 2000s to early 2010s.
Take this opportunity to give them another listen.
- A Must-See for Those in Their 20s: A Collection of Youthful Songs That Bring Back School Days
- Breakup songs that were hits in the 2000s
- Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
- A roundup of hit love songs from the ’90s
- Heisei-era heartbreak songs: A roundup of classic tracks from the ’90s to the 2010s
- Popular Heisei-era songs you can use on Instagram Stories
- From bittersweet tracks to heart-wrenching tunes! Heisei-era unrequited love songs
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- [Heisei Love Songs] A carefully selected collection of gem-like love songs that continue to be cherished even in the Reiwa era!
- Recommended for Gen Z! Classic love songs sung by female artists
- Songs that make you want to fall in love just by listening! Classic love songs recommended for Gen Z
- Popular Love Songs & Romance Tracks Ranking [2026]
- Bittersweet feelings come rushing back! Recommended love songs for the Yutori generation
Collection of Love Hit Songs Gals Listen To [Heisei Gals Must-Listen] (51–60)
Goodbye DarlingKato Miria
Miliyah Kato has long enjoyed overwhelming support from young women.
Since her debut in 2004, she has continued to uphold the spirit of gals as a charismatic figure.
Her song “Goodbye Darling” is a heartbreak track that reflects on a lover she parted ways with.
The delicate lyrics, blending loneliness with the resolve to become stronger, gently untangle the heart.
The music video, shot with Shibuya—the sacred ground of gals—in the background, will pierce your heart as well.
youKōda Kumi
Showcasing Kumi Koda’s standout ballad-style vocals, this work, paired with a snow-themed jacket design, richly portrays deep affection for a lover living far away.
Released as the first installment of the 12-weeks-in-a-row single project that began in December 2005, it impressively reached No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It was also featured as the TV commercial song for the ringtone site music.jp and the jewelry brand GemCEREY.
It’s a song to listen to on nights when you’re thinking about someone precious on your own, or in moments when you miss someone you can’t see.
EsperanzaNishino Kana
Kana Nishino’s popular single features a passionate, Latin-inspired sound that evokes hope even amid sadness.
Centered on the theme of an unrequited love where the person you like already has a partner, the lyrics convey a heartfelt, unrelenting longing alongside a forward-looking resolve that resonates deeply.
It was selected as the May 2011 theme song for Nippon TV’s information program “Sukkiri!!” and won an Excellence Award at the 53rd Japan Record Awards.
The up-tempo rhythm woven by Spanish guitar and handclaps, together with the determination to keep looking ahead, strikes right at the heart.
DEPARTURESglobe
Released in 1996, globe’s “DEPARTURES” sold approximately 2.288 million copies and became widely beloved as the CM song for JR East’s “JR SKISKI” campaign—a quintessential Heisei-era love song.
Its bittersweet feelings of love are expressed against snowy landscapes, capturing the hearts of many listeners.
Perfect for revisiting memories with a past lover or embarking on a new romance, the song vividly reflects the deep love and sense of loss that almost everyone experiences at least once.
Listening again now, you might discover something new—different from what you felt back in your gyaru days.
Collection of Romance Hit Songs Gal Girls Listen To [Heisei Gal Must-Listen] (61–70)
Before GoodbyeMIHIRO ~Mairo~
This is a moving song that depicts the bittersweet moment of parting.
It is filled with deep feelings for a love that is slipping away, along with the regret and lingering attachment that accompany it.
Included on the album “New Edition,” released in December 2010, and noted for its music video, this piece resonates with anyone who has experienced past romance or farewell.
The complex emotions faced before a breakup ride on a beautiful melody, stirring listeners’ empathy.
Recommended for those who, through the end of a relationship, want to feel both the importance of the love they lost and the difficulty of getting it back.
EternalLGYankees
Since their formation in 2000, LGYankees have forged a unique style in the Japanese hip-hop scene.
Their 2013 release “Eternal” was created around the themes of weddings and everlasting bonds with loved ones, moving many listeners.
The track features SO-TA and is also included on the album “NO DOUBT!!!-NO LIMIT-.” Reflecting on past memories and the days spent together, the lyrics renew a determination to walk into the future side by side—a message that surely resonates both with who I was back when I was a gyaru and with who I am now, having grown older.
Can You Keep A Secret?Utada Hikaru
Hikaru Utada’s “Can You Keep A Secret?” is a particularly memorable track in her musical career, released in 2001.
Many people may remember it as the theme song for the drama “HERO” starring Takuya Kimura.
Delicately portraying inner conflict and the frustrations of love, the song questions the importance of revealing the secrets and true feelings that everyone harbors.
Blending Utada’s deep emotional expression with her distinctive musicality, “Can You Keep A Secret?” is a song I’d recommend to anyone struggling with love.
Why not sing it at karaoke while reminiscing about your gyaru days when you were head over heels in love?