Why does it make us cry so much? The true strength that “moving-to-Tokyo songs” teach us
When you leave your hometown to start a new life, don’t you sometimes feel a mix of excitement and deep anxiety? In those moments when unfamiliar sights and an unaccustomed environment make you feel like you might break, the power of music gently gives you a push, doesn’t it? In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of moving “journey-to-the-city” songs that sing of love for one’s hometown and determination for a new place.
From songs that gently wrap your loneliness to songs that stir up the courage to look ahead, there’s a variety—so please find the one track that truly stays by your side!
Why does it make me cry so much? The true strength that “songs about moving to Tokyo” teach us (1–10)
far; distant; by farNEW!GReeeeN
Have you ever felt uneasy when taking your first step from your hometown into a new city? Released as a single in May 2009 and used as the theme song for the film “ROOKIES: Graduation,” this piece moved many to tears.
It was the first time GReeeeN set aside rap and created a purely ballad-style track.
Its straightforward lyrics convey gratitude to parents and the resolve to set out on a new journey, and the members’ own experiences of facing their parents give it an even deeper emotional impact.
It’s a song that gently gives you a push when you hit a wall after starting to live on your own, or when you suddenly want to hear your family’s voices.
Its warm, tear-jerking message is sure to give you courage.
One-room DiscoNEW!Perfume
When you start a new chapter in life, you often feel big anxieties alongside your expectations, don’t you? Released as a single in March 2009, “One Room Disco” is a song in which Perfume exquisitely captures that springtime loneliness and sense of uplift.
Its bright four-on-the-floor beat makes you want to dance, yet it also holds a bittersweet twinge that tightens your chest.
At its core is the feeling of switching your mindset and dancing alone in a small room, gently wrapping everyday loneliness in warmth.
Later included on an album, this track is a superb dance-pop song that quietly gives a push to anyone striving in a new place.
TOKYONEW!YUI
TOKYO, in which singer-songwriter YUI candidly writes about her own life-changing move to Tokyo, is her fifth single, released in January 2006.
It was also included on the album FROM ME TO YOU released in February of the same year, and despite having no tie-in, it has continued to be deeply loved as a signature song from her early period.
Set to a sound that layers the warmth of acoustic guitar with the driving force of pop rock, the lyrics straightforwardly sing of hope, anxiety, and loneliness.
Perhaps it’s so moving because it captures unvarnished, down-to-earth, shifting emotions—not just glittering success.
It’s a reassuring number that quietly stays by your side and gives you a gentle push, along with tears, at the moment you leave your hometown for studies, work, or any new first step.
night busNEW!aimyon
It’s a work that gently stays by your side in those helplessly anxious moments when you leave your hometown and head somewhere new.
The loneliness felt in a dark car for roughly eight hours one way, and the thoughts of family, are depicted with raw immediacy, and the fear and sadness of chasing a dream press on your heart.
Precisely because it’s written not with grandiose expressions but with unadorned words, the tears may come naturally.
This song is by Aimyon and is included on the mini-album “tamago,” released in May 2015.
While the piece itself had no tie-in, it later became a cherished track preserved in her live footage at the Nippon Budokan.
When you’re feeling insecure about life in an unfamiliar place or losing confidence, listening to it can give you the courage to look forward.
TokyoNEW!kururi
It’s a song that gently stays by your side when you suddenly feel lonely in an unfamiliar city.
The anxieties you carry amid the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, and the aching thoughts for someone dear who’s far away, resonate in your chest alongside its nostalgic sound.
Released in October 1998 as the major-label debut single by Quruli, a rock band from Kyoto, it was chosen as the ending theme for the NHK-FM program “Music Square.” Later included on the acclaimed album “Sayonara Stranger,” this track is a classic I’d recommend to anyone bewildered by a new chapter in life or working hard far from home.
Each listen washes over you with both melancholy and warmth.
scarecrowNEW!sadamasashi
This beloved song, one of Masashi Sada’s signature works, was released as a single in 1977.
Comparing a lone scarecrow standing in the snow to a family member living alone in the big city, its lyrics—expressed in simple words—convey the worries and love of those who stayed behind in their hometown, resonating with listeners across generations.
In 2011, a drama inspired by the song, “Masashi Sada Drama Special: Hometown ~A Daughter’s Departure~,” was broadcast, with the song also used as the theme.
Sung in a gently conversational tone over an acoustic sound, the melody brings a quiet warmth to the listener’s heart.
It’s a recommended piece that softly keeps you company when you feel a bit lonely in a new environment or when you’re thinking of dear family members who live far away.
Tokyo StoryNEW!Sha ran Q
This is Sharam Q’s “going-to-Tokyo” song, vividly portraying the shifting emotions of young people leaving their hometowns for the big city.
Released as a single in January 1994, it was used as the ending theme for the TV show Asakusabashi Young Yōhinten and the opening theme for Tonosama no Pheromone.
At the time of release, the band was on the brink of losing their contract, but the song became a notable hit and was later included on the album Lost Time.
Capturing the unresolved feelings of departure day, this dramatic track is recommended for anyone feeling anxious about starting life in a new place.
The band’s characteristically emotional performance and melody gently give you the courage to move forward.