A breakup song with great lyrics. A beautiful message that lingers in the heart.

Christmas EveYamashita Tatsuro

Christmas Eve – Tatsuro Yamashita (Full)

Thanks to being featured in a JR commercial, Tatsuro Yamashita’s “Christmas Eve” has become a full-on Christmas staple, but it’s actually a heartbreak song.

It lightly disses Christmas—basically saying, “Even now, when my love is ending and this moment might make the breakup final, the city streets of Christmas couldn’t care less and keep cheerfully playing Jingle Bells”—while singing, “Precisely at a time like this, the heartbreak hits even harder.”

Blue Sky Pedalarashi

[Hatsune Miku] “Aozora Pedal” Arashi [cover]

Aozora Pedal, a song Shikao Suga wrote for Arashi, was used as the ending theme for the film Honey and Clover.

Later, when Suga himself did an acoustic self-cover, the lyrics—filled with the feelings and bittersweetness of those days when he rode with her on the back of his bicycle—came back into the spotlight.

sayonaraHirai Dai

Hirai Dai / sayonara (Lyric Video)

Even after the breakup, his feelings for her don’t disappear; this gentle heartbreak ballad by Dai Hirai portrays a man who, while burdened with sadness, tries to move forward.

Included on the album “Life Goes On,” released in September 2020, the song blends elements of surf music and reggae into a tender, ballad-like arrangement.

With relatable scenes—such as the final moment of holding hands as if to reaffirm a love that had grown faint, and reflections on their relationship through the changing seasons—the lyrics resonate deeply.

It’s a warm, encouraging song that moves the heart, cherishing shared memories while expressing a hopeful resolve to take a new step forward.

Rainy BlueTokunaga Hideaki

HIDEAKI TOKUNAGA – Rainy Blue

Heartbreak often hurts more not at the moment a love ends, but later—when memories ambush you: a habit, a gesture, a voice, a lingering warmth.

Those moments can be painful all over again.

Tokunaga Hideaki’s “Rainy Blue” also sings of the wistfulness of unconsciously finding yourself thinking about a former lover.

I can’t stop this sadness.Anri

Junichi Inagaki & Yuki Koyanagi – I Can't Stop the Loneliness

When it comes to Anri’s heartbreak songs, many people probably think of “Listening to Olivia.” It’s a classic, isn’t it? But if I heard “Olivia” right after a breakup, it would bring back so many memories like a revolving lantern that I might end up crying for real.

So instead, please give a listen to “Kanashimi ga Tomaranai,” which tells the story of, “Wait a second—did I get my heart broken because you, my best friend, stole my boyfriend?” This one is highly recommended too.

Eyes Are Like DiamondsMatsuda Seiko

Seiko Matsuda “Eyes Are a Diamond” (from Super Diamond Revolution)

“The Wind Rises,” “I Want to See You,” “Heart Earrings,” and “Eyes Are Diamonds” are representative breakup songs by Seiko Matsuda.

Among them, “Eyes Are Diamonds” especially conveys, through its lyrics, the feelings of a woman trying to act strong and move forward.

“Even if I shed many tears, I should be stronger than this.

But still, the tears won’t stop…” That’s often how it is when a true love comes to an end, isn’t it?

Love Scoremichiru

Love Squall /casamila [cover version]

It’s the ending theme of the anime Lupin the Third.

It’s common for couples to grow out of sync—whether it’s schedules and day-to-day life, or feelings drifting apart.

“I tell you that our distance makes me anxious, but you won’t really face it.

You always slip away somehow, and even though we’re together, it feels like I’m heartbroken.

Someday, please ease my fears—tell me you love me.” Haven’t you ever felt that way?