[Love Songs] Must-Relate! A Selection of Japanese Love Songs with Great Lyrics

heartbeatFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Heartbeat <31st Anniv. Live “Slow Collection”> (Short ver.)

A poignant yet warm ballad that captivatingly portrays the turmoil of an unexpected love.

The protagonist, who had decided never to fall in love, grapples with confusion and a loneliness hidden behind a brave front, all conveyed through Masaharu Fukuyama’s richly emotive vocals.

Included on his original album “AKIRA,” released in December 2020—his first in six years and eight months—the song was chosen as the theme for the drama “#Remolove: Normal Love Is for the Weak.” Its delicate melody reflects the nuances of the protagonist’s emotions, making it a deeply satisfying listen.

Try listening while thinking of someone special.

Our dizzying encounterŌhashi Torio

Ohashi Trio / “Our Dazzling Encounter” (Theme song of the film ‘Good Stripes’)

This is a song by Ohashi Trio, written specifically as the theme for the film “Good Stripes.” The lyrics, which vividly portray the anticipation of a romance born from chance alongside fresh, evocative imagery, are truly striking.

Phrases like “blue lemon” and “a kiss under the stardust” seem to delicately reflect the couple’s innocent relationship.

The piece is included on the album “PARODY,” released in January 2015, and its piano and strings—like the gentle, lingering afterglow of the film rendered in sound—quietly soothe the listener’s heart.

If you listen to it when your heart is fluttering with a new encounter or when you want to look back on the path you’ve walked with someone dear, it will fill you with a warmth tinged with sweet sadness.

You don’t listen to rock.aimyon

Aimyon – You Don’t Listen to Rock [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A bittersweet love song where pure feelings for love and music intertwine.

The earnest desire to let the person you like hear what matters most to you is conveyed through Aimyon’s clear, translucent voice.

It’s a song whose clumsy confession—wanting to bridge the distance through the music of rock—resonates deeply.

Released in August 2017, it has surpassed 300 million streams, capturing the hearts of many listeners.

It’s the perfect track for those in a bittersweet romance or anyone wishing to bask in memories with someone special.

A gentle feelingChara

Chara “Yasashii Kimochi” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

This is CHARA’s signature song, “Yasashii Kimochi.” It’s an exquisite love song.

From a male perspective, it might feel a bit pushy, but it’s a track packed tightly with the wavering, heartrending emotions on the female side.

It overflows with straightforward feelings like: This is what I want to do! Why don’t you understand? I know it’s a bit selfish, but…

First lovematsumura kanau

First Love – Kanau Matsumura [Official Music Video]

This is a song by Kanau Matsumura that’s packed with the sweet-and-sour feelings and frustrations of thinking about someone you like—the full spectrum of first love.

Released in June 2025, it’s a track that could be called the essence of his artistry.

The growing feelings for someone you can only meet in your dreams, the bittersweet longing that makes you take the long way home—listeners may find these emotions overlap with their own experiences.

When you like someone but can’t see them, even small things can make you anxious.

This gentle voice might softly stay by the side of that wavering heart.