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

rainbowSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda 'Niji' (Rainbow)

The trend of popular artists performing theme songs for anime is becoming a standard, isn’t it? This song was written and composed by Huwie Ishizaki for the theme of the film “STAND BY ME Doraemon 2.” Rather than youthful romance, Masaki Suda delivers a gentle, heartfelt performance about family love and the bond between parent and child—universal feelings that everyone is bound to experience someday.

The lyrics, crafted to follow the film’s story centered on Nobita’s future wedding, are irresistibly good.

No matter how many times I reread them, I’m moved to tears.

Love SongGO!GO!7188

Koi no Uta – GO!GO!7188

It’s one of the signature songs by GO!GO!7188, a rock band that was active in the 2000s, and it’s considered one of the greatest love songs in the rock band scene.

This slow-tempo rock ballad is moving enough to bring you to tears just from the performance alone, but reading the lyrics makes it even more poignant.

It seems the person the narrator secretly loves already has a partner.

So the narrator carries these feelings in their heart without ever putting them into words.

This bittersweet love story might be something some people have actually experienced, but even if you haven’t, the tale still grips your heart.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hane Keisuke

Report a problem

your songShimizu Shota

Shota Shimizu “your song” from SHOTA SHIMIZU LIVE TOUR “HOPE” [For J-LOD live2]

“Because you’re here, I can shine.” It’s a warm ballad that sings gratitude to a beloved person.

The song is by Shota Shimizu, a singer-songwriter from Osaka Prefecture, and is included on his fourth album, “Naturally,” released in March 2012.

The gentle piano melody and soulful vocals convey a straightforward feeling that one’s world begins to shine thanks to someone special.

This track seems to carry a message that being loved can change who you are, nurturing a sense of self-worth.

On nights when you long to be loved, try listening while picturing the face of the person who supports you.

Stop this nightJUJU

JUJU “Stop This Night for Me”

A song by the singer JUJU with the striking title “Stop This Night.” What does this title mean? It’s a track that asks you to listen and arrive at your own answer.

From the very first word of the opening line, it’s a message song that jolts you awake.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

ALL FOR YOUAmuro Namie

ALL FOR YOU / (Live Edit)

A love song sung by Namie Amuro, who enjoyed overwhelming popularity among younger generations of women at the time.

Since it was the theme song for the drama “Before You Become a Memory,” many of you may find it familiar.

The lyrics express feelings toward someone she fell helplessly in love with—so much so that it even surprised herself.

Haven’t you, too, experienced emotions so strong they’re beyond words? I think many people can relate to the message that if two people are bound by fate, they can overcome anything that comes their way.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hane Keisuke

Report a problem

true loveFujii Fumiya

TRUE LOVE / Fumiya Fujii

It’s a song whose lyrics call her “kimi,” and it really resonates.

Distant seasons, the days of youth, and now—he looks back on everything from when they met to the present, and ties his feelings to the future ahead.

It’s a love song filled with the man’s feelings.

Song of LoveKōda Kumi

Kumi Koda - 'Ai no Uta (album version)' ~ 20th Year Special Full Ver. ~

Released in September 2007 as her 37th single, this work is a deeply resonant ballad in which Kumi Koda sings from a new perspective she realized through giving love advice to friends and fans: “love is something you give.” She found inspiration while driving along the coast on a getaway to a hot spring inn, and wrote the lyrics immediately upon arrival.

They delicately portray a young woman’s aching heart as she senses a breakup approaching yet tries to convey unwavering love.

The song was featured in the MTI “music.jp” commercial and served as a support song for Fuji TV’s World Judo 2007.

Composed entirely of Kumi Koda’s vocals without any backing chorus, it centers on mid-to-low registers, making it easy to sing even for those who struggle with high notes, and it’s a track anyone who has experienced the end of a romance can relate to.