A bright, Japanese-style song. A roundup of J-POP with a traditional Japanese flair.
Many people probably enjoy J-pop that incorporates Japanese flavors, such as sounds featuring traditional instruments or songs composed with the yo-nuki (pentatonic) scale.
There’s also demand for using Japanese-style tracks as wedding or video BGM.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of recommended, upbeat Japanese-style songs all at once!
If you’ve been looking for tracks to use as BGM or simply new songs to listen to, please use the selections below as a reference!
- [Japan] A collection of J-pop with a traditional Japanese (wa) vibe and Japanese-style taste
- [Japanese-style BGM] Beautiful tones woven from Japanese tradition
- [Japanese-style Piano Pieces] A selection of recommended works with a pleasantly Japanese flavor
- Recommended upbeat dance songs. Perfect for performances or entertainment!
- A bright, Japanese-style song. A roundup of J-POP with a traditional Japanese flair.
- A collection of bright, cute songs: recommended tracks to lift your mood
- Nothing but masterpieces! Hit songs from the Reiwa era that are perfect for background music
- A bright love song. A positive and happy romance song.
- Upbeat, bright songs: a collection of tracks that lift your mood when you listen
- [J-POP] I want to listen to songs with impressive, beautiful piano tones! Recommended piano cover tracks
- Stylish songs that are popular and recommended for vlog background music
- Now’s the time to listen! Uplifting Showa-era songs that brightened Japan
- [J-Pop] Bright, upbeat songs recommended for weddings
A bright, Japanese-style song. J-POP collection with a Japanese taste (21–30)
good morningA-ko
It’s a song that evokes the start of a refreshing morning, highlighted by A-ko’s translucent vocals.
Included on her first album, “GENE,” released in July 2024, it was also selected as the opening theme for TV Tokyo’s Drama 24 series “First Love, Zarari.” Vividly portraying a range of everyday emotions, it’s a track that energizes listeners.
With its pop, catchy melody and energetic sound, it carries the message that sometimes it’s important to enjoy music at full volume.
It’s the kind of number that can make you feel a little more positive when you wake up—perfect for anyone who wants to start the day with a fresh mindset.
Garden feat. DJ KAORI, Diggy-MO’, Clench & BlistahMay J.
May J., a singer known for numerous hit covers.
This track is a number that reconstructs a classic 1990s R&B song into a dazzling party tune under the production of DJ KAORI.
While retaining the slightly bittersweet worldview of the original, it features star-studded guest appearances from artists like Diggy-MO’ and CLENCH & BLISTA, expressing the exhilaration of time spent with friends.
May J.’s soaring vocals and the cool back-and-forth with the rappers are must-hear, guaranteed to lift your spirits just by listening.
The album containing this song, “FAMILY,” was released in May 2009 and reached No.
4 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.
Its sophisticated sound will surely capture your heart, perfect for livening up a drive with friends or a glamorous party scene.
photo opportunitymei-chan
A sparkling pop tune that shines like flipping through pages of cherished memories.
Mei-chan’s vocals blend perfectly with PRIMAGIC’s arrangement, creating an irresistibly captivating sound.
Released digitally in July 2024, the track was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime “2.5 Dimensional Seduction.” Its sound, which matches the anime’s worldview perfectly, leaves a strong impression.
Riding a wave of momentum, Mei-chan has also successfully completed a live tour that included Saitama Super Arena.
Give it a listen when you feel like looking back on the glittering memories of your youth.
Invincible happiness!suzumiya haruhi (CV: hirano aya) nagato yuki (CV: chihara minori) asahina mikuru (CV: goto yuko)
It’s an irresistibly happy number that feels like a big “We’re back!” to fans who’ve been waiting for years.
Sung by Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, and Yuko Goto, the track is set to release in July 2025.
It was born from the crowdfunding project launched in November 2024 to commemorate the release of “Theatrical Haruhi Suzumiya.” The colorful sound that gets your body moving without overthinking perfectly embodies the series’ energy.
The lyrics’ message—about charging ahead by your own rules with strong resolve, and how the meaning of encounters follows later—will make listeners’ hearts skip.
When you want to punch a hole through a dull routine, put this song on!
weeklynishina
The single “weekly,” released in April 2025, is a gem of a pop tune that showcases Nishina’s musical talent.
Its soothing melody line and addictive vocals blend in exquisite balance to paint a gentle sonic world.
The bright tones of the horn section are downright exhilarating.
I think it’s perfect for a calm, leisurely afternoon on a day off.
I like a picnicBerryz Kobo
This is a relentlessly upbeat dance-pop track: a Japanese-language cover of a beloved Thai hit.
The Japanese lyrics by producer Tsunku♂ brim with playful wordcraft that preserves the sound and feel of the original.
Just hearing the lively back-and-forth between the members and the razor-sharp rap is enough to get many listeners hyped.
Carried by an exotic sound, the vocals of Miyabi Natsuyaki and Risako Sugaya paint a scene of a heart-lifting picnic.
Released in March 2013, the song appears on the single “Asian Celebration / I like a picnic,” which reached No.
8 on the Oricon charts.
It’s a perfect pick for outdoor moments when you want to make some cheerful noise with friends.
StarlightWagakki Band
A song by the mixed-gender eight-member rock band WagakkiBand, chosen as the theme for the TV drama Ichikei no Karasu.
To dispel preconceived notions based on the band’s image, it was released under the name WGB.
While deliberately toning down the signature WagakkiBand style, its high level of completion still showcases the band’s depth and prowess.
Despite its modern tone, the timbre of traditional Japanese instruments woven throughout the track imparts a distinctly Japanese flavor, resulting in a work that fuses tradition and popular music at a high level—something other artists cannot easily replicate.
