A roundup of iconic J-pop autumn songs that colored the Heisei era. Let’s listen to autumn tunes that touch the heart!
Among songs that beautifully sing of the changing seasons, those themed around autumn hold a special charm.
During the Heisei era, Japan’s music scene produced many masterpieces that painted vivid autumn scenes.
From bittersweet love stories to the imagery of autumn leaf viewing, these songs express the many faces of fall through music.
In this article, we introduce classic J-POP tracks rich with autumn atmosphere, born during the roughly 30 years of the Heisei period from 1989 to 2019.
Please enjoy these moving autumn masterpieces, together with your fond memories.
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A collection of classic J-pop autumn songs that defined the Heisei era. Let’s listen to heartwarming fall tunes! (1–10)
Answer of the Autumn WindFlower
This song opens with a scene of two people walking, brushed by the autumn wind.
The lyrics, which liken the fluttering feelings of love to that autumn breeze, leave a lasting impression.
The blend of clear, translucent vocals and a stirring melody makes it perfect for long autumn nights.
Released in November 2014, the track drew attention as the theme song for the Thursday Night Drama “Binta! — Paralegal Minowa Solves Everything with Love.” It peaked at No.
3 on the Oricon chart and became one of Flower’s signature works.
It’s a recommended listen for anyone who wants to feel that shift in mood as you let go of summer’s remnants and move on to the next season.
Night of Osmanthuskinoko teikoku
This is a song by Kinoko Teikoku themed around long autumn nights filled with the fragrance of fragrant olive.
Through lyrics that depict a bittersweet love, it conveys feelings for seasons and people that have passed.
Featured on the album Time Lapse, the track is one of the pieces commemorating the band’s 10th anniversary.
Released in September 2018, it captured the hearts of many fans.
Blending elements of shoegaze and post-rock with the accessibility of J-pop, its distinctive sound is part of its appeal.
If you listen to it as the air begins to turn cold, it’s sure to put you in a nostalgic mood.
autumn skyNEWS
This is the ballad by NEWS that you find yourself wanting to listen to in the season when the high, clear skies somehow feel tinged with melancholy.
As you feel the bittersweet autumn breeze, it seems to portray the emotions of someone trying to overcome a farewell with a loved one.
You can almost picture the protagonist holding back tears while looking up at the clear blue sky, and the beautiful melody tightens your chest.
The song is included on the acclaimed album “LIVE,” released in September 2010, which debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.
It’s a work that, when you listen to it alone on a long autumn night lost in thought or when you want to sink into a sentimental mood, will let its world seep deeply into your heart.
A roundup of iconic J-pop autumn songs that colored the Heisei era: Let’s listen to heartwarming fall tunes! (11–20)
Serene and sweet autumn evening lyricismUNISON SQUARE GARDEN
It’s a song that seems to turn the quiet, faintly sweet, sentimental air of an autumn dusk straight into sound.
Created by the three-piece rock band UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, it’s a lesser-known gem for the autumn season.
You can almost see scenes that gently capture the tenderness we feel for the passing seasons and the fleeting beauty of a single moment.
This track is included on the acclaimed album MODE MOOD MODE, released in January 2018 toward the end of the Heisei era.
Though it has no tie-ins, its lyrical melody and Kosuke Saito’s crystalline vocals reveal the band’s delicate side.
Listen to it on your way home as the days grow shorter, or alone on a slightly chilly night when you want to sink into your thoughts, and it will slowly seep into your heart.
underground mallyuzu
It’s a song that could be called the origin of Yuzu, the folk duo that took off from the streets.
The opening line, “A sunny afternoon in October,” perfectly evokes the crisp air of autumn.
Carried by the simple timbre of an acoustic guitar, it portrays the bittersweet feeling of wanting to see someone you love but being unable to.
Yet it doesn’t just dwell in hesitation—you can also feel a forward-looking strength, a resolve to be honest about one’s feelings.
The track was included on their indie mini-album Yuzu no Moto, released in October 1997, and later featured on the best-of compilation Home [1997–2000].
It has a warmth that gently nudges you when you’re feeling uncertain.
It’s also perfect as a companion for an autumn stroll.
Fall feels emoKyūso Nekokami
Kyuso Nekokami is a five-piece rock band known for lyrics you can’t help but relate to.
This track is a hidden autumn gem that was included as the B-side to their single “Wakattendayo,” released in October 2016.
The band’s ensemble is striking, pairing a driving BPM of 160 with the sentimental feelings unique to autumn.
The lyrics vividly depict scenes like dry air and the chirping of bell crickets, candidly expressing that sudden, aching loneliness that makes you long for someone.
It’s an emotional number you’ll want to hear on an autumn night, where the contrast between the uptempo sound and the wistful melody really hits home.
AutumnYabai T-shatsu Yasan
When it comes to autumn songs, wistful melodies and sentimental lyrics are the norm, right? But Yabai T-Shirts Yasan brings a fresh twist that overturns those autumn-song clichés.
This track sings about a feeling many of us have probably had at least once: compared to spring, summer, or winter, isn’t autumn a bit weak at making its case? What’s great is the playful spirit of setting that disarmingly honest message to a breakneck, melody-driven punk sound.
The song is included on the album “Tank-top Festival in JAPAN,” released in December 2018 toward the end of the Heisei era.
It’s the perfect pick when the typical ways of spending autumn don’t quite click, or when you want to amp up the energy on a drive with friends.