Unrequited love songs of the Heisei era. Those nostalgic classic tunes.

LOVE LETTERMakihara Noriyuki

NORIYUKI MAKIHARA LOVE LETTER

Do you know the hidden gem by Noriyuki Makihara that portrays a faint, letter-bound first love? Centered around an undelivered love letter, it delicately captures the emotions of a protagonist seeing off someone dear who is leaving for a distant job.

The imagery—twilight at the station and scenes along the tracks—feels so vivid it tightens the listener’s chest with a poignant ache.

The song was included on the album UNDERWEAR, released in October 1996, and was later used as the theme for NTT East’s corporate commercial “Mother,” featuring Yui Aragaki.

This piece rekindles the unspoken kindness we couldn’t put into words and the bittersweet memories of youth.

It’s a song to savor, especially for those who’ve experienced a springtime parting or who carry unspoken feelings in their hearts.

DearestHamasaki Ayumi

Ayumi Hamasaki / Dearest

A singer-songwriter who reigned at the pinnacle of the J-POP scene as a “charismatic icon for high school girls,” Ayumi Hamasaki released her 24th single in September 2001.

Widely beloved as the ending theme for the TV anime Inuyasha and as a song for Tu-Ka commercials, it is a renowned ballad that won the 43rd Japan Record Award.

Set to a grand melody woven by piano and strings, the lyrics convey a heartfelt resolve to accept parting and loss while continuing to wish for the other person’s happiness.

It’s a gem of a number you’ll want to listen to while thinking of someone dear, as the season begins to carry a hint of winter.

NAOHY

SOLIDEMO / NAO（HY cover）

It’s a ballad that pierces the chest with the pain of unrequited love.

The song is included on HY’s 2006 album “Confidence,” by the Okinawa-born mix-genre band, and tells a story created by vocalist Izumi Nakasone based on a close friend’s real experience.

The piece vividly portrays the inner conflict of a woman who knows the person she likes has feelings for someone else and won’t return her affection, yet she just can’t give up.

The clear, airy vocals riding over the piano melody further highlight the sorrow of a love that won’t reach its destination.

It’s a must-listen for anyone who finds themselves empathizing with the urge to cling on, even as they sense the person they love slowly changing.

Peach-Colored Unrequited LoveMatsuura Aya

Aya Matsuura “♡Momoiro Kataomoi♡” Music Video

Released in February 2002 as Aya Matsuura’s fifth single, this song was featured in Shiseido’s “Tissera Mune-Kyun Peach” commercial, which also drew attention for Matsuura’s own appearance.

It peaked at No.

2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, sold over 220,000 copies, and was included on the album T.W.O.

The lyrics liken the flutter of unrequited love to a peach-pink hue, and the bouncy melody that kicks off with a shouted call is instantly memorable—just listening to it lifts your spirits.

It’s the perfect track for getting hyped at karaoke with friends after school or for those heart-pounding moments when you’re nursing a crush.

HELLOYUI

YUI – HELLO (Official Audio)

This is a pop number by singer-songwriter YUI that captures the thrill of the moment when love begins.

The piece features striking pizzicato plucks, evoking a fresh early-summer breeze where innocence and bubbling joy coexist.

The lyrics, which depict a passionate and slightly dangerous game of love that makes you want to touch a perilous dream, seize listeners’ hearts and don’t let go.

Released as a single in June 2011, it was written as the theme song for the film Paradise Kiss, based on Ai Yazawa’s original work, and is also included on the classic album HOW CRAZY YOUR LOVE.

It might just give you a boost when you’re ready to take a new step or in the mood to dress up and head out.

KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

Released in 2004, this second single is an indispensable classic ballad when talking about Sukima Switch.

It was featured as an insert song in the film “Rough” and as a TV drama theme, and in 2006 it was also chosen as the ending theme for the final day of “Nettou Koshien.” The lyrics, depicting a moment of parting, convey the protagonist’s aching attempt to send their feelings to the one who is leaving, along with a wish to remain connected in their hearts.

When you reach a turning point in life—graduation, a job change, and so on—listening to this song will bring back memories from that time, and the tears will naturally start to flow.

With its gentle tempo and piano tones that soak into the heart, it’s a profoundly moving track.

Heroineback number

back number – Heroine (full)

A signature ballad by back number that beautifully captures the crisp winter air and the bittersweet ache of unrequited love.

Even while knowing they can’t be the main character in the other person’s story, the narrator’s pure wish to stay by their side evokes a moving, heart-tightening feeling—even for those without similar experiences.

Produced by Takeshi Kobayashi, the song opens with a striking organ tone, followed by Iyori Shimizu’s warm yet heartrending vocals that gently seep into the soul.

Released in January 2015 as their 11th single, it also drew attention as the CM song for JR East’s “JR SKISKI” campaign featuring Suzu Hirose.

It’s the perfect track to revisit the bittersweet taste of an unattainable love or to listen to on a winter night while thinking of someone special.