A heartbreak song known to those in the know. Hidden gems of Japanese music that resonate with the heart.

MetronomeYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

A song by Kenshi Yonezu that portrays how two hearts that once looked toward the same future gradually drift apart.

This track is included on the album “Bremen,” released in October 2015.

Comparing the couple’s relationship to the tempo marked by a metronome, it describes the bittersweet feeling of their steps, once in sync, slowly falling out of rhythm.

It mirrors the emotional rift that can slowly develop in a marriage, doesn’t it? Even after parting, the wish to keep living in the same rhythm and perhaps meet again someday is something that resonates with those who have faced a major decision.

Doesn’t this song make you feel that you don’t have to force yourself to forget the past, and that it’s okay to embrace the time you walked together and keep living on?

It’ll get stained.Chatmonchy

Chatmonchy “I’ll Be Dyed” Music Video

Chatmonchy is a band that will be etched into the history of female vocal bands.

When it comes to their classic breakup songs, “Somaruyo” stands out.

If you’ve been through a breakup and your ex was a smoker, the lyrics might really hit home.

Their straightforward vocals, which let the listener’s emotions overflow, are incredibly compelling.

Unfit to be a loverKoresawa

Koresawa “Unqualified as a Lover” [Music Video]

A breakup ballad from a male perspective that portrays the anguish and regret of the one who said goodbye.

It’s a self-cover sung from the viewpoint of the man who leaves the room in Koresawa’s signature song “Tabako.” Released as a digital single in June 2019, it was later included on the concept mini-album “Heartbreak Scrap” in January 2020.

Originally written for Miyuhan, the track drew attention with its music video featuring Ryusei Yokohama.

The song movingly captures the conflict of a man who ends the relationship precisely because he loves her, blaming not her but his own shortcomings.

Listening to it alongside “Tabako” deepens your understanding of the couple’s emotional misalignment.

Highly recommended for anyone who’s experienced the end of a cherished relationship or carries guilt over having hurt someone they love.

tear(s)Marushii

Marcy – Tears (Official Music Video)

A heartbreaking breakup ballad by Marcy, beloved for their relatable, down-to-earth music.

The structure tells all the radiant memories of a seaside park in the past tense, conveying the bittersweet ache of heartbreak—the way you can’t help but remember, even knowing you can’t go back.

You might recognize that feeling, as if your body still carries the warmth of the other person.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t forget a summer romance that has come to an end.

A world without youto shiki

Toshiki “A World Without You” Official Music Video

The lyrics spun from Toshiki’s own experiences depict someone who, while immersed in memories of the past, is trying to take a new step forward.

Released in August 2022, the song sparked a huge response on social media and resonated with many people.

It’s a track we’d like those of you still nursing the wounds of a breakup and unable to forget your ex to hear.

Listening to it might prompt you to look back and wonder, “Was that breakup the right choice?” And surely, it will give you the courage to move on.

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

Yuri’s debut work, which likens a heartrending unrequited love to a game of “hide-and-seek,” is a moving ballad that delicately portrays loneliness and the pain of parting.

In a room left behind after the lover he lived with has gone, the emotions of a man surrounded by items that still evoke her presence are woven together through a gentle, transparent voice.

Released in December 2019, this piece is a tour de force born from street performances following the breakup of the rock band THE BUGZY.

The warm tones of the acoustic guitar closely accompany the man’s earnest feelings.

It’s a song recommended for those who want to soothe the pain of heartbreak—perfect for a nighttime drive or for sipping a drink in a quiet room.

two peopleaiko

aiko - “Futari” music video

Convincing yourself it’s better to notice the other person’s feelings before you fall for them—realizing the love has already ended.

This song by aiko portrays that kind of painfully brave front.

Despite its up-tempo sound, it sings of the bittersweet moments when you pin your hopes on the other person’s small gestures, only to realize their gaze is directed at someone else, not you.

Released in March 2008, the track reached No.

3 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and was later used in a Hoyu commercial.

It’s also included on the album “Himitsu.” On nights when you put on a brave face even though you’re truly sad, doesn’t listening to this song make you feel like someone’s right beside you whispering, “I understand how you feel”?