Hidden gems of Japanese love songs. Recommended popular tracks.
If you’re starting to feel that the love songs you always listen to aren’t quite enough anymore, why not try some hidden gems?
I’m sure you’re very familiar with the songs that make it onto the hit charts.
But what about everything else?
There are surprisingly many songs by artists you know that you just haven’t listened to yet.
So in this article, we’ve gathered hidden masterpieces of love songs that you should hear at least once.
You might just find a wonderful classic you didn’t know before somewhere on this list.
Hidden gems of Japanese love songs. Recommended popular tracks (1–10)
GIFTNishijima Takahiro
A pop R&B song brimming with Christmas sparkle and a wintry mood.
You’ll be enchanted by a heart‑pounding, exciting story and a romantic atmosphere that are so quintessentially Nissy.
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a boyfriend like this? It’s a track packed with irreplaceable moments with someone special, a gift for the fans, and a heartfelt wish for everyone’s happiness.
Listening to it fills you with warmth.
A supremely heartwarming number.
Not only is it perfect for a special day—maybe even an ordinary day can feel like an extraordinary gift.
mayflyONE OK ROCK
A ONE OK ROCK number that portrays the inability to be honest about the feeling of love—saying “I like you.” Featured on the album Zeitakubyō, the song likens this self who can’t be straightforward to a wavering “kagerō” (a heat haze or mirage), an existence so unsteady it’s hard to tell if it’s really there.
You truly like them so much, and somewhere inside you already know it, yet you can’t quite admit it because you’re afraid of the reality that awaits once you do.
The lyrics, which capture those unstable emotions precisely because of how deeply you care, are heart-wrenching.
Words of Lovesupittsu
Words of Love, included on their highly acclaimed sixth album Honey, released in 1995.
It’s a hidden gem that apparently was even considered as a single, drawing you in with its beautiful melody and gentle sound overflowing with Spitz’s signature color.
As the days pass, feelings for a lover deepen.
Even if it must one day come to an end, the two cherish each other and find happiness.
It’s a song that makes you want to listen closely.
A love song that feels like it nestles up to everyday life and lets you feel the power of music.
end creditssumika
A track included on the 2020 release Harmonize e.p.
It envelops you in that characteristically gentle sumika feeling.
The subdued first half depicts difficult days, while the swelling second half delivers a wedding-song message: let’s keep doing our best together, the two of us, from here on out.
It’s wonderful when feelings come through, even simply or without words—but perhaps a proposal that only he could make will resonate even more deeply.
A song that will tenderly color the days to come.
For the end credits, you’ll want to be with the person you cherish.
fishback number
back number is a three-piece rock band.
“fish” is their ninth single.
It’s also included on the album “Love Story.” back number has sung a variety of love songs, but this one especially stands out for its poignancy.
Told from a woman’s perspective, it’s a breakup song that showcases the band’s range.
The lyrical, beautifully painted scenes in the lyrics amplify the heartache.
The straightforward words of farewell in the chorus feel like they pierce straight through the heart.
It’s a song I want to listen to when I’ve had my heart broken and just want a good cry.
MOONKAT-TUN
A KAT-TUN track with a cool blend of thundering, bass-heavy rock and traditional Japanese instruments.
Included only as a bonus track on the regular edition of the album “Break the Records -by you & for you-,” this song could truly be called a hidden gem.
While accepting an unrequited love, the lyrics voice a heartfelt wish—at least to be loved in dreams, or in another life—creating a poignant contrast to the powerful sound.
It’s a number that perfectly captures KAT-TUN’s cool, mischievous vibe.
WhiteSHE’S
You’re instantly captivated by the intro that feels like sunlight streaming in.
This song is featured on their 2017 second album, Wandering.
It has SHE’S’s signature beautiful melody and a sense of clarity.
Wrapped in a gentle atmosphere, it makes you feel warm and kind as you listen.
The music video featuring Sho Kiyohara and Natsumi Okamoto is heartwarming as well.
Even if there’s a small misunderstanding, I’m sure you can overcome it by listening to this song.
Cherish the “now.” It’s a medium-tempo number that treasures everyday life.