[Hidden Gem] Japanese Songs You'll Want to Share with Someone Right Now
Beyond the trendy songs you often hear on TV or around town, and the tracks tied in with dramas or anime that everyone knows, there are also hidden gems—songs from before an artist got big or tracks without any tie-ins.
This time, we’ll introduce those hidden masterpieces that are especially popular among the artists’ fans.
Many of these songs don’t get much TV exposure, but they’re well-known among fans—once you listen, you’re sure to get hooked! If you haven’t been exploring or adding new music lately and want something fresh to listen to, this is for you.
I hope you find a new favorite track!
- A hidden gem known only to those in the know. A great J-pop/Japanese song.
- Memorable masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.
- [Classic and Contemporary Hits] Emotionally Stirring, Heart-Touching Songs
- A catchy tune that sounds familiar
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Hidden gems of love songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Hidden gems and lesser-known songs by popular Japanese rock bands
- Hidden gems among tear-jerker songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Hidden gems of inspirational songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Hidden gems of healing songs. Recommended popular tracks
- [Cheer Song] A hidden gem that stirs the soul. A rallying anthem known to those in the know.
- [Songs with Great Lyrics] Masterpieces you’ll want to listen to while savoring the words that resonate with your heart
- Nothing but masterpieces! Hit songs from the Reiwa era that are perfect for background music
[Hidden Gems] Japanese Songs You'll Want to Share Right Now (81–90)
monologueThe Back Horn
It’s a work packed to the brim with an inescapable sense of loneliness and overflowing emotion.
It’s a song by the rock band THE BACK HORN, known for many classics like “Wana” and “Cobalt Blue,” included on their 2000 album Reborn Sun.
Its appeal lies in the 3/4 rhythm, the dynamic contrast between calm and intensity, and the noisy guitar sound.
It gives the impression of a wall of sound closing in.
Be sure to listen while paying attention to vocalist Yamada’s wrung-out, impassioned singing.
Rabbit DASH→Pia-no-jaC←
If you want to revel in phenomenal performance technique, I recommend →Pia-no-jaC←.
They’re a musical duo consisting of HAYATO on piano and HIRO on cajón.
They’ve worked on many famous pieces, but a track that fans quietly champion is “Usagi DASH.” It’s a song from their 2008 album First Contact, and it delivers a driving sound that feels like a rabbit in full sprint.
By the way, a cajón is a percussion instrument that looks a bit like a conga.
Sha-la-latsuji ayano
This is a song by singer-songwriter Ayano Tsuji, who began her musical activities in her high school folk music club and chose the ukulele over the guitar because of her small hands.
It’s a cover of a Southern All Stars song and is included on her cover album “COVER GIRL.” The gentle yet bittersweet arrangement, crafted in collaboration with singer-songwriter Tamio Okuda—also known as a member of Unicorn—creates an atmosphere distinct from the original.
With the classic melody intact and a superb, unique sense of weightlessness, it’s a track you’ll want to compare side by side with the original.
forget-me-notNOKKO
With Rebecca’s vocalist Nokko—known for her distinctive singing voice—at the helm, the 1998 release Wasurenagusa is a song with a dreamlike beauty, like a flower swayed by the wind.
The composer is Yuka Kawamura, who has crafted numerous songs including SMAP’s Yozora no Mukou.
The gently flowing acoustic guitar and Nokko’s tender vocals resonate deeply.
The lyrics evoke the changing seasons of nature and bring to mind a cherished person and those days that have become treasures.
slow danceSuneo Heā
Suneohair’s 2012 single “slow dance.” It’s a number where his signature beautiful-melody rock explodes, fully showcasing his strengths.
Known to those in the know for releasing classics built on various eight-beat grooves and flowing, gorgeous melodies, this may be the essence of Suneohair.
Even the guitar effects and refrains are beautiful, and it’s a driving rock track that carries a hint of wistfulness.
The music video, in which he himself performs, is also a highlight!
The florist’s daughterFujifaburikku
This is a track from their indie-era album “À la Mort.” It’s an early hidden gem by Fujifabric—if you know this one, you’re a pretty hardcore fan! At first listen it seems like a catchy tune, but it’s actually a fantasy song that unfolds from a fleeting scene seen through a car window.
The lyrics are a bit edgy, yet the track itself is so cool that the imbalance becomes captivating.
The keyboard-led intro and rhythmic melody have a groove that makes you want to sway along.
The indie CD is out of print, but a complete reissue is included in the 2010 release “FAB BOX.”
[Hidden Gems] Japanese Songs You'll Want to Tell Someone About Right Now (91–100)
Winter IllusionAcid Black Cherry
Acid Black Cherry is the solo project of yasu, the vocalist of Janne Da Arc.
It’s also known for its music videos and costumes that are even more humorous than during the Janne Da Arc days.
One of Acid Black Cherry’s hidden gems is “Fuyu no Maboroshi” (Winter Illusion).
The song portrays the sorrow of a woman who lost her loved one in an incident.
It’s said to have been created based on a letter yasu received from a fan.
Keep this backstory in mind when you listen.