[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.
- [Must read] Songs with great lyrics. Moving songs you’ll want to listen to while reading the lyrics
- Nothing but masterpieces! Hit songs from the Reiwa era that are perfect for background music
[Hidden Gems] Japanese songs you’ll want to share with someone right now (111–120)
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.”
Gentle PhilosophyTomita Labo feat. Shiina Ringo
A live recording of a track created through a collaboration between composer/producer Tomita Lab and Ringo Sheena, with lyrics by Ringo Sheena and music by Tomita Lab.
It opens both of their albums, and it’s a song brimming with chemical reactions—Ringo Sheena’s rock-leaning sound infused with the deep, versatile tonal palette of Tomita Lab.
A masterpiece whose thick layers of sound and driving beats feel incredibly satisfying.
The summer you gave meOku Hanako
Okumura Hanako is a singer-songwriter known for songs that capture the bittersweet essence of youth.
Her signature tracks Garnet and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’s “Kawaranai Mono” were featured in the film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, perfectly matching the world she expresses.
The song introduced here is Kimi ga Kureta Natsu, which she wrote specifically for the movie Ashita ni Nareba.
To create it, she reportedly reread the script many times and held repeated meetings with the director.
You can really tell how much care went into it.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you’re craving that sweet, bittersweet feeling.
A cheer for youYamane Yasuhiro
Yasuhiro Yamane has produced numerous rock songs.
As one of his hidden gems, I recommend “YELL wo Kimi ni.” Compared to his other releases, it’s had fewer TV performances, but it enjoys passionate support from fans.
In fact, it’s been included on his albums three times so far—that’s proof enough.
The lyrics gently accompany those who are tired, so listening to it will soothe your heart.
By the way, the reason it appears three times is that each version has a different arrangement, making it fun to compare them.
eclairOkazaki Taiiku
Singer-songwriter Taiiku Okazaki made a sensational debut with “MUSIC VIDEO.” While he’s strongly associated with humorous songs like “Emotion Pixel,” his albums also include several truly moving gems.
Among them, this track from the album BASIN TECHNO is a nostalgic, earnest, youth-infused song that will stir feelings of homesickness in anyone who hears it.
It’s precisely because he has these gut-punching numbers behind the humorous ones that their persuasiveness and emotional impact stand out even more.
Be sure to listen carefully while reading the lyrics!
What should I call this throbbing?wasureranneeyo
This is the third single by Wasureranneyo, a rock band that is now effectively a solo project since Takahiro Shibata, the vocalist and guitarist, is the only remaining official member.
The lyrics capture the excitement that comes before something begins, and many people striving toward their dreams will likely relate.
Its passionate, straightforward message and ensemble fill you with anticipation and exhilaration just by listening.
Especially for band musicians, it’s a rock tune that evokes a sense of bittersweetness amid hope, making it easy to see yourself in it.
Fireworks MagicAnsako
Here’s a classic love song that’s sure to make you fall in love at first listen! This is the title track from singer-songwriter Ansako’s major debut mini-album “Hanabi no Mahō,” by a Tottori-born artist with a shining pop sensibility.
It’s a pop tune that captures the youthful emotions of first love, with lyrics that liken those feelings to the “magic of fireworks”—fresh and romantic.
You’ll definitely be thinking, “I totally get this!” It’s perfect for listening while picturing someone you like, and even if you don’t have anyone in mind, it still lets you feel the heart-pounding excitement of summer.
There’s a bittersweetness that makes you want to go back to summers past, too! The outro is also truly lovely, and by the time it ends, you might just find yourself under Ansako’s spell…!
