[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 Masterpieces You'll Want to Share Right Now (121–130)
Spring PhantomSuperfly
A track I want you to listen to when you need to heal a broken heart—one that paints a bittersweet path of love.
It’s a song by Superfly, the music unit led by Shiho Ochi, included on their 2009 album Box Emotions.
It was used as the theme song for a drama of the same name.
The refreshing yet fragile band sound is striking, and Ochi’s resolute vocals linger in your ears.
Even while understanding how it will all end, just for now… that feeling comes through in this spring song that squeezes your heart.
quagmireZAZEN BOYS
ZAZEN BOYS is an ensemble rock band led by NUMBER GIRL’s guitarist-vocalist Shutoku Mukai.
Their groovy ensemble is so complex and cool that it defies intellectual understanding, and Mukai’s playful wordcraft explodes throughout this irresistibly addictive track.
Packed with a fetishistic, singular worldview, it grips fans’ hearts and never lets go—a truly inescapable, swampy masterpiece.
pinkaiko
The swaying melody seems to reflect the wavering feelings of the song’s protagonist—a buoyant number, “Momoiro,” that makes you want to step out with a spring in your step.
It’s a track released in 2000 by aiko, who began her singing career in 1998.
Known for expressing the psychology of women in love with a one-of-a-kind sensibility, aiko has produced many hits—an abundance of heart-fluttering love songs.
Among them, “Momoiro” is considered a hidden gem that was never released as a single.
Why not experience the feeling of being in love by listening to this catchy song that starts right from the chorus?
milkchelmico
chelmico is a female rap duo.
While they usually put out a lot of tracks with upbeat tempos and breezy rap, this song has a very laid-back, gentle vibe.
The acoustic guitar accompaniment paired with their relaxed singing and rapping feels incredibly comfortable and soothing.
I imagine many people like songs with this kind of atmosphere.
It’s a track where you can enjoy a perfect balance between the pop elements of its easy-to-listen-to melody and the sophisticated feel brought by the cool rap.
[Hidden Gems] Japanese songs you'll want to tell someone about right now (131–140)
Chibi ○○aimyon
This is a song from the very beginning of Aimyon’s career, before she had her big breakthrough with “Marigold.” It’s a quintessential example of her early style, singing with a biting, realistic edge.
While the track itself has a straightforward, easy-to-listen-to arrangement, the lyrics that reach your ears make you think about her sensibility, her ideas, and even her history.
It’s a masterpiece I’d love people who discovered her through her current pop songs to listen to as well.
to clear up; to become clear (e.g., weather clearing)atarayo
A four-piece band whose “I’ll Forget Your Silence in October” was a hit, Atarayo’s second digital single of 2021.
The lightly dancing acoustic guitar and fresh band sound leave a strong impression.
It paints a beautiful world where the fleeting end of spring meets the hope of the next one beginning.
The down-to-earth lyrics gently lean into all kinds of “I don’t knows,” and sink in effortlessly.
You might feel as if you’re being reborn with the changing seasons.
Hitomi’s clear vocals on guitar are wonderful, too—this is a lovely track wrapped in freshness.
It’s even more highly recommended than their previous release!
Two sides of the same coinyuzu
This song was used as the theme for the film “Hunter × Hunter: The LAST MISSION,” and it carries a grand atmosphere that sets it apart from the tracks typically considered Yuzu’s signature songs.
Although it was released as a single and chosen as an anime movie theme, it was reportedly performed on television only once, making it a fitting pick as a hidden gem.
As the title “Hyouri Ittai” (Two Sides of the Same Coin) suggests, the lyrics revolve around opposites—black and white, light and darkness—exploring the tension of which future the path you’re walking now will lead to.
It’s a song with a gripping, edge-of-your-seat progression.