[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 so good you'll want to share them right away (181–190)
A person who loves springGLAY
Haruwow Aisuru Hito (The Person Who Loves Spring) is a fan favorite, featured on the 1996 album BELOVED and also included as the B-side of the single Kuchibiru.
Although the title includes “spring,” the lyrics move through each season—starting with spring, then summer, autumn, and winter—before returning to spring at the end.
Listening while reading the lyrics will surely make you think of someone special.
It’s a warm, affectionate song that perfectly matches the concept of the album BELOVED.
Only by livingKiroro
Speaking of Kiroro, “Mirai e” and “Best Friend” enjoy overwhelming name recognition and have remained beloved standards long after their release.
But beyond those, Kiroro has many other wonderful songs.
One I’d like to highlight is “Ikite Koso.” Set to a gently mellow, ballad-style accompaniment, its lyrics express gratitude to one’s parents and the importance of living.
As you listen, the song invites you to reflect anew on what truly matters—such as the birth of new life, the meaning of your own existence, and the preciousness of being alive.
Be…Ms. OOJA
It was released in 2012 as Ms.OOJA’s fifth single.
It was chosen as the theme song for the TBS drama “Renai Neet: Wasureta Koi no Hajimekata,” and an alternative arrangement titled “Be…
duet with Kaoru Kurosawa” was included on the best-of album released in 2016.
Blue SpringRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS rapidly broadened their fanbase after handling the theme songs for director Makoto Shinkai’s films, such as “Zenzenzense” and “Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?” This track is from their very first album.
Instead of the polished sound they have now, it’s striking for its raw yet youthful, coming-of-age energy.
The lyrics—ones they could only have written back then—prompt each listener to reflect on their own memories.
It’s a song that will make even fans who discovered them after “Zenzenzense” think, “This is RADWIMPS,” and it’s one I strongly recommend they listen to.
cotton candyback number
“Watagashi,” a single by back number released in 2012.
As the title suggests, it’s a heart-fluttering unrequited love song set at a summer festival! Around this period, their songs “Aoi Haru” and “Takane no Hanako-san,” which were released afterward, tend to get more attention, so this might not be a track everyone knows.
Even so, the clumsy, frustrating feelings of the male protagonist in the lyrics—emotions many men probably experienced in their youth—really resonate, don’t they? The way the lyrics draw out listeners’ empathy is classic Iyori Shimizu.
Sing of springback number
This is a track by back number, the hugely popular band known for countless love songs, originally included on their indie-era mini-album “Nogashita Sakana.” It was later featured on their best-of compilation, but it remains a hidden gem cherished especially by longtime fans.
The lyrics portray a bittersweet springtime breakup, and the story of a man who can’t quite let go, gradually starting to move forward while holding onto his feelings for her—an affecting narrative.
The lingering attachment and poignancy often found in their music, along with their catchy melodies, were already fully on display at this early stage.
carpaimyon
Koi is a heartbreak song themed around the proverb “the one that got away.” It was included on singer-songwriter Aimyon’s 2019 single Harunohi, a release that cemented her nationwide popularity.
Set to a lively ska-style beat, its acoustic guitar and synth tones ring out.
The lyrics portray the sorrow of not ending up with the one you love, depicting someone facing an unbearable reality alone.
With its rhythmic band arrangement contrasted by her emotional vocals, it’s a hidden gem.
