Recommended love songs for high school students! A handpicked selection of heart-throbbing romance tunes.

GO FOR IT!!Nishino Kana

Kana Nishino 'GO FOR IT!! (short ver.)'

This song, by Kana Nishino—aka Kanayan, the goddess of love songs—and also used in the Lunch Pack commercial, is an anthem that gives a push to anyone with a crush! The lyrics are packed with that frustrating, youthful feeling of not being able to close the distance with the person you like, or being too nervous to talk to them.

Debating whether to text them, impulsively checking your fortune… all those relatable moments are in there.

Let Kanayan’s lyrics give you the courage to take the next step.

Sakura RabbitKawasaki Takaya

Takanori Kawasaki - Sakura Usagi [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

It’s a heart-wrenchingly bittersweet graduation song that makes you see your timid self in a “rabbit.” After three years of pent-up feelings, all you can manage to say in the end is “thank you.” Doesn’t it make you overlay your own image onto that sweet-and-bitter page of youth? Takaya Kawasaki’s husky yet warm voice gently wraps around the protagonist’s frustrating, unrequited feelings.

Released in January 2021, this song is also included on the album Nukumori (Warmth).

For those who couldn’t say that single word, “I like you,” its message tenderly embraces those painful memories—and if you’ve ever had a one-sided crush, it will surely warm your heart.

Our Uniform Christmas＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / 2nd Single “Our Uniform Christmas” [MV full]

Doesn’t the idea of spending Christmas in a school uniform make many hearts flutter? Walking through town at dusk with someone you like—the exhilaration and the slightly bittersweet mood blend beautifully in this quintessential winter song.

Producer Rino Sashihara poured her strong desire to create “a Christmas song” into this track, which was released in December 2017 as =LOVE’s second single and became one of the group’s signature early hits.

It lets you relive a sparkling page of youth, bringing back those sweet and sour memories from your school days.

Give it a listen when you want to feel the excitement of a budding romance all over again.

The answer to my first love.takane no nadeshiko

[MV] The Answer to First Love / Takane no Nadeshiko [HoneyWorks]

A refreshing pop tune with a breezy sense of speed, like dashing under a summer sky.

Produced by the creator unit HoneyWorks, this is a release by Takane no Nadeshiko slated for June 2025.

The song portrays a bittersweet yet powerful love that takes a brave step toward someone special.

It’s like a cheer song that gently gives courage to those who are hesitant in love.

Please take your time and give it a listen!

centimeterthe peggies

the peggies “Centimeter” Music Video

This is a song by the peggies, released in August 2020, that expresses a bittersweet crush and a slight sense of distance as if in an equation.

The intertwining of longing and anxiety for a destined person is brilliantly conveyed through an upbeat pop-rock sound and clear, airy vocals.

The track was used as the opening theme for the TV anime “Rent-A-Girlfriend” and reached No.

34 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

This love song, which celebrates the wonder of falling for someone, is a comforting tune not only for those in love but also for anyone hoping for a wonderful encounter ahead.

CHE.R.RYYUI

CHE.R.RY

Let me introduce a song that refreshingly portrays a bittersweet spring romance.

Delicately expressing the feelings of unrequited love conveyed through cell phone emails, this track by YUI gently sings about the beginning of love—something everyone has experienced at least once.

With warmth, it depicts the protagonist, who isn’t good with emojis, having their heart skip a beat at messages from their crush and fretting over the back-and-forth of replies with pure sincerity.

Released in March 2007, the song resonated with many and was later included on the album “CAN’T BUY MY LOVE.” It was also used as the ending theme for the anime “ReLIFE: Final Arc.” It’s a perfect cheer song for those experiencing their first love in a new environment, or for anyone ready to take a new step forward with the arrival of spring.

Me too,YUTORI-SEDAI

YUTORI-SEDAI – Me Too, [Official Music Video] (Theme Song for the Drama “I’m Being Toyed With by a Younger Virgin Guy”)

A ballad that poignantly portrays an unrequited love, set to the aching timbre of a piano.

Upon learning that their crush is dating a close friend, the protagonist carefully weaves their feelings as they have no choice but to give up while keeping their emotions hidden.

The more they think about the person they love, the more the pain intensifies—an experience many share as a bittersweet memory that lingers in the heart.

Included on YUTORI-SEDAI’s major first EP “blanket,” released in April 2025, this song was also chosen as the ending theme for MBS’s Drama Tokku series “I’m Being Toyed With by a Younger Virgin.” It’s a track that gently accompanies the hearts of those in one-sided love, where simply thinking of someone makes your chest tighten.