[Junichi Inagaki’s Masterpieces] A comprehensive showcase from classic Christmas tunes to popular city pop hits

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Junichi Inagaki, who began his band activities during his university years and made his debut in 1982, has produced numerous classic songs as a leading artist in the city pop and AOR scenes.

With a gentle, embracing voice and delicate musicality, he beautifully captures the joy and heartache of love, continuing to captivate many listeners.

In this article, we’ll introduce a range of songs that showcase Inagaki’s charm—from that quintessential track that plays every Christmas season to treasured gems passed down among city pop fans from his albums.

If you’ve only recently become interested in Inagaki, be sure to check these out!

Junichi Inagaki’s Masterpieces: A Roundup from Classic Christmas Standards to Popular City Pop Hits (21–30)

For whomInagaki Junichi

Junichi Inagaki – For Whose Sake (1984)

For whomInagaki Junichi

Lyrics by Yoshiaki Sagara, music by Tetsuji Hayashi.

It’s a song about a man who loves a free-spirited woman and finds himself drawn ever deeper into her charm.

As he continues to love her, his feelings grow stronger, and the song expresses his desire for her to love him as he loves her.

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If it were me, I would be here.Inagaki Junichi

If It Were Me, I'd Be Here / Junichi Inagaki (cover)

If it were me, I would be here.Inagaki Junichi

Lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto.

Music by MAYUMI.

This is the 28th single, released on January 13, 1993.

It was used in a Honda “Domani” commercial and also adopted as the ending theme for the ANB series ‘Sports Frontier.’

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[Junichi Inagaki’s Classics] A Comprehensive Showcase from Christmas Standards to Popular City Pop Tracks (31–40)

Everyday’s Valentine ~Yearning with Burning Feelings~Inagaki Junichi

Junichi Inagaki – Everyday’s Valentine ~Yearning with Burning Longing~

Everyday's Valentine ~Yearning with Burning Feelings~Inagaki Junichi

It’s a mature song with a moody atmosphere, featuring a melody line reminiscent of slow-tempo fusion, and Junichi Inagaki’s vocals sounding intriguingly enigmatic over it.

It’s included on the 1983 album “J.I.”

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UP TO YOUInagaki Junichi

Junichi Inagaki - UP TO YOU - I tried singing it

UP TO YOUInagaki Junichi

The lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto, and the music was composed by Junichi Inagaki himself.

The song expresses a man’s feelings as he looks back on a fragile love, reflects on himself, and thinks about the future.

Some listeners may experience a sense of déjà vu in the way his feelings and hers pass each other by.

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Regret in the RainInagaki Junichi

Rain Regret / Junichi Inagaki (Cover)

Regret in the RainInagaki Junichi

This is Junichi Inagaki’s debut single, released on January 21, 1982.

The lyrics were written by Reiko Yukawa, and the music was composed by Kazuhiko Matsuo.

The song portrays a man lost in thought in the rain as he looks back on a finished love.

The repeated expressions of loneliness make it heartbreakingly poignant, don’t they?

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To you, the one and only in the worldInagaki Junichi

Junichi Inagaki - "To You, the Only One in the World"

To you, the one and only in the worldInagaki Junichi

“You, the Only One in the World” is Junichi Inagaki’s 26th single, released in 1992, and it is included on the album “SKETCH of HEART.” Its highest position on the Oricon chart was 75.

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Don’t move your lips.Inagaki Junichi

Junichi Inagaki ‘Don’t Move Your Lips’

Don't move your lips.Inagaki Junichi

Lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto.

Music by Masayuki Kishi.

It’s a song about a love between two people nearing its end.

A farewell to the girlfriend he’s always been with.

It portrays a man who doesn’t know what to do in that moment, expressing his conflicted, contradictory feelings.

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