A masterpiece piano ballad
This is a song list of ballads performed by Japanese singers, featuring striking piano sounds.
It’s packed with highly soothing tracks whose warm piano tones and gentle melodies will put listeners at ease.
Recommended for those who are feeling tired.
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Piano Ballad Masterpieces (21–30)
I was looking at the moon.Yonezu Kenshi
Kenshi Yonezu, the singer-songwriter whose 2018 release “Lemon” was a huge hit.
His 2023 release “Tsuki wo Miteita” (“I Saw the Moon”) opens with a very striking, emotional intro featuring only soft vocals and piano.
The highlight is when the chorus arrives: the strings come in all at once, and his singing shifts to a more powerful tone.
Another must-hear moment is the development right after the chorus, where it pares back to just strings and piano.
Overall, there are many sections where you can enjoy the harmony between the piano and the other parts, so be sure to listen with that in mind!
Letter ~To My Beloved~Fujita Maiko
Released in 2013 as Maiko Fujita’s ninth single.
The song features lyrics that candidly express gratitude to one’s parents, and it has gained strong support as a very popular choice for weddings.
It is also known as a staple ballad at “Rui-katsu” events—gatherings where people refresh their mind and body by having a good, cathartic cry.
Masterpieces of Piano Ballads (31–40)
AloneMayo Okamoto
Released in 1996 as Mayo Okamoto’s third single.
Among her songs, it is a signature heartbreak ballad that poignantly conveys the feelings of a woman whose precious boyfriend is taken by a friend.
Okamoto’s delicate vocals and the tone of the piano heighten the sense of sorrow.
teddy bearHamasaki Ayumi
It’s a song included on Ayumi Hamasaki’s third original album, “Duty,” released in 2000.
As an original album, it became her biggest hit.
In concerts, she sings it together with a large teddy bear.
It’s a bittersweet yet warm song and a popular ballad among fans.
unrequited lovemiwa
Released in 2012 as miwa’s eighth single.
It was her first song performed on piano since her debut, and despite having no tie-in, it reached No.
7 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It’s the ultimate heart-wrenching unrequited love song, with painfully straightforward feelings woven into the lyrics.
YELLikimonogakari
It was released in 2009 as Ikimono-gakari’s 15th single.
The song was written as the set piece for the NHK National School Music Competition’s junior high division, and it is also popular as a graduation song.
Its piano-based melody and lyrics, which express the delicate emotions of junior high school students, are perfect for choral singing and resonate deeply.
moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro
It was released in 2000 as Chihiro Onitsuka’s second single.
The song was selected as the theme for TV Asahi’s Friday Night Drama “TRICK,” with Onitsuka herself writing the lyrics and composing the music.
It is a medium-tempo ballad that expresses a desire to be freed from oppression.
It became Onitsuka’s biggest hit and one of her signature songs.