[Piano Beginners] J-POP That Looks Hard but Is Surprisingly Playable [2026]
Classical piano classics are great, but I also want to try playing my favorite J-pop hits on the piano… If you’ve ever felt that way as a beginner, you’re probably not alone.
That said, many J-pop songs aren’t structured with the piano in mind, so it can be tricky to recreate them using only the piano.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of J-pop songs—from nostalgic classics to recent hits—that might seem a bit daunting at first but have plenty of beginner-friendly piano arrangements.
Even just tracing the melody with your right hand will make you think, “It’s that song!” right away, and adding some left-hand accompaniment little by little makes it even more fun.
We hope this article inspires you to express your favorite J-pop on the piano!
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[Piano Beginners] J-POP That Looks Hard but Is Surprisingly Playable [2026] (51–60)
Marunouchi SadisticShiina Ringo
Shiina Ringo’s “Marunouchi Sadistic” has a chic, jazz-tinged vibe.
An acoustic version was included as the B-side to the 1998 single “Kabukicho no Joou,” and a full-band version was later featured on the 1999 album “Muzai Moratorium.” This song is challenging not just because of the notes, but because it’s hard to capture its atmosphere.
It’s best to play the set parts—like the vocal melody—faithfully, but for the other sections, adding your own ad-lib is recommended.
If you’re not comfortable with improvisation, you can still bring out a jazzy feel by adding a few grace notes, doubling adjacent tones, or inserting brief rests in key spots.
My Heart Will Go OnCéline Dion
Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” is melodious with a magnificent worldview that is truly beautiful.
Included on an album released in 1997, this song was chosen as the theme for the film Titanic, which became a worldwide mega-hit.
To reflect the great love depicted in the movie, try playing it with a sense of longing and beauty.
The tempo is slow and the piece isn’t particularly difficult, so for this song, focus on performing with deep emotion.
Keep the verses gentle, and make the chorus expansive, bringing out the full poignancy—aim for clear contrasts throughout your performance.
Zankyo SankaAimer
Aimer’s “Zankyosanka” is packed with speed and exhilaration and is sure to captivate your audience’s ears.
Released in 2022 as a double A-side single with “Asa ga Kuru,” this song was chosen as the opening theme for the anime Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc.
Its recognition as the theme of a hugely popular anime will undoubtedly draw listeners’ interest.
The introduction is in 3/4, so you’ll need to pay attention not only to how you feel the rhythm but also to the transition into 4/4 that follows.
Bringing out the song’s and anime’s glamorous atmosphere in your performance will significantly boost the cool factor.
In the section after the chorus where only the vocal melody remains, cutting the sound cleanly to avoid any extraneous noise will add sharpness and make it sound even cooler.
Spring Dayaimyon
AIMYON’s “Harunohi” is a single released in 2019, written as the theme song for the animated film Crayon Shin-chan: Honeymoon Hurricane ~The Lost Hiroshi~.
The melody uses only notes from the major scale that matches the song’s key, making it catchy and easy to remember.
The rhythm is also relatively simple, as it’s based on a straightforward 8-beat.
It’s approachable even for piano beginners, so definitely give it a try!
[Piano Beginners] J-POP That Looks Hard but Is Surprisingly Playable [2026] (61–70)
HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number
Based on a popular manga, the TV drama Hajimete Koi o Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi aired on TBS in 2019.
Its theme song, back number’s “HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” is a hit with over 40 million views on YouTube.
It’s a quintessential back number classic, featuring an emotional sound and bittersweet lyrics that cleverly weave in unrequited love with a birthday motif—no wonder many people want to play it on piano.
While expressing pop music on the piano can be challenging, beginners should be able to handle playing the single-note melody with the right hand and just the bass line with the left.
As for the frequent use of black keys, get used to it through repeated practice.
Pour your emotions into it and try to convey the song’s world with feeling more than technique.
YoursSuda Masaki
Yours by Masaki Suda, written as the theme song for the drama The Best Teacher: One Year Later, I Was ■ by My Student starring Mayu Matsuoka, expresses the world of the series with a message: “You don’t need to be controlled by anyone—you’re allowed to live your life for yourself.” When playing it on piano, try to perform in a relaxed, flowing manner while imagining Suda’s casual vocal style.
Once you’re comfortable, try adding rhythm in the left hand or incorporating chords.
RYDEENYellow Magic Orchestra
RYDEEN, a signature track by YMO, formed by the star-studded trio of Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, and Yukihiro Takahashi.
Since its 1980 release, it has been used in commercials and TV program background music, and has been loved by people across generations.
When expressing the coolness of techno sound on the piano, the key point is to play the rhythm with absolute clarity.
For beginners, choose sheet music with a melody line made up of simple notes, and play each note cleanly and distinctly so you can fully capture the sharpness of the original.