When your heart is tired and you long to be soothed, don’t you want to feel kindness?
In this article, we introduce songs with gentle lyrics that will warm your heart.
We’ve gathered songs with lyrics that depict many kinds of kindness: songs that offer words of encouragement when you’re feeling down, songs that let you share your strength with someone else, and songs that express gratitude for the kindness you’ve received.
You’re sure to find at least one song that will put you at ease.
Be sure to listen while taking your time to read the lyrics.
- A gentle song. A classic that calms the heart. A song that makes you feel kind.
- [Thank-You Song] A song to convey your feelings of “thank you” to someone special
- The lyrics are profoundly good. The more you listen, the more it sinks in. Masterpieces of Japanese music, recommended popular songs.
- A beautiful Japanese song that purifies the heart. A highly recommended classic.
- Songs with great lyrics: soothing tracks that linger in the heart and moving ballads
- Heartwarming, inspiring songs recommended for children.
- Timeless songs that stay close to your heart when times are tough. Uplifting tracks with gentle lyrics that really sink in.
- Gently soaking into a weary heart... Healing songs released in the Reiwa era
- [Today’s Healing Song] Classic and trending tracks that bring peace to the heart
- A spring song with great lyrics. A lovely message that touches the heart.
- Japanese music themed around prayer. A song whose warm message resonates in the heart.
- [Touching Song] A moving song that sings about you
- A soothing classic for the soul: a cover of “Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara”
Songs with gentle, heartwarming lyrics (1–10)
AlwaysENHYPEN
ENHYPEN is a Korean boy group formed through the large-scale project “I-LAND.” While not direct juniors, they have a cousin-like relationship to BTS and are gaining attention in Japan.
Their digitally released song “Always” from February 2022 is their second original Japanese track—an affectionate song meant for times when you’re struggling or overwhelmed.
Its bouncing rhythm and the members’ light, airy vocals lift your spirits, and the words, like those of a friend by your side cheering you on, sink in gently.
AldebaranAI
On nights that make you sigh without thinking, you start craving a warm ballad.
What I’d love you to listen to at times like that is Aldebaran, released in 2021 by singer AI.
It was chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Come Come Everybody.
A radiant string section resonates over a gentle tempo, and her soulful vocals will wrap around your emotions.
It’s a tender song that supports you as you overcome loneliness and solitude.
Flowers will bloom.hana wa saku purojekuto
A charity song created to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011.
The lyrics were written by Shunji Iwai, who is from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, and the music was composed by Yoko Kanno, also from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.
The song is crafted from the perspective of those who lost their lives in the disaster, and it is said to carry the hope that even after a hundred years, we will not forget that time—that even if people forget the circumstances that led to the song’s creation, the song itself will remain.
It is a piece that teaches the preciousness of life, and we hope as many people as possible will listen to it.
A gentle songMr.Children
A “gentle song” recommended for when you’re feeling muddled or want to give yourself a pep talk.
It’s the 20th single released in 2001 by Mr.Children, a band that celebrated its 30th anniversary in May 2022 and continues to lead the J-pop scene.
The lyrics contain strong words, including expressions of anger directed inward, but even more than that, the song teaches a kindness that thinks of someone else.
The rolling bassline is cool, offering a different kind of swagger than the title suggests, while the mellow tenderness you can hear in the live versions can even bring you to tears.
Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi
Many people probably felt their hearts cleansed by her singing when it played in a Ghibli film.
This is her fifth single, a song that enchants everyone and draws them into Aoi Teshima’s world.
It was used as the ending theme for the Fuji TV drama “Love That Makes You Cry” (Itsuka Kono Koi wo Omoidashite Kitto Naite Shimau).
It also won the Best Theme Song award at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2016.
It’s a masterpiece we especially want people to hear in these times when tomorrow is hard to see.
Fragile yet strong—please experience her one-of-a-kind voice.
Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro
The classic song “Himawari no Yakusoku,” covered by numerous artists, was released by singer-songwriter Motohiro Hata in 2014.
It has been featured in various media tie-ins, including as the theme song for the film “STAND BY ME Doraemon.” The piece is characterized by its moving melody line with a grand, expansive feel.
His gentle, soothing voice offers a healing effect that eases fatigue.
It’s a perfect message song for those who want to express gratitude to family and friends.
How about listening to this heartwarming track during moments spent with someone special?
To the futureKiroro
This is the second single by Kiroro, a two-woman unit from Okinawa whose debut single “Nagaimo” was a major hit.
It was also used as an insert song in the TV anime Tsuki ga Kirei.
The original song was reportedly written by member Chiharu Tamashiro in her third year of junior high school as a letter to her mother.
Because of that, it’s become a staple song to give to parents at weddings.
The lyrics, which describe resenting a mother’s kindness and being unable to be honest, are something you look back on with deep regret as you grow older.
It’s a song adults in particular should listen to!