[2026] Japanese songs about a final love: a recommended J‑Pop roundup

Last LoveNEW!Oku Hanako

Last Love

Singer-songwriter Hanako Oku has created many heartrending love songs.

Among her repertoire, are you familiar with the celebrated ballad that overflows with longing for a lover to whom she can never return? The lyrics revive specific memories—the warmth of holding hands, the days when they called each other’s names—and many listeners say their hearts ache.

It portrays not only the pain of parting but also the way those feelings eventually turn into gratitude for the other person, making it a song that’s impossible to hear without tears.

Released on the July 2009 album “BIRTHDAY,” this track wasn’t a single, yet it steadily earned devoted popularity among fans through support at live shows and was later included on the best-of album “Hanako Oku BEST -My Letters-.” With its piano-and-voice simplicity that seeps into the heart, it’s perfect for nights when you can’t forget someone, or when you want to quietly accept the end of a romance alone.

Head over heelsNEW!raisan

Praise – Head over heels

Comedian duo Laland’s Saaya performs vocals under the name CLR for the band Raisan, a supergroup featuring skilled musicians including Enon Kawatani.

“Horeta Hareta,” included on the mini-album “Killer Pass” released digitally in February 2026, is a track that had already been performed at live shows and festivals in 2025 and was generating buzz.

It features a sound reminiscent of ’80s disco kayō (Japanese pop) and lyrics that affirm the exhilaration of love.

It’s a groovy pop tune that makes you want to hit the town in step with the rhythm.

pomegranateDIR EN GREY

DIR EN GREY – Zakuro com legendas em PT-BR/ROMAJI

A song by DIR EN GREY portraying hopeless love and self-destruction.

It’s included on the album “MACABRE,” released in September 2000.

Written from a female perspective, the lyrics vividly depict scars on the wrists, love freezing over, and the struggle to endure the cold of the night.

It also features a weighty narrative in which the protagonist, having decided to jump to her death, looks back on her past at that very moment.

This work fuses lyrics that pierce deeply into the listener’s heart with DIR EN GREY’s uniquely overwhelming sound.

It will resonate when you want to face the pain of heartbreak and the hardships of life.

dearestFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Beloved (Full ver.)

Produced in October 2008 as the theme song for the film “The Devotion of Suspect X,” this gem of a ballad portrays deep affection and the ache of parting.

While anticipating farewell to a dreamlike presence, it sings of the fragility and beauty of continuing to love.

The pure love that Tetsuya Ishigami, a character in the story, holds for Yasuko Hanaoka is expressed through the delicate words crafted by Masaharu Fukuyama, and the song was also used in Toshiba’s LCD TV “REGZA” commercial.

As the unit KOH+ with Kou Shibasaki, it reached No.

5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Fukuyama later included his own version on the album “Zankyo.” It is a supreme masterpiece that accompanies adult romance—perfect for quietly savoring a drink in a night lounge.

Aloha-Style Love ManualTakeuchi Mariya

Mariya Takeuchi – Aloha-Style Love Guide (Official Music Video)

It feels as if your heart gently unravels to a tender guide to love, sung over a breezy sound that makes you feel the trade winds of Hawaii.

Everyone has moments in love when they worry, lose confidence, or don’t know what to do, right? This song stays close to those feelings and gives you a push, telling you it’s okay to be yourself.

Delivered in Mariya Takeuchi’s warm voice, its message—to find happiness by walking your own path—soaks into the heart.

Released in June 2014, some may remember it as the theme song for the film “My Hawaiian Discovery.” The masterpiece “TRAD,” on which it was later included, won the Best Album Award at the 56th Japan Record Awards.

Why not give it a listen when you’re feeling a little worn out from love?

I want to be your boyfriend.Cody Rī (Ri)

Cody・Lee (Li) – I Want to Be Your Boyfriend (Music Video)

Here’s a pop number that sings of sweet young love.

It’s a track by Cody・Lee (Li), released in November 2024.

Positioned as the concluding chapter to the album “Last First Love,” this song features catchy melodies and a breezy rhythm, with lyrics that reflect unwavering devotion.

Blending elements of indie pop and rock while retaining the accessibility of J‑POP, it’s a polished piece that’s sure to lift your romantic mood.

Be sure to give it a listen.

If I were to fall in love once moreHiguchi Ai

Ai Higuchi / If I Were to Fall in Love Again [Official Music Video] | Ai Higuchi ‘If I Were to Fall in Love Again’

This is a song by Ai Higuchi that captures emotions wavering between ideals and reality.

Released in September 2024 as the theme song for ABEMA’s popular show “Sayonara Proposal via Greece,” it’s perfect for those struggling with love or couples considering marriage.

The warm, acoustic guitar-centered arrangement enhances the lyrical world even further.

It makes you yearn for a romance that makes you think, “I want this to be my last love,” doesn’t it? Ai Higuchi’s clear, translucent voice makes this a track that resonates deeply with listeners.