A tear-jerking love song that gently stays by your heart

GoodbyeNishino Kana

Goodbye

Even though they didn’t grow to hate each other, they end up choosing to part ways due to drifting apart.

This is a poignant medium-tempo ballad by Kana Nishino that tightens the heart with the complexity of such an ending to love.

The way the protagonist tries to seal away the memories without truly accepting what happened feels strikingly real, likely because of the lyrics’ masterful grasp of the subtleties of romance.

Released in October 2013, the song is also known as the theme for the NHK serial drama “Glass no Ie” and is included on the album “with LOVE.” For those who have lost a love that couldn’t be saved by feelings alone and can’t yet move on, this song will gently whisper, “It’s okay—you don’t have to force yourself to forget.”

Love sicknessaiko

Love sickness

This song sings of a searing pain that burns the chest as the flames of love blaze higher, as if being consumed by an illness.

It’s the opening number of Aiko’s 2000 album “Under the Cherry Tree.” The lyrics put into words raw emotions—feelings so intense you cry in silence, a body changing through a fateful encounter.

For anyone burdened by the agony of loving someone too much, a mix of dependence and longing, this track will surely strike a chord.

Masanori Shimada’s arrangement, with piano and guitar intertwining, makes the poignancy all the more vivid.

Flower of loveaimyon

ai no hana

The lyrics are so heartrending yet brimming with hope that they move me to tears.

It’s a song by Aimyon, a singer-songwriter from Hyogo Prefecture, released in 2023.

It was chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series “Ranman,” which was created based on the life of botanist Tomitaro Makino.

The relaxed melody and the sparkling ring of the acoustic guitar are especially striking.

Just the sound alone can make you feel happy.

You’ll likely feel that each and every word carries a sense of warmth.

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rendezvousshaitoopu

rendezvous

The rock band Shytone, which rose to prominence after a viral hit on social media, released a signature track in April 2023 that sings of a man’s searing emotions after a breakup.

Unable to accept parting from someone he loved deeply, he longs for an impossible reunion; the loneliness of his lover’s traces fading from everyday life is expressed through vocalist So Sasaki’s superb word choices—so moving you might be brought to tears.

The song is also known for surpassing 100 million total streams in November 2023 and is included on the album “Hors d’œuvre.” Why not entrust your heart to its somehow comforting melody that stirs up those bittersweet feelings?

MIOaimyon

MIO

This song gently and simply portrays the delicate nuances of emotions in love.

It quietly sings of a woman’s feelings as she earnestly seeks true love, even as she grapples with everyday anxieties, loneliness, and confusion over subtle changes in her partner.

Written by Aimyon when she was 15, the piece captures the pure sensibilities of adolescence and beautifully expresses the universal joys and heartaches of love.

Included as the B-side to the single “Ai wo Tsutaetai da toka,” released in May 2017, it features a simple arrangement centered on guitar and vocals.

Its calm, supportive melody closely follows the wavering heart of a woman in love, making it a song I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wrestling with matters of the heart.

Tu-tu-luSixTONES

SixTONES – Tu-tu-lu [PLAYLIST -SixTONES YouTube Limited Performance- Day.9]

One of the theme songs for the drama “However, There Is Passion,” which portrays the youth of Nankai Candies’ Yamazato, is SixTONES’ “Kokkara.” Featured on the standard edition is this achingly bittersweet mid-tempo ballad, “Tu-tu-lu.” The titular “Tu-tu-lu” feels like the anguished cry of a man who regrets what happened but can no longer turn back.

The wordless hook elevates the sorrow of a love that’s fallen apart.

Lyrics that recall happier days—something like, “I didn’t exactly believe in forever, but back then, maybe the two of us had something like it…”—really hit home.

petalback number

back number – Hanabira (full)

A heartbreaking breakup song that overlays the fleeting memories of love with cherry blossom petals.

The lyrics delicately portray how memories with a lover linger everywhere in the city, turning even everyday scenes into amplifiers of pain.

While still holding on to love, the reality is that they will never meet again.

This song carries a message that gently embraces that hurt.

Released in April 2011, it was featured as the ending theme for JAPAN COUNTDOWN.

It is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has experienced a painful romance.