Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
“I feel a vague sense of anxiety and can’t find any energy.” “I’m struggling with my relationships.” Don’t you have times when you feel so down that you don’t know what to do?
All you want is to live immersed in simple happiness… but it’s so hard.
At times like that, rather than forcing yourself to grit your teeth and endure, it might actually be easier to stop pushing and let yourself cry it all out.
Here, I’ve put together a selection of classic Japanese songs that will stay close to your heart when you’re feeling unbearably blue.
I hope this article can be of help to you.
Piercing songs to listen to when you’re feeling blue: Masterpieces of Japanese music (1–10)
moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro
It’s an undisputed masterpiece of contemporary Japanese music.
Despite being her debut song, it’s extremely dark.
However, as the title “Moonlight” suggests, it strongly evokes a kind of gentleness that exists only in the night, making it, I think, a healing song.
Title of mineBUMP OF CHICKEN
One song from the popular rock band BUMP OF CHICKEN.
Among their tracks, this one is said to be among the darkest.
Its candid outpouring of inner feelings seems to be very popular with some fans.
ARRIVAL TIMEBRAHMAN
This is a song that stays close to the hearts of people carrying sorrow or suffering.
It was included on a single released by BRAHMAN in September 1999 and reached No.
6 on the Oricon weekly chart.
The lyrics, which convey deep emotion, and the distinctive sound rooted in hardcore punk are truly stirring.
TOSHI-LOW’s powerful vocals seem to give courage to those who listen.
It’s recommended for times when you feel lost in life or want to face yourself.
Be sure to listen to it slowly on a quiet night.
I don’t have an umbrella.Inoue Yosui
It’s a fun date with someone you love, but it’s raining outside… That alone can make you feel pretty depressed, right? Inoue Yosui’s 1972 song “Kasa ga Nai” (“I Don’t Have an Umbrella”) sings about that familiar, everyday gloom that anyone can fall into, as well as the melancholy that overflows in the world.
There are all sorts of problems out there, and sometimes they even affect our own lives.
But the lyrics honestly say that the issue pressing down on me right now is, for me, the most important one of all—and that’s the charm of this song.
Perhaps when we feel down is precisely when we should think about what truly matters and what we truly need.
flower burialL’Arc〜en〜Ciel
It’s one of L’Arc~en~Ciel’s signature songs, notable for its fantastical atmosphere and heartrending lyrics.
Hyde’s translucent vocals and Ken’s arpeggios resonate beautifully together.
Released as a single in July 1998, it was first performed on a TV Asahi music program that March.
The lyrics, imbued with the sorrow of lost love and longing for the past, evoke deep emotions.
If you’re struggling with relationships or feeling a vague sense of anxiety, listening to this song may soothe your heart.
Try giving it a listen alone on a quiet night.