Have you ever unexpectedly found tears streaming down your face while listening to music?
Beyond songs that are bittersweet or sad, music can carry powerful messages or a warm sense of comfort that truly moves the heart.
This time, we’re introducing tear-jerking tracks especially recommended for the Yutori generation.
From universally known hit songs to hidden gems, we’ve compiled a wide selection—so be sure to find the tracks that resonate with your heart!
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- Tear-jerking J-pop from the ’90s. Hit songs and real tearjerkers.
- Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 30s: timeless Japanese hits that touch the heart
- Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
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- A lineup of classic hits! Karaoke songs recommended for the yutori generation
- Tear-jerking masterpieces sung by male artists that I’d recommend to Gen Z
- Tears for a heartrending story… Tear-jerking songs by women recommended for the Yutori generation
- Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese hits
Recommended for the Yutori Generation! Tear-Jerking J-Pop Masterpieces (1–10)
SAKURAikimonogakari
Released in 2006 as their major-label debut single, this song is known as a number that accompanies the season of farewells.
Featured in commercials for NTT East Japan, it sings of resolving to move forward while reminiscing about a past love, with a poignant, beautiful melody that resonates deeply.
The lyrics, rich in concrete imagery, also invite listeners to empathize.
Since 2010, it has been used as the approach melody at Tomizu Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line, and despite being their debut song, it has become one of Ikimono-gakari’s signature tracks.
It’s a heartwarming “sakura” song you’ll want to hear with the arrival of spring.
Letter ~Dear Fifteen-Year-Old Me~Anjura Aki
Angela Aki’s eighth single is characterized by her moving vocals set against the beautiful timbre of the piano.
As hinted by the tagline, “Have you ever written a letter to your ‘future self’?”, the song is written in the form of a letter addressed to her 15-year-old self.
Composed as the set piece for the junior high school division of the 2008 NHK National School Music Contest, it became a masterpiece that stirred the hearts of many.
It portrays the complex emotions of students facing uncertainty about the future and is also known as a staple at graduation ceremonies.
For adults overwhelmed by work, it’s a song that offers a chance to pause and reflect on themselves.
March 9Remioromen
The miracle of a song originally created as a gift for a friend’s wedding becoming a widely loved staple of graduation ceremonies.
Remioromen’s warm vocals and melodies gently accompany those facing farewells and new beginnings.
Released in March 2004, the song was featured in the drama “1 Litre of Tears” and in KitKat commercials, adding color to many people’s life milestones.
It’s perfect not only for graduations and weddings, but also for moments when you want to express gratitude to someone special.
If you want to deliver the feelings you hold in your heart through music, this is the song for you.
Bridge of Gloryyuzu
A signature song by the folk duo Yuzu, released in July 2004.
It was selected as NHK’s theme song for the Athens Olympics and became a major talking point.
The lyrics, which depict striving for glory by overcoming hardships, resonated with many people and turned the track into a huge hit that stayed on the charts for an extended period.
It’s characterized by a simple, acoustic guitar–driven sound and powerful vocals.
The song continues to be loved as an essential piece for life’s milestones—graduations, school entrances, weddings, and more.
It’s a perfect track when you want to cheer on challenges and hard work.
Let me bloom flowers to adorn you.GARNET CROW
This is GARNET CROW’s 16th single, a song used as the ending theme for the TV Tokyo anime Monkey Turn.
Released in June 2004, it is a moving ballad centered on the theme of parting.
It portrays the sorrow and loneliness of sending off someone important, and many listeners may find themselves in tears just by listening.
With Yuri Nakamura’s clear, transparent vocals and AZUKI Nana’s poetic lyrics in perfect harmony, this work can be called one of the tear-jerking masterpieces that deeply resonates with the hearts of the yutori generation.
A Bouquet for YouUtada Hikaru
A digital-only single by Hikaru Utada said to be dedicated to her late mother, Keiko Fuji.
Chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Totto-chan, the gentle vocals and string tones evoke a heart-wrenching sense of sorrow.
This work embodies the beautiful idea of placing one’s feelings for a loved one into a bouquet, while its lyrics capture complex emotions that words alone cannot fully convey.
It was released digitally by Virgin Music in April 2016 and was also included on the album Fantôme later that year.
It’s the perfect number for those moments when you want to think of someone dear and cry alone in your room.
budKobukuro
A poignant, heart-stirring ballad imbued with a bittersweet story and deep affection.
Released in March 2007 as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad,” this work, the 14th single by Kobukuro, has left a lasting impression on many listeners.
Its clear, transparent sound—woven from acoustic guitar and strings—beautifully expresses parting from a mother and aspirations for one’s dreams.
It received high acclaim, including winning the 49th Japan Record Award.
It’s a song I especially recommend to those who have experienced the loss of someone dear or who are striving toward their dreams.