[Yutori Generation] Songs that move men’s hearts. Tear-jerking tracks and deeply emotional songs that bring real tears.

Spot the differenceSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda 'Machigai Sagashi' (Spot the Difference)

A life spent feeling like a mistake begins to find meaning through a meeting with someone precious.

Imbued with such a bittersweet yet warm message, this work is a gemlike ballad created by two extraordinarily talented artists, Masaki Suda and Kenshi Yonezu.

Kenshi Yonezu wrote and composed the song especially for Suda, pursuing a piece that could only be expressed through his voice.

Released digitally in May 2019, it was also used as the theme song for the drama “Perfect World,” and is included on the album “LOVE.” When you are suffering from self-denial or inferiority, or when you are lost in life’s choices, this song will surely stay close to your heart.

LemonYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Lemon

This song portrays feelings for a loved one who has been lost, likening them to the bitterness of a lemon.

Its lyrics, where the pain of never meeting again intersects with the warm memories that still remain in the heart, strike listeners deeply.

Kenshi Yonezu created it based on his own experience of losing his grandfather, and that earnest emotion permeates the entire piece.

Released in March 2018 as the theme song for the drama “Unnatural,” it spent a total of seven weeks at No.

1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

At the 69th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, he performed it via live broadcast from his hometown in Tokushima Prefecture, moving many viewers to tears.

It is a quiet companion for those who have lost someone precious or who wish to face the farewells that inevitably come someday.

budKobukuro

Kobukuro – Tsubomi

Released in March 2007 as the 14th single, this masterpiece was newly written as the theme song for the drama “Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad.” Created by Kentaro Kobuchi in memory of his late mother, the song won the Excellent Work Award at the Japan Record Awards and was also selected as the entrance march for the 80th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

Like a tiny bud before it blooms, it warmly portrays the power of growth even in an unfinished state, along with heartfelt gratitude to the loved ones who always cheered us on.

It is a gentle song that, when you remember someone precious you can no longer meet, lets you feel that they are still watching over you from somewhere.

Voice of the Seaurashima tarō (kiritani kenta)

"The Voice of the Sea" Full ver. / Urashima Taro (Kenta Kiritani) [Official]

In the midst of your busy daily life, do you find yourself unable to make time for someone important and holding onto the feeling of “I want to see you”? This song, carried by the sound of the sanshin—Okinawa’s traditional instrument—expresses pure feelings for someone far away.

It was created by Dentsu CM planner Makoto Shinohara and BEGIN’s Masaru Shimabukuro.

Composed in 2015 for au’s Santaro commercial series, it shot to No.

1 on 13 music sites shortly after its digital release.

It also won the Excellence Award at the 58th Japan Record Awards.

Kenta Kiritani’s unadorned vocals gently resonate with those in long-distance relationships or anyone thinking of a loved one living apart due to work.

You’ll surely relate to the protagonist, who listens to the voices of nature while thinking of their beloved.

One moreFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “One More”

Released in August 2010 as the 14th single, this song was chosen as the cheer anthem for the 92nd National High School Baseball Championship.

Many of you will fondly remember Masahiro Tanaka appearing on the cover and in the music video.

The hopeful message—“If you can just hang on one more step, your dream will come true”—overlaps with the image of high school players striving toward their goals and resonates deeply when you hit a wall in work or life.

With a structure typical of Funky Monkeys, alternating rap and catchy melodies, it peaked at No.

8 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and remained on the charts for 47 weeks, becoming a long-running hit.

It’s a tear-jerking support song that we especially want those who are giving their all—or on the verge of giving up—to hear.

Bridge of Gloryyuzu

Yuzu “Eikou no Kakehashi” Music Video

It’s an anthem that deeply resonates with those who keep striving toward their dreams and goals.

Released in 2004, the song was chosen as the official theme for NHK’s broadcast of the Athens Olympics, moving people across Japan.

Its lyrics affirm the tears shed in secret and the uneven paths we’ve walked, gently reassuring us that “the effort you’ve put in won’t be wasted.” Believing in the light that awaits beyond hardship, this piece gives you the courage to move forward; it hits especially hard when you’re struggling with work or relationships, or when you’re about to take a new step.

A song our generation listened to in our youth, it continues to stir our hearts today, unchanged.

Close your eyesHirai Ken

Ken Hirai 'Close Your Eyes' MUSIC VIDEO

This is a song that resonates with the aching feeling of holding on forever to the memory of a beloved person you’ve lost.

It’s the 20th single by singer-songwriter Ken Hirai, known for his unique musical world, released in 2004 and written as the theme song for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World.” It topped the year-end Oricon singles chart and became a massive hit, with total shipments exceeding one million copies.

It’s a ballad overflowing with the sorrow of only being able to meet that person in memories—when closing your eyes brings their smile to mind.

If you’ve experienced parting from someone dear, or if you want to quietly reflect on the past, please give it a listen.