Songs to listen to under the moon: classic and recommended popular tracks to enjoy the Mid-Autumn full moon
An autumn tradition: moon viewing! Offering rice dumplings and pampas grass, gazing at the beautiful moon and letting your thoughts wander—this indispensable seasonal custom is said to have begun in the Heian period.
By the way, there are works across many genres themed around the moon.
In this article, we’ll introduce standout songs among these “moon tunes” that perfectly match an o-tsukimi scene.
We’ve included pieces with beautiful sonorities that suit the Harvest Moon, songs for spending time with family, and tracks that children can enjoy.
As you gaze up at the moon, try listening while layering your own feelings onto the music.
- [Moon Songs Special] Famous songs about the moon. Songs you’ll want to listen to under a full moon or in the moonlight.
- [Children’s Songs of Autumn] Autumn songs, school songs, and traditional children’s rhymes. A collection of classic pieces to sing in autumn.
- [Autumn Songs] Songs of autumn. Classic tracks and popular favorites you’ll want to listen to in the fall.
- [For Seniors] Autumn Songs That Touch the Heart: From Nostalgic Children’s Songs and School Songs to Showa-Era Kayōkyoku
- [Masterpieces Singing the Full Moon] Carefully Selected Popular and Classic Songs Related to the Moon
- [Autumn Classics] Japanese Songs to Listen to and Sing in October: A Curated Selection of Beloved, Heartfelt Hits
- Songs to Listen to in September: Popular J-POP Tracks That Capture the End of Summer and Early Autumn
- Colorful coming-of-age songs perfect for autumn listening
- Ballad songs perfect for autumn. Timeless mellow hits for the fall season.
- Songs of the constellations: classic and popular tracks you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the night sky
- Famous songs about the crescent moon. Recommended popular tracks.
- Autumn Classics: Carefully Selected Exquisite Ballads to Listen to in September
- Masterpieces that sing of the stars. Star songs that resonate in the heart, best heard beneath the night sky.
Songs to Listen to for Moon Viewing: Classic and Popular Picks to Enjoy the Mid-Autumn Full Moon (1–10)
A full moon that only blooms at nightONE OK ROCK
ONE OK ROCK captivates countless fans with their overwhelming performance and emotional intensity.
This track, included on their major debut album “Zeitakubyou,” is the one.
It sings of a fervent wish to have the darkness in our hearts—like doubt and loneliness that everyone carries—illuminated by the full moon.
The driving sound arrangement and Taka’s punk-tinged vocals are the highlights.
Give it a listen and it’s sure to energize you for tomorrow.
Liar MoonYorushika
A delicate ballad by Yorushika, where the piano’s quiet melody and vocalist suis’s gentle voice seep into the heart.
Released in June 2020, this song served as the ending theme for the animated film “A Whisker Away,” adding a tender afterglow to the story.
It portrays the protagonist’s profound loneliness and sense of loss as they continue to wait, even as the memory of “you” grows faint.
Layering poetic words, it expresses an unquenchable thirst of the heart.
On an autumn night, why not gaze quietly at the beautiful moon alone and let your thoughts drift to days gone by?
I was looking at the moon.Yonezu Kenshi
It’s a ballad with a grand sense of scale.
Released by Kenshi Yonezu in June 2023, this song was written as the theme for the game FINAL FANTASY XVI.
Its lyrics, which portray the loneliness that comes from cherishing someone under the moonlight and the salvation found within an inescapable fate, resonate deeply with listeners.
The strained, heartfelt vocals intertwine with the sweeping sound to heighten immersion in the story.
Why not gaze at the moon and let your mind wander through a story of your own?
Songs to listen to during moon viewing: classic and recommended popular tracks to enjoy the Mid-Autumn full moon (11–20)
Like tonight’s moonElefanto Kashimashi
This is the track chosen as the theme song for the drama “Because the Night Shines with the Moon,” and it became a major hit.
It’s one of the signature songs by the rock band Elephant Kashimashi, released in 1997 as their 15th single.
The powerful vocals and wistful lyrics are a perfect match, and listening to it really fires you up.
It’s an ideal BGM for a moonlit stroll, don’t you think?
Amber MoonDREAMS COME TRUE
A pop number crafted by DREAMS COME TRUE that’s perfect for autumn nights.
Released in March 1995, it’s included on the classic album “DELICIOUS,” which topped that year’s Oricon annual album chart.
The lyrics, capturing the bittersweet frustration of being unable to move beyond a “friends” relationship despite being in love, resonate deeply.
It’s the perfect song for gazing up at the night sky and basking in sweet, heartrending memories.
Full Moon FortuneMatsutōya Yumi
“Full Moon Fortune” is a song by Yumi Matsutoya—known by her nickname Yuming—featured on her 1990 album “Heaven’s Door.” The album reached No.
1 on the Oricon album chart, and “Full Moon Fortune” was also used as the commercial song for Mitsubishi Motors’ new Mirage.
The music video, where Matsutoya sings in a cheongsam while appearing within the moon, is particularly memorable.
If the harvest moon is full, why not give “Full Moon Fortune” a listen?
Akatsuki-zukuyoHONEY WORKS
“Akatsukizukuyo” is a song by the creator unit HoneyWorks.
It’s included on a single released in May 2015.
The rock-tinged sound led by a piano melody leaves a strong impression.
The protagonist, so consumed with thoughts of the one they love, ends up staying up all night…the lyrics, overlaying those feelings onto the moon hanging in the dawn sky, are irresistible.
Many people are sure to get butterflies from this youthful story.
Try listening while thinking of the person who’s that someone for you.