A poignant ballad song. A tear-jerking masterpiece of Japanese pop music.

tobacco / cigarette(s)Koresawa

Koresawa “Tobacco” [Music Video]

A singer-songwriter beloved for relatable, down-to-earth lyrics, Koresawa delivers a piercing song of regret.

The protagonist is portrayed desperately trying to recover the warmth of lost days from the small personal items their partner left behind.

The depictions of miscommunication—“If only I’d paid more attention to them,” “If only they had cared more about me”—will resonate painfully with anyone who has parted ways with a long-time partner.

Released in March 2017, this work is marked by its acoustic sound.

For those who feel their own shortcomings led to the breakup, this song may quietly sit with you and allow you to shed your tears.

Under the big onionbakufū suranpu

Bakufu Slump: Under the Big Onion at Budokan

This song, “Under the Big Onion,” is included on Bakufu Slump’s second album, Shiawase, released in 1985.

While Bakufu Slump is strongly associated with “Runner,” it’s no exaggeration to call this track one of their signature songs as well.

The “big onion” in the title famously refers to the ornamental onion-shaped finial atop the roof of the Nippon Budokan.

The lyrics vividly reflect the spirit of the era, and it’s a ballad that powerfully conveys the poignancy of a long-distance romance.

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utatane

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Then, why?Abe Mao

Then, why?

This is a poignant ballad by Mao Abe that sings of the helpless feeling when you realize you were the only one who was serious, after being led on by someone’s suggestive behavior.

The regret of having believed the words of a capricious, cat-like partner, and the pain that makes you want to demand, “Then why did you say that?” ride on her emotional vocals and pierce straight into your heart.

The song is included on the album “Su.” released in June 2011.

Remarkably, Abe wrote it during her high school years, and the pure, youthful cry of the heart resonates with raw intensity.

When you’re suffering from a lover’s ambiguous attitude and have nowhere to put your feelings, listening to this can feel as though it’s speaking for you.

Its gut-wrenching lyrics, paradoxically, will gently wrap your loneliness in warmth.

My beloved, good night…B’z

B’z / My Beloved, Good Night…

This is the seventh single by B’z, a two-member rock unit known for a wide range of hits from hard rock tracks to lyrical ballads.

Used as the ending theme for the TV drama “Daihyou Torishimariyaku Keiji,” the song is a classic ballad whose gentle piano tones and tear-jerking guitar phrases stir the heart.

Despite being B’z’s first ballad released as a single, it remains highly popular among fans today.

With straightforward lyrics and a melody that feels like being enveloped in a great love, it’s a heartrending ballad that tightens the chest.

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Hoshino Takashi

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First LoveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – First Love

This is one of Hikaru Utada’s signature ballads, a song about the end of an unforgettable love.

Released in April 1999 as a single from her album, it became a major sensation as the theme song for the drama “Majo no Jōken,” which portrays a romance between a teacher and a student.

The opening scene—beginning with the bitter, heartrending scent of a cigarette from a farewell kiss—is strikingly vivid, almost unbelievable for something written by her at just sixteen.

Even if you fall in love with someone else, your first love remains special in your heart, and the message that you learned how to love from that relationship transforms the pain of heartbreak into beautiful hope.

A perfect listen for nights when you want to linger in bittersweet memories.

Everyday lifeOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Everyday [Official Video]

In the days that pass as a matter of course, there are moments when anyone might suddenly feel, “I dread tomorrow.” This song by Official HIGE DANDism, a driving force in the J-pop scene, gently stays close to those restless feelings.

The lyrics portray the heart’s cries worn down by work and relationships, and a quiet despair toward things that can’t be changed.

Yet what makes this piece so affecting is that it isn’t merely dark.

Its calm, warm sound brings into focus the subtle kindnesses in everyday life and the fleeting moments of salvation, tightening the chest all the more.

Released in September 2023 as a double A-side single with “Chessboard,” it was written as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “news zero.” On nights when you can’t help but feel unbearably sad, why not sink into a sentimental moment with this song?

Maplesupittsu

Spitz / Kaede

It’s one of Spitz’s signature ballads and an absolutely indispensable song when introducing bittersweet tracks.

The song was originally included on the March 1998 album “Fake Fur,” and was later released as a single.

It has been used as an insert song across eras, in dramas like “Over Time” and “silent,” so I think many people have heard it.

The lyrics convey a heartfelt resolve to keep moving forward while holding tight to memories of a beloved person one can no longer meet, and it really squeezes your heart.

Masamune Kusano’s soft, clear vocals and the band’s warm performance seem to gently permeate a sorrowful heart, while at the same time accentuating the loneliness embedded in the lyrics.