A poignant ballad song. A tear-jerking masterpiece of Japanese pop music.
Let me introduce some heartrending ballads that tighten your chest the moment you listen.
When you part ways with someone important, when a romance fails and leaves you down, or when a sudden memory takes you back to a past you can’t return to…
In the course of life, there are moments when a quiet, melancholy mood washes over you.
In this article, I’ve gathered recommended ballad songs for those very times.
From beloved classics to recent hits, I’ve selected tracks so you can find a song that resonates with your feelings and helps you detox your heart.
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A poignant ballad song. Timeless Japanese tearjerker classics (91–100)
tobacco / cigarette(s)Koresawa
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.
NEW YEAR’S EVEHamada Shogo
A classic ballad by singer-songwriter Shogo Hamada that portrays the gentle parting of two people who have been together for many years.
You can almost see the scene of a New Year’s Eve night when, caring for each other yet choosing different paths for the sake of their respective futures, they decide to part ways.
Listening to this song, some may quietly reflect on a past farewell and wonder, “Did that decision allow us both to take a new step forward?” The track was included on the album FATHER’S SON, released in March 1988, and was later self-covered by Hamada.
For those who have had to make a painful choice, this song may feel like one that gently embraces that decision and gives you the strength to look ahead—an intimate companion to the heart.
Poignant ballad songs: Tear-jerking masterpieces of Japanese music (101–110)
Love Won’t StopWink
WINK’s “Ai ga Tomaranai” was a mega-hit that instantly made their name known to the world.
It carries a wistful vibe typical of ’90s idol songs.
It’s a wonderful track, and I feel their voices are especially well-suited to ballads.
Then, why?Abe Mao
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.
CROSS ROADMr.Children
When it comes to the early masterpieces by Mr.Children—the song that catapulted them to stardom—it has to be “CROSS ROAD.” It’s a superb track with a uniquely captivating atmosphere, characterized by a melody that perfectly captured the spirit of its time.
Many fans consider this their favorite among the band’s many songs.
EverydayJITTERIN’JINN
The band JITTERIN’JINN enjoyed charismatic popularity.
Their song “Everyday” is a poignant ballad about longing for a beloved person you want to see every day but can’t.
Their songs are all simple, yet they somehow linger in your memory.
Blue SnowBEGIN
A wistful, blues-tinged Christmas song that blends into the city nightscape.
Released in December 1990 as BEGIN’s second single, it became an early classic, peaking at No.
25 on the Oricon charts.
The track is also included on their second album, GLIDER.
From the lyrics, you can glimpse the solitary figure of the protagonist, standing alone on a glittering street corner with unspoken feelings that never reach their destination.
The melody, which sings of a love that vanishes as fleetingly as snow, brings a quiet poignancy to the listener’s heart.
Perhaps many will relate to those aching emotions that well up unseen precisely because the season is so festive.