A classic of poignant, heartwarming songs. Recommended popular tracks.

Melodies Of LifeShiratori Emiko

Emiko Shiratori – Melodies of Life (Live)

For people in their 60s, Emiko Shiratori is known as one half of the duo Towa Tei et Moi; for those in their 40s and 50s, she’s known for the Moomin song; and for younger generations, it’s this song.

It plays during the ending scene of Final Fantasy IX.

I can’t describe the content, so please watch it on YouTube.

Please forget it.Yorushika

Yorushika – Please Forget (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

A song by Yorushika whose gentle melody and soul-soothing vocals evoke a sense of nostalgia.

The theme centers on self-sacrificial love, as the narrator wishes for their beloved to “forget” them for the sake of the beloved’s future.

Yet behind those words seems to lie a desperate, contradictory feeling of “I actually don’t want you to forget,” and that tension tightens the listener’s chest.

Released in July 2024 as the theme song for the drama “GO HOME: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department—Unidentified Persons Consultation Office,” this sentimental number quietly stays by your side on nights when you’re nursing heartbreak or immersing yourself in memories of someone dear.

Until we meet againHirai Dai

Until we meet again

This is a moving ballad about parting, sung by Dai Hirai, a popular artist known for surf music.

You can picture the poignant yet warm scene of waving and saying “see you” along the familiar tree-lined street.

The song expresses not only gratitude for having met, but also a deep fondness for the days when love was nurtured despite passing each other by.

Like spring buds blooming into flowers, an unfading bond and the hope of reunion resonate in the heart through Hirai’s gentle vocals and acoustic tones, even as time goes by.

The track was released in February 2015 and is included on the album “Slow & Easy.” It’s sure to gently encourage you during farewells with loved ones—such as graduations or job transfers—when it’s time to embark on a new journey.

Even if I’m not thereHirai Dai

Dai Hirai / Even If I’m Not There. (Music Video)

This is a grand love song from Dai Hirai, known for his soothing, beach-evoking music, dedicated to a family of the future.

Released in January 2022, it was also included on the album HOPE / WISH.

Its warm yet bittersweet message—wishing happiness for a loved one even if you’re no longer by their side—strikes a deep chord.

The beautiful blend of piano and strings is also healing.

The flipbook-style music video, created by comedian Tekken with around 1,200 original drawings, moved many viewers.

It’s a song that makes gratitude overflow for the loved ones by your side right now.

Be sure to listen for his gentle vocals, which quietly resonate in the heart.

i love youchanmina

i love you

Released in October 2025 as the theme song for the TBS drama “Fake Mommy,” this piece is a love song that Chanmina crafted while confronting herself.

The deliberately lowercase title reflects a desire to express vulnerability and wavering without hiding them.

It carefully portrays the urge to affirm oneself through another’s gaze, as well as the conflicted resolve to stay despite the pain because of deep affection.

Give it a listen when you’re at a turning point in life.

On the hill where the moon is visible tonightB’z

B'z / At the Hill Where the Moon Is Visible Tonight

B’z also have many moving, bittersweet songs.

“Konya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni” is one of them.

It’s also known as the theme song for TBS’s renowned drama “Beautiful Life,” a classic that deeply moved many viewers.

cherry blossomKawaguchi Kyogo

Kyogo Kawaguchi – Sakura

Kawaguchi himself said that the release of this song was postponed to December 2003 because it overlapped with “Sakura (Dokusho).” It’s also well known that this isn’t a graduation song; it was written for a commercial song competition using Doraemon, and the song was composed with Doraemon and Nobita in mind.