Masterpieces of bittersweet breakup songs. Recommended popular tracks.
It seems that when you’re feeling down, listening to somber songs rather than forcing yourself to listen to upbeat ones is actually better for your heart.
This time, we’ve put together a collection of Japanese breakup songs to send to you, who are hurting from heartbreak.
Let yourself fully relate to the songs you connect with, and clear your mind.
Masterpieces of bittersweet heartbreak songs. Recommended popular tracks (1–10)
GoodbyeNEW!wacci
This is a bittersweet yet warm song about parting, included on wacci’s album “Kanjō Hyakkei,” released in August 2017.
It portrays the raw feelings right after a breakup—the sense of loss and the way you find yourself searching for traces of the other person on street corners.
Yet it isn’t just steeped in sorrow; it’s filled with a gentle resolve to face forward, holding cherished memories close and allowing a small smile to appear.
It’s a song they’ve treasured since their early days, often closing the encore at live shows.
When you’re carrying the pain of heartbreak but want to accept a finished love as a precious part of yourself, this song will quietly give you a push.
Rejected-Love GirlNEW!Sayuri
Sung by singer-songwriter Sayuri, this work was released in December 2016 as her fourth single.
It is also widely known for having its lyrics, composition, and production handled by Yojiro Noda of RADWIMPS.
Told from a first-person perspective, it vividly conveys the turmoil after being suddenly left by a lover and the narrator’s intense feelings for them.
While steeped in sorrow, it carefully portrays the shifting heart that tries to face forward little by little while still carrying past pain, aligning beautifully with her trembling vocals.
Give it a listen when you want the courage to recover from the pain of heartbreak and take your next step.
wa, wo, nNEW!nishina
A warm love song that helps you overcome the pain of heartbreak and realize the preciousness of caring for someone.
Sung by the singer-songwriter Nishina, this track depicts the very roots of love that connect people on a grand scale.
Co-produced with GeG of Hentai Shinshi Club, including joint writing retreats, it was released around December 2024 and was later included on the album “Hibi Sanman,” released in March 2026.
Going beyond the bounds of romance, this work straightforwardly affirms the feeling of cherishing someone itself.
It’s a song we especially want you to hear when you’re feeling lonely after a sad farewell—one that gently holds past memories close and encourages you to start looking forward again, at your own pace.
Heartbreak—Are you happy now?NEW!sonā poketto
Sonar Pocket, who have earned support with their heartrending love songs.
This work is a heartbreak song that was released digitally in December 2012 and later included on the album “Sonapocketism 4 ~A Flower Called You~.” It was selected as the ending theme for TV Asahi’s “BREAK OUT” and Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting’s “DOOMO” for December 2012, and has been widely loved ever since.
It vividly portrays unresolved feelings for an ex and the pain of imagining their current situation.
More than simple sorrow, this piece presses on the heart with the regret and lingering attachment that remain after a relationship ends.
If you’ve experienced a parting with someone important and your heart hasn’t caught up yet, listening to this will surely resonate with your own experience and gently stay by your side.
YouWILD BLUE
Released as their eighth single in March 2026, this song by the boy group WILD BLUE is a medium-tempo ballad written as the theme for the drama “Bad Choice, Good Love.” Its melody blends warmth with poignancy, creating a comforting number that sings about embracing regret and lingering feelings in love while finding the resolve to move forward.
It’s the kind of song many listeners will inevitably relate to their own experiences.
A work we hope you’ll listen to when you want to overcome the pain of heartbreak.
The Rain and Meback number
A breakup song by back number, the band that has captivated many with their love songs.
It laments a love that has just ended, unbearably sad and beyond saving.
It’s a heartbreaking love song that captures the pain of sorrow, hardship, and blaming one’s own helplessness.
The track is included on their sixth album, MAGIC, released in March 2019.
Even as the years pass, the aching feelings for a former lover you can’t forget make your chest tighten.
If, like the song’s protagonist, there’s someone you can never forget, this is a must-listen recommendation.
Snow, Moon, and Flowersyangusukinii
Have you ever had a fleeting scent suddenly awaken a long-sleeping feeling of love deep in your memory? Using an unforgettable lingering fragrance as the key, Young Skinny’s exquisite ballad vividly portrays unbreakable regrets and attachments.
By deliberately leaving out keyboards and building the arrangement around guitar and Kayu’s vocals, the stripped-back sound underscores the trembling of earnest emotions.
This track opens the EP “Bukiyō na Watashi Dakara,” released in March 2024.
In the music video, award-winning actress Suzuharu Kawashima stars, and its play-like structure drew considerable attention.
It’s a masterpiece that gently stays beside those spending sleepless nights, hearts clenched by memories of past love.