A classic, bittersweet youth song. Recommended popular tracks.
It’s nice to take some time now and then to reminisce and get a little sentimental, isn’t it?
This time, I’ve gathered Japanese songs that sing about those passionate yet fickle days of youth.
I hope that by listening to these tracks, you’ll be able to say, “The past is the past!” and move on.
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Masterpieces of bittersweet youth songs. Recommended popular tracks (21–30)
CorrectRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS delivers a tender melody with a profound message that resonates deeply during graduation season.
The warm soundscape woven by piano tones and a student choir gently embraces moments of looking back on youthful days.
The lyrics, which depict the search for the right answers in life and the journey to find one’s true self, strike a universal chord that anyone can relate to.
Released for streaming in January 2024 and followed by a limited-production CD in February, this work was born from encounters with the younger generation and takes on a new challenge by incorporating a student choir.
It is a heartwarming song that stands beside young people leaving their schools and those facing turning points in life.
SolaninASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
This song was used as the theme song for the film Solanin.
The lyrics were written by the manga artist Inio Asano.
In the story, it’s performed by the protagonist, Meiko.
Thinking about Meiko’s situation and feelings makes it very heartrending; the song conveys a sense of contradiction and inner conflict.
Little SparklesChatmonchy
From the sparkling feel of the intro to the wistful lyrics and melody of the chorus, it’s a song that’s both adorable and heartrending.
I love Chatmonchy’s sensibility in calling the small yet undeniably real feelings of love within oneself a little sparkle.
God’s pastimeGO!GO!7188
The guitar riff, the laid-back movement of the bass, and the harmony that feels like twin vocals are poignantly cool.
I think the expression “a god’s way of killing time” is really lovely.
The acoustic version is cool too, so I hope you’ll give it a listen.
EverythingMISIA
One of the finest love ballads in J-pop.
MISIA, whose vocal prowess is universally acclaimed, sings with rich expressiveness about the wonder of the miracle of meeting the one she loves, her gratitude, and her overflowing joy.
It’s also famous as a wedding classic.
Beyond the Night SkySMAP
A hit song with lyrics by Shikao Suga and composition by Yuka Kawamura.
After the SMAP version was released in 1998, versions by the lyricist and the composer were also released.
It is now included in music textbooks and has become established as a standard number.
Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number
A masterpiece released in June 2013 that paints a bittersweet longing with beautiful melody and lyrics.
The protagonist’s struggle to break free from being “a friend of a friend” pierces the heart.
Also featured in a Kirin beer commercial, the song has remained beloved, even being performed at the 2022 Kohaku Uta Gassen.
It’s best enjoyed while recalling the sweet-and-sour memories of youth.
It’s a song that resonates not only with those nursing a one-sided love but with anyone troubled by matters of the heart.
Its immense popularity is evident from the music video surpassing 100 million views in November 2023.