J-POP to Play on Piano | A Curated Selection of Beautiful, Soul-Cleansing Ballads
Ballad-style songs often weave warm messages and heartrending stories, and there are so many that really pierce the heart! Such bittersweet yet beautiful ballad songs pair perfectly with the delicate tones of the piano.
Performing them as piano solos without vocals brings out subtle changes in melody and harmony, letting you feel a different kind of beauty from the original.
In this article, we’ll introduce Japanese ballads that are perfect for piano performance.
We’ve picked a variety of songs—from tear-jerkingly poignant to beautifully cleansing—so please take your time and savor them.
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J-POP You’ll Want to Play on Piano: A Curated Selection of Beautiful, Soul-Cleansing Ballads (21–30)
ENDLESS RAINX JAPAN
This is one of X’s signature songs, included on their major-label debut album BLUE BLOOD released in 1989 and later issued as a single.
YOSHIKI, who has played classical piano since childhood, performs the piano on this track, and it’s truly moving to see fans join together to sing it at live shows.
The song sings of the unceasing rain within one’s heart, and the solo section was composed by the late HIDE.
NAOHY
A highly popular piano ballad by HY.
It’s a song that expresses the feelings of a woman after a breakup, and many women probably love these lyrics.
HY creates an intensely heartrending mood in their ballads, capturing the pain of loving someone.
The vocalist’s singing ability is also outstanding.
1.15 Million Kilometers of FilmOfisharu Higedan Dism
It’s a song filled with the feeling of “not wanting to forget” precious memories, and it’s also gaining attention as a wedding song.
It expresses, through the metaphor of a film, the desire to “hold even the casual moments in your heart as cherished memories.” The lyrics tell of recording every moment for a lifetime so as not to miss any memories with you.
The slightly jazz-tinged piano accompaniment that intertwines with the beautiful melody is really cool.
The glissando right before the bridge (C section) also heightens that sense of coolness.
MiracleGReeeeN
When it comes to GReeeeN’s iconic songs that brightly celebrate the importance of friendship and camaraderie, “Kiseki” immediately comes to mind.
It’s also popular as the theme song for the TV drama “ROOKIES,” which centers on high school baseball.
Their high-tone vocals are especially moving in the soaring chorus, and the piano that plays a beautiful melody from the intro instantly captivates the ear.
With a slightly bittersweet melody that evokes graduation and farewells—perhaps influenced by the TV drama—it brings back nostalgic memories of our school days.
White LoversKuwata Keisuke
It’s a love song, but it’s a classic winter track, so I think a lot of people mainly start listening to it when the season turns cold.
In the music video, Keisuke Kuwata himself sings while playing the piano in a decayed, ruined city—it looks freezing and heartbreaking, yet somehow it perfectly suits the holy night.
Kuwata is great at grabbing listeners right from the intro in Southern All Stars songs, too.
This one is also a wonderful piano ballad—the introductory piano phrase sounds almost like a harpsichord in a church.
spring melancholyMrs. GREEN APPLE
This song gently embraces the complex emotions of the teenage heart.
It’s not all good, but it carries a warmth that makes you feel there’s light somewhere.
It conveys the value and gratitude of the days spent with friends.
The instantaneous piano chords and the subtle flicker of piano tones during the vocal breaths are especially striking.
Both the music and the lyrics have a mood that blends kindness with bittersweetness, capturing a sense of warmth while acknowledging partings and other sadness—making it a track that also evokes the feeling of spring.
I wonder if it will be sunny tomorrow.Kuwata Keisuke
“Ashita Hareru Kana” is Keisuke Kuwata’s ninth single, released in 2007.
It was selected as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Proposal Daisakusen” and reached No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart.
During the drama’s end credits, footage was aired of Kuwata performing in front of the lead actors, Tomohisa Yamashita and Masami Nagasawa.
With lyrics that sing about the importance of believing and wishing, the song is sure to lift your spirits.
The piano accompaniment that tenderly carries the vocals is also beautiful—be sure to give it a listen!
