Top Inoue Yosui Songs Ranking [2026]

goddessInoue Yosui57rank/position

Megami

It’s a work that feels very much like Yosui Inoue—gentle and warm-eyed.

Even while handling a grand theme, it’s striking how it’s written in intimate language, as if speaking to someone close.

It may be a hymn to the precious things found in everyday life and in unassuming scenes on a journey—those irreplaceable presences.

This piece was written as the opening theme for NHK’s travel program “Buratamori,” and was later included on the cover album “UNITED COVER 2.” If you listen at the start of a trip, it will surely make you anticipate wonderful encounters.

Traveler,Inoue Yosui58rank/position

Yosui Inoue “Tabibito yo” — journey, love, and hometown.

If you heard this song without any prior context and felt like you’d heard it somewhere before, you’re probably quite well-versed in the Showa era—or from the generation that lived through it.

“Tabibito yo” was the B-side to Yuzo Kayama’s 1966 single “Yozora o Aoi de,” and the version introduced here is included on Yosui Inoue’s 2001 cover album “UNITED COVER.” Choosing the B-side rather than the A-side—now that’s impeccable taste.

The original, composed and arranged by Kayama himself and sung in a folk style with The Launchers, is reimagined by Inoue in a J-pop style, fully transfiguring it into the world of Yosui Inoue.

The melody is simple, the pitch easy to grasp, and the vocal range relatively narrow, so it should be quite manageable to sing without much difficulty.

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mobile phoneInoue Yosui59rank/position

mobile phone

Even if you say “mobile telephone,” it might not immediately resonate with younger people.

It’s a general term for telephones you can use while on the move—car phones, cell phones, PHS, and the like—and this song titled “Idō Denwa (Mobile Telephone)” captures the distinctive atmosphere of the 1990s, when the idea of carrying a phone gradually became ingrained for many.

Released in 1994 as Yosui Inoue’s 39th single, it was also used as the tie-in theme for the TBS drama “Yume Miru Koro o Sugitemo.” It’s a J-pop track that uses the so-called “hachiroku” (8-beat, 6/8 feel) rhythm, arranged by the one and only Takeshi Kobayashi.

While the overall vocal range isn’t particularly high, the pitch fluctuations are somewhat pronounced.

Moving from the calmly sung A section, through the gradually building B section, into the expansive, soaring chorus—delivering those contrasts can be a bit challenging.

It might help to practice each section separately.

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self-loathingInoue Yosui60rank/position

Yosui Inoue - Self-Loathing

“Self-Disgust” is a ballad with a wistful melody, included on Yosui Inoue’s third album, Ice World, released in 1973.

As the title suggests, this song expresses feelings of loathing toward oneself, making it a perfect choice to sing when you’re feeling frustrated with yourself over studies or work.

With its gentle, ephemeral, whisper-like vocal style, it’s easy to sing even if you don’t have much vocal power, and it’s also recommended early in a karaoke session when you want to conserve energy.

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Yuuki

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Flower NecklaceInoue Yosui61rank/position

Yosui Inoue / Flower Necklace (Special Footage from “BEST BALLADE”)

“Hana no Kubikazari” is a wonderful song characterized by Yosui Inoue’s sweet vocals and gentle melody.

It’s a mysterious piece that makes you feel as if you’re in another world.

I’d love to listen to this song while taking a bath with my eyes closed or when falling asleep at night.

The Meandering TownInoue Yosui62rank/position

Wandering Town by Yosui Inoue

It’s a song that feels very Inoue Yosui—imbued with an indescribable pathos and the loneliness of the night.

Meisō suru Machi (The Meandering Town) is included on his sixth album, White, released in 1978, and it might be a track only devoted fans are familiar with.

When you think of Yosui and rain, many probably recall the classic mega-hit Kasaga Nai (I Don’t Have an Umbrella), but the rain depicted in Meisō suru Machi evokes a different image altogether.

As for singing it, it’s not particularly difficult; if you let the melody flow over a relaxed 6/8 rhythm, you can savor it comfortably.

To bring out the world of the lyrics, it might be good to sing as if you’re telling a story, drawing listeners into its narrative.

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presentInoue Yosui63rank/position

Present — Yosui Inoue

Yosui Inoue’s “Present” is included as the B-side of the single “Make-up Shadow.” While Inoue is strongly associated with the song “Shonen Jidai,” that’s not all there is to him—his range is part of his talent and strength.

Incidentally, “Make-up Shadow” is also well known for being covered by Takako Uehara.