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Ranking of Moving/Japanese Pop Songs [2026]
We’re excited to present the latest Top 100 ranking of the most-viewed Japanese emotional songs, all in one go!
Whether it’s the performance or the lyrics, there are many elements that can move us, but with Japanese music, the message in the lyrics often comes through very directly.
Sometimes it’s okay to let a touching song bring you to tears.
The playlist is updated weekly.
Most Moving Japanese Songs Ranking [2026] (1–10)
I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci1rank/position
This song by wacci is a warm piece that delicately portrays the feelings of a woman after a breakup.
Centered on themes of a new relationship and personal change, it expresses lingering attachment and inner conflict through a gentle melody.
Released digitally in August 2018, it gradually gained popularity through word of mouth and entered the charts around May 2019.
With over 50 million views on YouTube, it has become a song that resonates with many people.
It’s perfect for those who have experienced a breakup or are about to step into a new love.
The key isn’t too high, making it a moving karaoke song recommended for men.
Its heartfelt lyrics and warm melody are sure to gently embrace your heart.
NonfictionHirai Ken2rank/position
A heartfelt message song born from the experience of losing a close friend.
Ken Hirai’s powerful vocals portray the longing for a lost life and the wish to meet again, with a voice that stirs the soul.
Since its release in June 2017, this medium-tempo ballad has resonated with many.
Created as the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama “Little Giant,” its delicate, acoustic guitar–based arrangement harmonizes beautifully with the drama’s worldview.
The lyrics probe deeply into the meaning of life and gently embrace life’s struggles and setbacks, woven with warm words that stay close to the heart.
This work will light a quiet beacon in the hearts of those standing at life’s crossroads or holding feelings for someone dear.
somedaySaucy Dog3rank/position
A rock ballad by Saucy Dog that pierces the heart with memories of someone dear.
It’s a track included on their first mini-album, “Country Road,” released in 2017.
The lyrics look back on the brilliance of time once shared—like the starry sky at the top of a hill and a lover lying on the ground—delicately portraying the aching feelings of a protagonist who can’t fully accept the breakup.
The word choices rooted in vocalist Shinya Ishihara’s real experiences, along with expressions woven with his hometown Shimane dialect, lend the song a deep sense of realism.
It’s an emotional track whose lyrics, addressed to someone they’ll never meet again, might just bring you to tears.
All of the YouthFujifaburikku4rank/position
A coming-of-age song that captures the bittersweet feeling at summer’s end.
Released in 2007 as the group’s 10th single, it was created with the fireworks festival at Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture in mind.
In simple words, it portrays the scene of looking up at the final firework and the moment of parting while carrying unspoken feelings.
It was also featured as an insert song for the Fuji TV drama “SUMMER NUDE” and in a LINE Mobile commercial, becoming a beloved classic that stayed in many people’s hearts.
It’s a track that, along with the air of summer fading away, makes you quietly reminisce about who you were back then.
The nostalgia for days of youth and the poignant sense of the changing seasons seep deeply into the heart.
deep redMy Hair is Bad5rank/position
This is a signature song by My Hair is Bad that vividly depicts the ache of heartbreak and self-loathing.
Within its emotional rock sound, it finely portrays raw human feelings and actions, as well as the complexities of romantic relationships.
The album “Hitomebore e.p.” brilliantly expresses a dual-sided relationship—physical intimacy and emotional walls, affection and control, dependence and independence.
Since its release in July 2015, it has become a staple at live shows, generating a strong sense of unity with the audience.
In April 2022, the band performed it on Music Station, drawing renewed attention for their expressive power.
This song, which pairs imagery evocative of spring with the heart of someone trying to move forward while carrying deep loss and self-loathing, offers a sense of closeness and comfort.
365 daysMr.Children6rank/position
The song used for NTT East and West Japan’s commercial was Mr.Children’s “365 Nichi” (“365 Days”).
It’s a track from their 2010 album SENSE, and even though it was never released as a single, it remains one of their most beloved signature songs.
It’s a romantic love song about “thinking of you all 365 days of the year.” Spring is also a popular wedding season.
Since “365 Nichi” is a classic wedding song, be sure to use it as background music for those moving moments!
Dear, boyHump Back7rank/position
An archetypal rock number that rides on a driving, exhilarating sound to teach us the value of never giving up on our dreams.
This song stands beside the inner turmoil of a heart wavering between ideals and harsh reality, and its warm message—like a pat on the back urging you to start walking again, even if you take the long way around—is its greatest charm.
Knowing that vocalist Momoko Hayashi drew on notes from her teenage years to craft words to her former companions also gives it a true-to-life authenticity.
Released in June 2018 as their major-label debut, the track also served in tie-ins such as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Buzz Rhythm 02.” I highly recommend giving it a listen when you feel close to giving up or want to fire yourself up again.
MetronomeYonezu Kenshi8rank/position
A song by Kenshi Yonezu that portrays how two hearts that once looked toward the same future gradually drift apart.
This track is included on the album “Bremen,” released in October 2015.
Comparing the couple’s relationship to the tempo marked by a metronome, it describes the bittersweet feeling of their steps, once in sync, slowly falling out of rhythm.
It mirrors the emotional rift that can slowly develop in a marriage, doesn’t it? Even after parting, the wish to keep living in the same rhythm and perhaps meet again someday is something that resonates with those who have faced a major decision.
Doesn’t this song make you feel that you don’t have to force yourself to forget the past, and that it’s okay to embrace the time you walked together and keep living on?
It’ll get stained.Chatto Monchī9rank/position
Chatmonchy, a band that left behind numerous masterpieces from their formation to the completion of their activities and could be called the very epitome of 2000s girls’ rock bands.
Among their songs, the one that feels especially emo and perfect for autumn listening is Soru yo (I’m Getting Dyed/Soaked In).
It opens with a single-note guitar riff that evokes loneliness, followed by lyrics that trace feelings for an ex who used to smoke.
Set against a nighttime walk, the song paints cigarettes and heartbreak in striking detail, making it especially resonant at this time of year.
KanadeSukima Suichi10rank/position
This song is a beautiful ballad that portrays parting with someone dear and the wish to stay connected at heart beyond that farewell.
Released by Sukima Switch in March 2004 as their second single, it features a sentimental sound centered on piano and guitar that truly resonates.
It was used as an insert song for the film “Rough,” the theme song for the drama “Sotsu Uta,” and in 2006 was selected as the ending theme for the final day of “Netto Koshien.” The protagonist’s earnest desire to reach someone through voice and song even when apart mirrors the feelings of junior high school students facing the milestone of graduation.
It’s a track that, while looking back on days with friends, makes you want to cherish those bonds going forward.
Sung as a chorus, it would surely fill the entire venue with warm tears.