Ranking of Moving/Japanese Pop Songs [2026]

It’ll get stained.Chatto Monchī8rank/position

Chatmonchy “I’ll Be Dyed” Music Video

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.

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Hane Keisuke

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MetronomeYonezu Kenshi9rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

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?

KanadeSukima Suichi10rank/position

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

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.

Eine KleineYonezu Kenshi11rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Eine Kleine

The parting from someone important and the loneliness of everyday life—something surely everyone experiences.

This song by Kenshi Yonezu gently embraces those complex emotions with warmth.

The clear melody of the acoustic guitar and his translucent vocals sink deep into the heart.

While carefully portraying the blend of sorrow and joy, it sings of the strength to keep looking forward and living on.

Included on the album “YANKEE,” this track was used in March 2014 as the CM song for Tokyo Metro’s advertising campaign “Color your days.” It’s a song to listen to when you feel down thinking about the sadness that might await beyond joy, or when you want to reflect on someone dear to you.

Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro12rank/position

Motohiro Hata – “Himawari no Yakusoku” Music Video

A singer-songwriter with a voice of “steel and glass” that resonates in the heart, Motohiro Hata delivers a moving ballad.

Its lyrics, which depict the warmth of those who stay by your side and the unchanging bonds that endure even when you’re apart, gently accompany the season of farewells.

Released as a single in August 2014, this song was created as the theme for the film STAND BY ME Doraemon.

Its messages, which overlap with the film’s story, struck a chord with many people, and by 2015 it had become such a massive hit that it dominated the karaoke charts.

No matter if the paths we walk diverge in the future, our hearts will always remain connected—this is a song that inspires that kind of hope.

Sing it arm-in-arm with friends at graduations or farewell parties as they set off on new journeys, and it will surely become a memory that lasts a lifetime!

sasanqua (Camellia sasanqua)SEKAI NO OWARI13rank/position

Sakanaction “Sazanka”

This is a powerful cheer from SEKAI NO OWARI for everyone chasing their dreams.

Released as a single in February 2018, it was chosen as NHK’s theme song for broadcasts of the PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympics that same year.

Set to a beautiful melody woven by piano and strings, the lyrics are written from the perspective of a quiet presence watching over someone who keeps getting back up no matter how many times they fall.

The message affirms the days of earnest effort—like a winter flower that blooms with poise amid hardship—and resonates deeply.

It’s a perfect song for those reaching the milestone of graduation and about to take their first new step.

Hello/How are you?nanou14rank/position

[Hatsune Miku Append SOFT] Hello/How Are You (Original) + mp3

Nano, a Vocaloid producer who is also active as a member of CIVILIAN, gained popularity with rock-influenced tracks that draw on his band experience.

Created in 2010, “Hello/How Are You” is a heart-tugging song overflowing with emotion.

Its soft, girlish soundscape resonates throughout, and many listeners will relate to the lyrics about how hard it is to communicate.

Fans of Japanese rock and pop are sure to be hooked.

It’s a bittersweet yet warm number, soothingly sung by the clear-voiced Hatsune Miku.

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mutō

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