Kobukuro’s Moving Songs and Popular Hits Ranking [2026]

YellKobukuro8rank/position

YELL ~Yell~ Kobukuro

A song whose gentle yet valiant message resonates in the heart! Like flowers blooming with the arrival of spring, it’s beloved as a cheer song for those taking a new step forward.

This track is actually Kobukuro’s major-label debut single, released in March 2001.

Used as a TV show theme and in commercials, it’s a song that encourages not only graduates but everyone diving into a new environment.

It’s perfect for playing in the car on a family outing during spring break, or as background music at a graduation celebration!

NOTEKobukuro9rank/position

NOTE

One of Japan’s most iconic music duos, Kobukuro.

From their album “NAMELESS WORLD,” let me introduce the song “NOTE.” The album contains many hit tracks, and among them, this is a song that has received a great deal of response.

It likens a man’s heart—or a life—to a blank notebook, depicting how a variety of emotions and events are written onto its pages.

Listening through, you’ll feel the beauty and fragility of life—that’s its appeal.

It’s a song that anyone can relate to, and it’s sure to leave you with a sweet ache.

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yamamoto

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STARTING LINEKobukuro10rank/position

Kobukuro Starting Line

Kobukuro is a musical duo that continues to captivate fans with gentle melodies layered over instantly recognizable, distinctive harmonies.

“Starting Line,” included as the B-side to their blockbuster 12th single “Sakura,” was chosen as the support song for Nippon TV’s 84th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

Its message—that you’re not the only one walking toward your dreams and goals—may blow away the loneliness you feel in moments of discouragement.

With beautiful choral work that gives you a push forward, it’s a track we recommend listening to when you feel anxious about starting a new chapter in life.

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Hoshino Takashi

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STAYKobukuro11rank/position

Kobukuro – STAY

Even in the depths of grief after losing someone precious, this Kobukuro song portrays the strength to keep living with their memory.

It gently stays close to the inner turmoil and loneliness that sway deep within the heart, while its powerful vocals express the resolve to keep facing forward and hold one’s ground.

Released as a single in July 2009, it was also used as the theme song for the drama “The Summer of Bureaucrats.” Later that same year, it was included on the acclaimed album “CALLING.” It will resonate tenderly with those tormented by a sense of loss and unable to move on, giving them the courage to start walking again.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear when you’re trying, little by little, to move toward the future with memories of a beloved person you can no longer see held close to your heart.

TwilightKobukuro12rank/position

Kobukuro – Twilight

It’s an even more beautiful song precisely because of the two-person harmony.

The feelings of thinking about someone dear come through so poignantly.

It’s a song that makes you feel gentle, wishing you could cherish someone like this.

The more you listen, the more the quality of the lyrics shines through.

YELL ~Yell~Kobukuro13rank/position

Kobukuro “YELL ~Eru~”

This is a Kobukuro song that affirms the experiences you’ve accumulated so far and gives you the courage to move forward into the future.

With a gentle sound centered on acoustic guitar, the strumming at the beginning evokes the image of taking steady steps ahead.

While empathizing with the anxiety anyone might feel when heading into a new place, it conveys the message that taking the first step leads to a brighter future.

It’s a song that seems to give you the strength to overcome hardships—strength that’s essential for carving out your future.

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kappamaki

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The continuation of this EarthKobukuro14rank/position

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Official Theme Song — Kobukuro “The Rest of This Earth” MUSIC VIDEO

The official theme song for the 2025 Japan International Exposition, commonly known as the Osaka-Kansai Expo, is “Kono Hoshi no Tsuzuki o” performed by Kobukuro.

The kanji for “earth” is read as “hoshi” (star), which alone makes it feel grand in scale.

The gentle, singable melody of the chorus sticks in your head after just one listen.

The lyrics, which seem to wish for world peace, are quintessentially them.

It evokes Haruo Minami’s “Sekai no Kuni Kara Konnichiwa,” and I’m sure it’s a song that will remain forever in the history of Japanese popular music!