Noriyuki Makihara Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Tearful ChristmasMakihara Noriyuki29rank/position

namidano Christmas

This is a classic by Noriyuki Makihara that carries warmth within its melancholy.

The lyrics, which portray the pain of a broken heart on Christmas night, resonate with many people.

Included on the album “Kimi wa Boku no Takaramono,” released in June 1992, the song is marked by gentle piano tones and Makihara’s delicate vocals.

With a characteristically modest vocal range typical of Makihara, it’s easy to sing at karaoke.

It’s the perfect mature Christmas song that offers comfort to those who’ve experienced a breakup or are spending Christmas alone.

An angel descended upon hopeless me.Makihara Noriyuki30rank/position

Noriyuki Makihara – An Angel Came Down to Helpless Me

It’s better not to mention things given to you by your ex-girlfriend.

It’s fine if it’s something your current girlfriend would be okay with you throwing away if she asked you to.

Ideally, keep it a secret to avoid making her angry and to prevent arguments, but if you get found out, she’ll probably be upset—so just keep apologizing then.

Wish Upon the SnowMakihara Noriyuki31rank/position

Yukini Negaiwo

A perfect piece for winter that gently sings of “the warmth of loved ones.” It’s the 10th single released by singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara in November 1993, a single cut from the album SELF PORTRAIT, and it was used as TBS’s winter campaign song.

The charm of this work lies in its tender lyrics, which view Christmas as a day to feel connected to others.

The emotionally rich arrangement—piano and strings woven over a medium-tempo melody—feels wonderfully comforting.

Sing it at karaoke, and the memories of Christmas from those days will quietly come back to life.

The Magic of DecemberMakihara Noriyuki32rank/position

12gatsu No Maho (2012 Remaster)

It’s a song that leaves a strong impression with its narrator, single-mindedly inviting someone out in the hope of conveying the warmth of a winter city.

Layering quintessential winter scenes—white breaths in the cold, the glow of street trees—it uses the word “magic” to express a clumsy yet unflinchingly sincere love.

Included on Noriyuki Makihara’s debut album “Kimi ga Warau Toki Kimi no Mune ga Itamanai You ni” in October 1990, this track is positioned as an origin point for the later lineage of winter-themed songs.

Its warm arrangement—melding strings and bell tones into a breezy band ensemble—perfectly complements lyrics so straightforward they’re almost embarrassing.

It’s a number you’ll want to hear when quietly seeing out the year while looking back on the months gone by.

I’m still alive.Makihara Noriyuki33rank/position

[Official] Noriyuki Makihara 'I'm Still Alive' (MV) [16th Single] (1996) Noriyuki Makihara / Mada Ikiteru yo

Released in November 1996, this single by Noriyuki Makihara is a playful track that cleverly turns the rumors circulating at the time on their head.

Its newspaper-style cover design is striking, and the lyrics blend humor with a strong message.

As the year draws to a close, it carries a powerful yet warm affirmation of one’s presence—“I’m still here.” The song conveys a determination to keep looking forward despite hardships, making it perfect for reflecting on the year at the end of December.

Even if things didn’t go well this year, listening to this track will likely make you think, “I’ll do my best next year.” It’s a number that makes you want to cheer yourself on amid the reflective atmosphere of year’s end.

montageMakihara Noriyuki34rank/position

Montage – Noriyuki Makihara (Cover)

Noritaka Makihara’s 18th single, “Montage,” released in 1997.

This song is a number that vividly conveys the aching feelings of love and the accelerating swell of those emotions.

When we fall in love, we often find ourselves filled up by that person, with nothing else on our mind, right? I understand that feeling well, but from there, it’s like the emotions balloon too much inside you, the brakes stop working on their own, and you go into a runaway—this is a love song that captures that.

It’s something you don’t even realize yourself.

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Snow in MarchMakihara Noriyuki35rank/position

3gatsu No Yuki (2012 Remaster)

A song by Noriyuki Makihara that delicately captures the atmosphere of those few days just after the graduation ceremony.

It was included on the album “Kimi wa Dare to Shiawase na Akubi o Shimasu ka,” released in September 1991, the same record that features the smash hit “Donna Toki mo.” The title is striking, evoking the lingering traces of winter that suddenly drift down like snow in a season meant to be heading toward spring—mirroring the fleeting chill that visits a heart trying to move forward.

Its lyrics, where affection for the days spent with friends intersects with the resolve to step out on separate paths, carefully scoop up the emotions that waver at life’s turning points.

Everyday imagery—like the lanes of a bowling alley—helps summon each listener’s own memories.

It’s a perfect track not only for those about to graduate, but also for anyone who wants to look back on their youthful days.