Kana Nishino’s Love Songs: Popular Track Rankings [2026]

Because it makes me want to see youNishino Kana15rank/position

Kana Nishino “Because I Start Wanting to See You” Live Performance

A poignant love song by Kana Nishino that skillfully portrays the emotional landscape of a woman who acts strong on the outside yet quietly holds on to her loneliness and longing to see someone.

The lyrics, written in relatable, everyday language about growing feelings for an ex-lover, resonated with many and immediately captured the hearts of young women upon release.

Released in June 2009, the song appeared as a lead single from her first album, “LOVE one.” It was also chosen as a POWER PLAY on NTV’s “Music Fighter,” becoming a signature track that brought Kana Nishino’s name to wider recognition.

It’s a song that offers comfort to those unable to recover from the pain of heartbreak or to sever lingering feelings for a former partner.

ifNishino Kana16rank/position

Kana Nishino “if” MV Full

“If” has a melody that conveys a poignant feeling right from the intro—it’s such a beautiful song.

It’s the piece my student practiced the most, and it holds special memories because they said, “I want to sing with a beautiful voice like Kana-yan’s!” and overcame their struggle with falsetto.

The highest note in this song is D#5, which is of course high, but I think the improvised falsetto lines at the beginning and end can be tough if you’re not used to them, since they’re sung with various articulations.

Those ad-lib sections sound so beautiful, so it’s worth nailing them.

With themes like “fateful encounters” and “hopes for the future,” I’d love for you to sing it to someone important to you.

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Kubota Mami

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EsperanzaNishino Kana17rank/position

Kana Nishino “Esperanza” MV Full

A song by Kana Nishino that expresses the bittersweet feelings of a woman’s unrequited love through passionate Latin sounds.

Even though she knows the person she likes already has a partner, the woman’s complex emotions still resonate deeply.

The sound of Spanish guitar and the powerful vocals beautifully fuse heartache with a forward-looking spirit.

Released in May 2011, it was used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Sukkiri!!” and was included on the album “Thank you, Love.” It won the Excellence Award at the 53rd Japan Record Awards.

This is a song that stands by women troubled by unrequited love and gives them the courage to keep looking ahead without giving up.

AlwaysNishino Kana18rank/position

Kana Nishino 'Always' MV Full

This is the 19th single by singer-songwriter Kana Nishino, who has won overwhelming support—especially among women of her generation—for her candid lyrics depicting down-to-earth romantic feelings.

Released in November 2012, the song was featured in a commercial for Sony’s MDR-1 series headphones, with Nishino herself appearing, which drew considerable attention.

This work transcends the bounds of romance to portray straightforward feelings toward “love itself,” including close, everyday relationships, as a grand-scale ballad.

Its long-breathed melodic lines and a chorus that opens up the sonic space gently enfold the listener’s heart.

It’s a sweeping love song you’ll want to sink into slowly on an anniversary night, reaffirming your affection for someone special.

Things I like about youNishino Kana19rank/position

Kana Nishino “The Things I Like About You” MV (Short Ver.)

When it comes to expressing the feelings of a woman in love, Kana Nishino is the go-to artist, strongly associated with romance songs.

She’s a charismatic figure in love songs, especially among young women.

Her 28th single, released in 2016, is this track, “Anata no Suki na Tokoro” (“What I Like About You”).

It’s a love song overflowing with a happy aura.

As the title suggests, it’s a number that calmly lists all the things she likes about her partner, though here and there you might wonder, “Wait, is she dissing him?” Even so, it comes across as a cute love song that makes you feel that’s exactly what being head-over-heels looks like.

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utatane

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Best FriendNishino Kana20rank/position

Kana Nishino “Best Friend” [Track on 15th Anniversary ‘ALL TIME BEST’]

It’s a heartwarming friendship song that expresses gratitude to a best friend who supports you in both good times and bad, written plainly and straight from the heart.

Released in February 2010 by Kana Nishino—an artist beloved for her cute vocals and relatable lyrics—the single was chosen as the campaign song for NTT Docomo’s “Ganbare Jukensei” (Good Luck, Exam Takers) campaign.

It was later included on the classic, hit-making album “to LOVE.” This track brightens spring events—a season of partings like graduations and moving on to new schools.

How about using it as the BGM for an Instagram Reels video that compiles beautiful cherry blossom scenes and cherished photos, dedicated to a dear friend with whom it may no longer be easy to meet as before, as you both step forward onto a new stage?

If there really is a destined person for meNishino Kana21rank/position

Kana Nishino “If My Soulmate Exists” MV (Short Ver.)

In the 2010s, Kana Nishino enjoyed overwhelming popularity with her love songs.

Her realistic lyrics—said to be written based on her own and her friends’ experiences—resonate with many people.

Among her many cute tracks, one I particularly recommend is “If There’s Such a Thing as a Soulmate.” It’s a medium-tempo pop tune released in 2015, composed by Takashi Yamaguchi, who also worked on “Darling.” The lyrics, themed around the idea of a “soulmate,” are romantic, portraying the dilemma between reality and ideal in a charmingly relatable way.

One of Kana Nishino’s greatest appeals is how she can make songs that feel like snippets of inner monologue come across as irresistibly charming.

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KEI

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