Yumi Matsutoya's Most Moving Songs and Popular Tracks Ranking [2026]

Come, spring.Matsutōya Yumi1rank/position

Haru Yo, Koi

With Yumi Matsutoya’s distinctive turns of phrase and melody, this masterpiece delicately paints springtime scenes that sink deep into the heart.

Her warm voice offers solace and hope, embracing thoughts of someone dear and the uncertainties of life.

Released in October 1994, the song was written as the theme for an NHK morning drama series and reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart, selling approximately 1.164 million copies.

It was also featured in commercials for Huis Ten Bosch and All Nippon Airways, and its charm continues to soothe many hearts.

It’s a perfect song for moments when the start of a new season stirs your emotions, or when you wish to linger in memories of someone special.

Darkening RoomMatsutōya Yumi2rank/position

Yumi Arai - A Darkening Room (from 'The Love of Japan, and Yuming.')

The lyrics sorrowfully depicting a breakup with a lover really strike a chord.

It’s a song by Yuming (Yumi Matsutoya), released in 1976 as her seventh single.

It’s a popular piece that has been covered by many well-known musicians, including Elephant Kashimashi.

Perhaps it’s Matsutoya’s vocals and lyrics that make you feel as if you’re witnessing the scene right before your eyes.

The world of the song seems to slip straight into your heart.

It’s one of those timeless masterpieces of Japanese music.

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Araki Jakkan

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contrailMatsutōya Yumi3rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – Vapor Trail (Yumi Arai The Concert with Old Friends)

This is a song by Yumi Matsutoya, released in November 1973 as the B-side to the single “Kitto Ieru,” and then, about two weeks later, as the title track of an album.

Forty years later, in 2013, it was featured as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki’s film The Wind Rises, bringing it renewed attention.

Hikōki Gumo was reportedly inspired by a classmate from elementary school who suffered from muscular dystrophy and passed away young.

The lyrics “Longing for the sky, that child ran off” convey a wish for a friend who endured illness to be freed from all pain and live happily.

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yuri

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Surf Paradise, Ski ParadiseMatsutōya Yumi4rank/position

Surf Heaven Ski Heaven / Surf Tengoku, Ski Tengoku (2022 Ｍix)

Known by the nickname “Yuming,” singer-songwriter Yumi Matsutoya has released numerous hit songs, from her own original works to tracks she’s written for others.

Her song “Surf Tengoku, Ski Tengoku,” included on her 10th album SURF & SNOW, was used as the theme song for the film Take Me Out to the Snowland.

Its lyrics, which heighten the anticipation of winter’s snowy landscapes, set hearts dancing alongside an urban ensemble.

Despite never being released as a single, it has become a staple winter song and stands as a representative number of the 1980s.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Wind Across the PierMatsutōya Yumi5rank/position

Wind Crossing the Pier — 2004 Zushi Marina Last Live

This is the 12th single by Yumi Matsutoya, featuring a poignant melody set to a Latin-style arrangement.

At the long-running concerts held at Zushi Marina, this song was performed as the finale every time.

It is a timeless classic that embodies nostalgia and never fades with the passing of time.

pen pal correspondenceimase×Matsutōya Yumi6rank/position

[imase × Yumi Matsutoya] Correspondence (Music Video)

This is a cross-generational collaborative song created as part of the 60th anniversary project for audio equipment maker BOSE.

Next-generation artist imase and Japanese music legend Yumi Matsutoya completed the track in a relay format, like exchanging letters.

Released in May 2025, it features a modern yet nostalgic sound that fuses bossa nova rhythms with string tones.

Listening to it reaffirms the warmth of analog communication that stands out precisely in this age of social media.

DARK MOONMatsutōya Yumi7rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – DARK MOON (MUSIC VIDEO Full)

Yumi Matsutoya, who has continually reshaped the history of Japanese pop, released the lead track from her album “Wormhole / Yumi AraI” in advance in October 2025.

This song opens her 40th original album and is notable for its psychedelic ensemble that blends euphoria with sultriness.

Through dreamlike motifs, the lyrics depict powerful feelings of longing among various entities—between people, and between people and objects.

It’s a grand number that moves the heart, embodying Yuming’s unwavering commitment to innovation even as her career continues to evolve.