Karaoke Ranking of Popular Songs by Yumi Matsutoya [2026]

I want to go back to that day.Matsutōya Yumi15rank/position

Yumi Arai – I Want to Return to That Day (from “Love in Japan, and Yuming.”)

This song, from before her name change and currently credited to Yumi Matsutoya, was the theme for the drama “Family Secrets” starring Kumiko Akiyoshi.

Released when she had only just entered her twenties, it’s a track that reminisces about the radiant days of youth.

Around the time you turn twenty, you often feel caught between being an adult and a child, and your heart can become unstable.

Looking at these lyrics, I can’t help but feel that Yumi Matsutoya must have experienced the same thing.

I want to go back to those joyful days of youth and meet the cheerful version of myself from back then.

Haven’t you ever felt that way, too?

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SAKI

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Alone in the twilightMatsutōya Yumi16rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya - Alone in the Twilight (Recording for Speaker Evaluation)

Yumi Matsutoya is a leading Japanese singer-songwriter who has been active for many years.

For women in their 50s, she might be the perfect artist.

She has many classic songs, but the one I especially recommend is “Hitori in the Twilight.” It features a vocal line that showcases her signature Yuming style, yet the melody doesn’t jump drastically up and down, so it’s relatively easy to keep pitch.

The chorus raises the voltage all at once, but the overall range isn’t that wide, so if you choose the right key, even those with lower voices should be able to sing it without difficulty.

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Ryo

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Late Summer (A Season for One)Matsutōya Yumi17rank/position

Late Summer (A Season for One)

Yumi Matsutoya’s “Late Summer (A Season Alone)” evokes a poignant feeling through images of the sky and flowers gradually changing.

Included on the 1976 album The 14th Moon, released when she was still known as Yumi Arai, the song was used as the theme for NHK dramas Summer Hometown and The Phantom Vineyard.

It’s in the natural scenery—the sky and plants—that we first sense the shift from summer to autumn.

The seasons change surprisingly quickly, and as the scenery transforms, the sense of wistfulness deepens.

Leaving various memories behind in summer, the song ultimately encourages a forward-looking heart—ready to embrace autumn’s own beautiful landscapes.

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SAKI

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The last spring breakMatsutōya Yumi18rank/position

The Last Spring Break / Saigo No Haru Yasumi (2022 Ｍix)

A beautiful ballad by Yumi Matsutoya that gently embraces the transience of the season when spring arrives and the milestone of graduation.

With tender emotion, it portrays the feelings of saying goodbye to student life while carrying a faint crush and lingering attachment, set against quiet scenes of the school.

Included on the album “OLIVE” and released in July 1979, this piece features Matsutoya’s delicate vocals and soft piano melody that resonate deeply.

It gently depicts moments that evoke nostalgic memories—such as classrooms bathed in spring sunlight and the sound of footsteps along long corridors—and is a song that, when listened to with older adults, can spark lively reminiscences of each person’s youthful days.

Sweet premonitionMatsutōya Yumi19rank/position

Sweet Premonition / Ann Lewis

This is a track from the seventh album, OLIVE, released in 1979.

It was written for Ann Lewis, and later covered by Yosui Inoue.

With a very cute, bouncy feel, it sings about the feelings of a pure girl who’s just fallen in love.

The Beach Boys even make an appearance in the lyrics.

If I’m wrapped in kindnessArai Yumi (Matsutoya Yumi)20rank/position

Wrapped in Gentleness – Yumi Arai (Yumi Matsutoya)

Yumi Arai’s song “Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta nara,” also famous as the theme song for Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, is a classic from the period when Yumi Matsutoya—affectionately known as Yuming—was performing under the name Yumi Arai.

What makes this song so easy to sing is, above all, its widespread recognition.

Since people of all ages know it, it’s a reliable choice for karaoke when a wide range of generations are gathered.

If you’ve never sung it before, take this opportunity to add it to your repertoire.

The melody is easy to remember, and it’s a very gentle, soothing song.

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sasashina

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ambushMatsutōya Yumi21rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – Machibuse

Composed and written by Yumi Arai (now Yumi Matsutoya), this song attracted attention when Seiko Miki sang it in 1976.

Later, in 1981, Hitomi Ishikawa covered it and it became a major hit, leading to her first appearance on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen—a memorable milestone.

The melody is simple and the vocal range is not wide, making it easy to sing even for those who aren’t confident singers.

If you picture the bittersweet feelings of love expressed in the lyrics while you sing, your performance will be even more compelling.

It’s also likely to be well-received as a nostalgic classic at gatherings with senior colleagues or supervisors.