A bittersweet song I’d recommend for Instagram Reels BGM

Flavor Of LifeUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-

This song delicately portrays a bittersweet longing for love.

Released in February 2007, it was written as the image song for the TBS drama “Boys Over Flowers 2 (Returns).” With poignant lyrics and a beautiful melody characteristic of Hikaru Utada, it exquisitely captures both the sweetness and the sorrow of love.

Immediately after its release, the song became a huge hit, topping the Oricon Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks.

It also captivated many listeners, achieving two million downloads as a ringtone.

It’s a perfect track for a reel that aims to express the complex emotions of romance.

Give it a try!

blueyung kai

yung kai – blue (official music video)

Singer-songwriter Young Kai, who draws attention with his DIY style of producing music in his own room.

His acoustic sound is a staple on TikTok and Instagram, too.

Among the works he released in 2024, this is the one we especially recommend for Reels.

The soft tone of the acoustic guitar and his emotional vocals are stunning, expressing pure, deep love for a partner and hopes for a future together.

The track was also featured as insert music in a youth drama and in commercials, and it peaked at No.

39 on the Billboard Global 200.

Its gentle, romantic mood makes it perfect for Reels that compile memories with someone special or showcase beautiful scenery, so give it a try.

JANE DOEYonezu Kenshi, Utada Hikaru

Kenshi Yonezu, Hikaru Utada – JANE DOE

Created as the ending theme for the film “Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc,” this song is characterized by a poetic worldview that symbolically depicts yearning and pain.

A first-time collaboration between two of Japan’s leading singer-songwriters, Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada, it intertwines translucent vocals with a melancholic melody, imbued with deep emotion centered on memory and loss.

Released in tandem with the film’s premiere in September 2025, it drew attention as a double A-side single alongside the main theme, “IRIS OUT.” Expressing the resolve to move forward even while carrying fragility and hurt, this piece is perfect for posts made in sentimental moments or when thinking of someone dear.

The Door to TomorrowTeshima Aoi

Aoi Teshima “Letter to Tomorrow (Drama Version)”

Aoi Teshima, whose translucent singing voice gently envelops listeners’ hearts.

Released in February 2016 as the theme song for the drama “Someday, When I Recall This Love, I Will Surely Cry,” this piece is a special track: a rearrangement of a song from the album “Ren’dez-vous” tailored for the show.

Its lyrics, like a letter to a precious person far away, are deeply moving and will surely resonate with anyone who has experienced farewell or a new departure.

The simple arrangement centered on piano and strings, if anything, highlights the weight of each word.

It’s a song that quietly stays by your side when you want to reflect on memories with someone dear, or when you need courage to face forward.

evening primroseNovelbright

Novelbright – Evening Primrose [Official Music Video]

This work portrays a poignant state of mind: unable to forget a once‑beloved person, the protagonist can’t help but keep chasing their lingering shadow as memories of days gone by well up.

Vocalist Yudai Takenaka’s delicate high-tone voice gently envelops the pain of a protagonist who cannot accept the breakup.

The grand sound centered on piano and strings is another highlight.

It’s a song to listen to when you want something to stay close to the pain of heartbreak, or when you can’t take a step into a new love.

Pointillism Song (feat. Sonoko Inoue)Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Tenbyouno Uta

Mrs.

GREEN APPLE captivates listeners with their overwhelming expressive power.

This song, included on their single “Ao to Natsu” released in August 2018, was produced with singer-songwriter Sonoko Inoue.

As an insert track for the film “Aonatsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-nichi,” it depicts the story of a man and a woman sensing an impending farewell at summer’s end.

The swelling emotions despite knowing time is limited, and the frustration of being unable to hold hands, are conveyed achingly through their two voices.

You can almost see memories piling up like scattered points before your eyes.

When you’re troubled by a love that can’t be, or on a sentimental night, listening to it will gently stay close to that helpless feeling.

Everyday lifeOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Everyday [Official Video]

In the days that pass as a matter of course, there are moments when anyone might suddenly feel, “I dread tomorrow.” This song by Official HIGE DANDism, a driving force in the J-pop scene, gently stays close to those restless feelings.

The lyrics portray the heart’s cries worn down by work and relationships, and a quiet despair toward things that can’t be changed.

Yet what makes this piece so affecting is that it isn’t merely dark.

Its calm, warm sound brings into focus the subtle kindnesses in everyday life and the fleeting moments of salvation, tightening the chest all the more.

Released in September 2023 as a double A-side single with “Chessboard,” it was written as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “news zero.” On nights when you can’t help but feel unbearably sad, why not sink into a sentimental moment with this song?