Gently staying close to a wounded heart… A Reiwa-era heartbreak song
Even in the Reiwa era, the desire to have music heal a heart wounded by heartbreak is probably the same as ever.
Unrequited love, love that has ended—its forms vary from person to person, but there are countless songs in the world that those with such experiences will find relatable.
So this time, we’re introducing heartbreak songs born in the Reiwa era.
You’re sure to find tracks that resonate with your own experiences, so be sure to check them out!
- [Tear-Jerking Breakup Songs] A curated selection of love songs that gently comfort a wounded heart!
- Just listening to it makes my chest tighten. A unrequited love song born in the Reiwa era.
- Breakup songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke. Heart-healing songs about parting ways.
- When you want to immerse yourself in music alone! Tear-jerker songs released in the Reiwa era
- A tear-jerking breakup song that washes the pain away with tears
- A tear-jerking love song. A love song that stays close to a hurting heart.
- Breakup songs by female artists recommended for the yutori generation
- Breakup songs that were hits in the 2000s
- [Shōwa-Era Heartbreak Songs] Carefully selected timeless love classics adored across generations!
- A winter heartbreak song. A love song that's just too heartrending.
- [Perfect for Autumn] Heartbreak songs that resonate with bittersweet feelings
- Heal your heart with love ballads: A collection of pure love and heartbreak songs.
- Masterpieces of bittersweet breakup songs. Recommended popular tracks.
Gently staying close to a wounded heart... Reiwa-era break-up songs (11–20)
First love is cryingaimyon
Released in June 2022 as Aimyon’s 13th single, this song was chosen as the theme for the TV drama “What’s Wrong with Being Serious About Love?” From a unique perspective, it portrays the fragility and bittersweetness of first love.
By depicting a personified “first love” hanging from a utility pole, it vividly expresses the pain of heartbreak and the memories of the past.
Aimyon’s poetic lyrics and the melody centered on acoustic guitar resonate deeply with listeners.
It’s a tender ballad that you’ll want to listen to when you want to heal the pain of a breakup or reminisce about a past romance.
umbrellaKing Gnu
A song that resonates with the heart through lyrics that capture delicate emotions and a memorable melody.
Released in October 2019 as the theme song for Bourbon’s “Alfort” commercial, this piece vividly portrays the pain of heartbreak and separation.
It carefully depicts the loneliness felt in a crowded train and the sorrow lurking in everyday life, creating a work that gently accompanies the listener’s heart.
With King Gnu’s distinctive worldview and musicality shining through, it will tenderly embrace those who have experienced heartbreak or carry emotional wounds.
It’s a heartwarming track that you’ll want to listen to on a rainy day.
Sugar losswanuka
A mid-tempo ballad that expresses bittersweet emotions from a unique perspective will stay by the side of your broken heart.
Released in January 2022, this song by Wanuka is a collaboration with Morinaga’s DARS chocolate.
It portrays the pain of heartbreak with a “subtly sweet” touch, showcasing a distinctive sound that blends pop and folk.
The music video, set in a retro candy shop, is also captivating.
Depicting the urge to look away from reality after love falls apart, the piece mixes humor with relatable honesty—highly recommended for anyone looking to heal their heart.
Love? (As if.)Hitsuji Bungaku
“Koi Nante” by Hitsujibungaku vividly captures the pain that lingers in everyday life after a romance ends, as well as the lingering attachment to a former lover.
It’s the closing track on their EP “Zawameki,” released in February 2020, and has continued to be cherished by fans as a hidden gem.
The steady, understated beat instead highlights emotional instability, tightening the listener’s chest.
As vocalist Moeka Shiotsuka has said, she set out to write a love song, and the lyrics delicately portray those contradictory feelings—trying to accept a breakup while still harboring a faint hope.
On a night when you want to quietly reflect on the end of a love, why not listen to it alone and take it in?
Why not me?Misaka Saki
This song by Saki Misaka portrays the bittersweet feelings of gradually falling in love, even though you thought you were content just staying close as a friend.
With a clear, gentle voice, she expresses the conflict of wishing for the other person’s happiness while not wanting to see them with someone else.
Released digitally in February 2021, the track was also chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s romantic reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita.” It’s sure to resonate with those who, despite knowing what would bring happiness, can’t let go, and who sense the other person’s feelings yet can’t bring themselves to speak up.
That’s not fair.Ochiai Wataru
They’re someone who says they “love” me, but I know their heart isn’t here.
Even so, I can’t walk away, because those moments when they say it are the only ones that save me.
Wataru Ochiai’s 2021 release sings from the perspective of a woman sinking into a relationship so ambiguous it can’t even be labeled “more than friends, less than lovers,” moving between blaming the other person and loathing herself.
A phone placed face down as they leave; me almost grabbing their arm, then seeing them off with a smile—tiny details of daily life lay bare the reality that I’m not the one.
The simple arrangement, built around acoustic guitar and keys, is chosen to make the words stand out.
Precisely because the vocal delivery is calm and understated, the pain lands with raw immediacy.
After its 2021 release, the song charted in countries around the world, including Thailand, Laos, and Ireland.
The music video features actors Mizuki and Kento Hotta, and is approaching 900,000 views.
For anyone who knows the feeling of “a love you want to end but can’t,” this is a song that will gently stay by your side.
Gently staying close to hurt feelings… Reiwa-era heartbreak songs (21–30)
an unkind girlKoresawa
It’s a ballad that portrays painfully real emotions, where unrequited love and self-loathing intertwine.
Singer-songwriter Koresawa, who keeps her real face hidden from the media, delivers this track as the closing song of her EP “Atashi no Koibito E.P,” released in November 2025.
It’s a poignant breakup song performed with just a single guitar and voice.
Through everyday scenes, it chronicles a clumsy state of mind—so consumed with thoughts of the other person that tenderness becomes elusive.
Among the tracks that include commercial tie-ins, this one deliberately weaves an unadorned sound whose solitary resonance strikes right at the heart.
On nights when the wound hasn’t healed and you want to cry quietly alone, it will be there to keep you company.