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 hurt feelings… Reiwa-era heartbreak songs (21–30)
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.
Night journeyYorushika
On quiet nights, memories of days gone by sometimes drift through your mind, don’t they? There’s a song by Yorushika that gently stays by your side in those wistful moments.
Conjuring scenes like swaying on a night train, the track depicts an inner journey of facing forward even while carrying past pain and farewells.
Suis’s clear, translucent voice conveys the stillness and solitude of the night—and the faint hope beyond—seeping deeply into the heart.
Released in March 2020, the song was featured as an insert track in the animated feature film “A Whisker Away.” Why not give it a listen when you want to take your time and sit with the sorrow of heartbreak?
Gently staying close to a wounded heart… Reiwa-era breakup songs (31–40)
tear(s)Marushii
Released in August 2025, this song marks Marcy’s first summer ballad.
It opens with scenes that evoke dazzling memories of love, and the story that unfolds in the past tense grips your heart.
Like a letter with no addressee, the feelings have nowhere to go, and the earnest pain of heartbreak is rendered lyrically.
It’s a sentimental track that embraces those who want to linger in the afterglow of a past romance at summer’s end.
casual speechpirafu seijin
Rapper Pilaf Seijin, who enjoys overwhelming support especially among Gen Z, released this work, Tameguchi, in August 2025.
While Pilaf Seijin is known for many unique pieces, this song is a poignant, heartbreak-themed track that really hits home.
It depicts the shift from casual, intimate speech to formal language—once a symbol of closeness—creating a deeply moving sense of loss.
By vividly portraying memories of happier days, it highlights just how much has been lost.
If you’re nursing a broken heart, give it a listen.
periodIkuta Erika
Erika Ikuta captivates many with her overwhelming expressive power.
Released in September 2025, this work is a ballad that portrays the resolve to bring a long-standing romance to an end by one’s own choice, and the bittersweet determination to move forward.
The struggle over whether to continue or to let go is depicted with striking realism, and it really hits home.
If you’ve ever made a major decision in love, you’ll likely feel a deep empathy for that pain.
With delicate piano lines and breath-like vocals that gently nestle close to your heart, it’s a sentimental track.
Please forget it.Yorushika
It’s a heartbreak song by Yorushika that tightens your chest with its bittersweet love—the kind that wishes happiness for an ex while saying “please forget me.” Released in July 2024 as the theme song for the drama “GO HOME: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Unidentified Persons Consultation Office,” the track sets gentle melodies against a narrator who recalls precious memories they shared, even as they wish those memories to be forgotten.
Yet behind those words lies the true feeling of “please don’t actually forget,” a confession that’s sure to loosen your tear ducts.
Vocalist suis’s clear, translucent voice conveys this self-sacrificial and contradictory form of love with painfully delicate nuance.
On nights when you want to face the pain of heartbreak alone, listening to this song will feel as if it speaks for you and quietly stays by your side.
Ikebukuro SunshineWHITE JAM
This is a July 2025 release from WHITE JAM, a mixed-gender vocal unit known for their realistic, heartrending lyrics that resonate with many.
Set in the iconic urban locale of Ikebukuro Sunshine, it paints the protagonist’s delicate, wavering emotions amid the flow of passersby, carried by their signature R&B sound.
Even as they resolve to part with their lover, they still wait for them…
The painful scene comes into focus, and it really tightens your chest.
It especially hits on nights when you want to sink into sentimentality or when you feel like revisiting past loves.