[Tear-Jerking Breakup Songs] A curated selection of love songs that gently comfort a wounded heart!

From our joined handsNEW!back number

back number – From the Hands We Held (full)

“Tsunai da Te kara,” the single back number released in March 2014, is a song that delicately portrays the quiet ache and regret that arrive after a relationship ends.

Chosen as the JTB Premium commercial song and the ending theme for a Cultural Broadcasting program, it reached many listeners.

Koichi Tsutaya co-arranged and produced the track, achieving a superb fusion of the band’s raw, lifelike sound with pop accessibility.

The lyrics calmly unravel the weakness of searching for excuses after love is over, resonating deeply with listeners.

This work carries a gentle warmth, as if softly staying by your side while you linger in the afterglow of heartbreak yet begin to face forward step by step.

It’s recommended for those who want to accept the sadness that lingers in their heart and feel ready to take a new first step.

breakup songOkazaki Taiiku

Okazaki Taiiku “Heartbreak Song” Music Video

This song, which portrays the pain of heartbreak and the journey to recovery, gives voice to the feelings of a protagonist who has gone through a grand, firework-like breakup.

It poignantly lists the places filled with memories of time spent with a lover—movie theaters, amusement parks, aquariums—depicting how they “burn down” over time.

Yet the lyrics, laced with humor, also convey a resilient determination to look forward, encouraging oneself that there’s no use in dwelling on the past.

Embracing the listener’s heart while inspiring the courage to move on, this track shines with Okazaki Taiiku’s sharp observational eye and singular sensibility—a unique heartbreak song that doesn’t leave any time for somber reflection.

OverNEW!Mr.Children

Mr.Children “Over” from 30th Anniversary Tour Entrance to the Half Century – 2022.5.10 TOKYO DOME –

A song included at the end of Mr.Children’s album Atomic Heart, released in September 1994.

Though it was not a single, it was selected for their 2001 best-of album and has endured as a beloved breakup song.

The vivid, true-to-life depictions—like recalling a former lover’s small gestures or the atmosphere of a room—strike a chord.

The contrast between the unvarnished language that doesn’t hide loss and lingering attachment, and the friendly, light melody, is superb.

It’s not merely sad; it carries a message of gradually facing forward and beginning to walk on, even while holding pain.

It’s a song that gently gives you a push when you find yourself standing still at the end of a romance.

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai

God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]

Many of us have probably experienced realizing someone’s importance only after they’re gone.

This song, released in May 2019 by the Fukuoka-born four-piece rock band “Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai” (God Does Not Roll Dice), captures exactly that bittersweet feeling.

With Shusaku Yanagita’s gentle whispery vocals, it tenderly conveys the emotions of a protagonist who looks back on days gone by while carrying the pain and lingering attachment of a broken heart.

Having gone viral on TikTok and appeared on the Billboard Japan streaming charts, this track is recommended for those who want a song that stays close to the pain of heartbreak or wish to reminisce about past love.

LemonYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Lemon

It’s the theme song for the drama “Unnatural.” The lyrics express current feelings and regrets toward someone unforgettable, and I’m sure many people find themselves in tears when they hear it.

A love that doesn’t fade even after it ends… Keep thinking of them until your heart is satisfied.

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sasashina

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wedgeOku Hanako

Kusabi (Wedge) by Hanako Oku

Okuno Hanako is a singer-songwriter whose many songs expressing women’s aching emotions resonate widely.

This song, “Kusabi” (Wedge), is a heartbreak ballad sung with thoughts of someone she still loves dearly but will never meet again.

Released as a single in 2015, it’s a fan favorite that was originally created during her indie days.

A “kusabi” is a tool used to fasten or hold things together.

It’s a love song that poignantly conveys the painful turbulence of a heart that can no longer be held in place.

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utatane

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I won’t fall in love anymore.Makihara Noriyuki

[Official] Noriyuki Makihara “I Won’t Fall in Love Again” (Music Video) [5th Single] (1992) Noriyuki Makihara / Mou Koi Nante Shinai

You often hear stories like, “Only after someone is gone do you realize how much they meant to you.” In Noriyuki Makihara’s massive hit, the song portrays a man who can’t help but feel regret as he realizes it was thanks to his lover that his days were happy and comfortable.

Released in June 1992, the track was used as the theme song for the drama “After the Children Are Asleep.” Listening to this song will make you appreciate the people who spend their days with you, instead of taking everyday moments for granted.