Kazuyoshi Saito’s masterpieces and popular songs
Let me introduce some songs by the hugely popular singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito.
Kazuyoshi Saito shot to fame when his song “Aruite Kaerou” was used as the opening theme for the TV show Ponkickies.
His appeal undoubtedly lies in his vocals and the gentle atmosphere of his music.
He has moving classics like “Utautai no Ballad” and “Wedding Song.”
Saito is also a big cat lover; for the jacket of “Yawarakana Hi,” he used a photo he took himself of his beloved cat.
Saito Kazuyoshi’s classic and popular songs (1–10)
PhoenixNEW!Saitō Kazuyoshi
This is a song included on Kazuyoshi Saito’s album “Tsuki ga Noboreba” (When the Moon Rises).
Released in September 2009, it is known for being written with deep feelings for Kiyoshiro Imawano, who passed away that May.
It goes beyond mere sentimentality, radiating the fiery spirit of a rock musician.
Imbued with a wish to keep being reborn like a phoenix, it carries a strength that looks forward even amid sorrow.
When you feel lonely after losing someone important, it can make you feel that the messages they left behind continue to live on within you.
While facing grief, it gently gives a push to keep living earnestly—why not let yourself be enveloped by such a warm and powerful voice?
Angel’s catSaitō Kazuyoshi
This is a bittersweet ballad that overlays the image of a stray cat living resiliently in a corner of the city with the instincts and freedom we’d forgotten in ourselves.
Featured on singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito’s album “Kazuyoshi,” released in October 2013, this piece was co-written with bassist Hiroo Yamaguchi.
Its lyrical, beautiful melody quietly yet deeply resonates with listeners.
When your heart feels a little weary from busy days, this song has a mysterious power that makes you want to pause and look up at the wide sky.
Some may even be moved to tears by its warm worldview, as if gently guided by a cat.
On a quiet night when you want to regain your true self, why not listen to it slowly and carefully?
cat hairSaitō Kazuyoshi
Some people might find themselves grinning at a title that smells of everyday life.
Sung by Kazuyoshi Saito, this track—reportedly recorded all at once with his touring band—features a richly groovy band sound that feels great.
It’s included on the album “202020,” released in January 2020, and it was also aired as the opening theme for the TBS TV show “CDTV.” It beautifully portrays the unadorned closeness of two people—so tender that even the cat hair on your clothes feels lovable.
It’s quintessential Kazuyoshi Saito: expressing deep affection not through flashy words but through scenes from daily life, gently warming the heart.
When you want to savor the simple happiness of living with a kitty, give it a listen.
Sunflower DreamSaitō Kazuyoshi
Overflowing with a sense of openness and carrying a positive message to go big without sweating the small stuff, this is a classic by Kazuyoshi Saito that resonates deeply with adults caught up in the demands of everyday life.
Featured on the concept album “ONE NIGHT ACOUSTIC RECORDING SESSION at NHK CR-509 Studio,” released in September 2012, this track was also used in the Sapporo Hokkaido PREMIUM commercial starring Nanako Matsushima.
The groove unique to its acoustic arrangement pairs perfectly with Saito’s warm vocals, creating a soothing comfort that makes your shoulders naturally relax as you listen.
Perhaps it’s precisely the generation shouldering responsibilities at work and at home that needs the song’s generous worldview.
Give it a listen on a weekend drive, or when you want to pause and take a deep breath!
Mirror, mirrorSaitō Kazuyoshi
Have you ever found yourself wanting to question the person reflected back at you when you catch a glimpse in the mirror? This is a powerful rock tune that carries the resolve to keep moving forward, trusting only in one’s own convictions despite doubts and anxieties.
Singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito—known for songs like “Utautai no Ballad”—wrote it as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama “Okome no Onna: National Tax Agency Document Investigation Division, Miscellaneous Nations Office,” which began airing in January 2026.
Its lyrics, which teach the importance of not betraying yourself in an era where right and wrong waver, are deeply in sync with the drama’s worldview and are sure to encourage listeners every time they hear it.
With warm vocals and guitar tones that resonate in the heart, it’s a song you’ll want people to hear precisely when they’re troubled and on the verge of stopping in their tracks.
Ballad of a SingerSaitō Kazuyoshi
Saito Kazuyoshi usually jokes around and says naughty things as an MC, but when he sings a ballad in earnest, it turns into a masterpiece like this.
Just as many artists—such as Kazutoshi Sakurai of Mr.
Children (as Bank Band), Tamio Okuda, and UNCHAIN—have covered it, it’s truly a deeply moving, classic ballad.
Let’s go on the offensive!Saitō Kazuyoshi
The latest year-end 2015 single is a cheer song packed with Saito Kazuyoshi’s signature touches throughout.
In its chord progression, its melody, and its lyrics, it’s unmistakably stamped with his mark—overflowing with Setchan—and it makes you think he could now spread his wings freely anywhere.
Even having reached that position, the lines like “if things go well, I can enjoy a good drink” and “that girl’s reward is waiting” make Setchan feel like a relatable musician, and that’s great, isn’t it?