Recommended for cherry-blossom viewing season! Classic sakura songs and spring tunes

Hirari -SAKURA-NEW!Nakamori Akina

Hirari -Sakura-

Akina Nakamori’s songs—born from her overwhelming vocal prowess and expressive power—have produced numerous masterpieces and continued to lead the Japanese music scene for many years.

Her first “sakura” song, included on the single FIXER -WHILE THE WOMEN ARE SLEEPING- released in February 2016, also drew attention for having lyrics written by Haruichi Shindo of Porno Graffitti.

The lyrics, which portray delicate emotions swaying with the arrival of spring, together with her emotive vocals, evoke a feeling that is both heartrending and warm.

Its beautiful melody, which conjures scenes of fluttering cherry blossoms, is recommended as the perfect BGM to color the special spring event of hanami.

Sakura: To You Who Couldn’t GraduateNEW!Hanzaki Yoshiko

Yoshiko Hanzaki “Sakura: To You Who Couldn’t Graduate” (Official Live Video)

A song by Hokkaido-born singer-songwriter Yoshiko Hanzaki.

It’s a number in which she weaves her feelings for a late friend who should have graduated alongside her, delivered in a voice that feels like a heartfelt conversation.

It expresses the sense of loss felt during cherry blossom season, as well as deep affection for someone who continues to live on in the heart.

After 17 years of groundwork, she made her major debut, and the song was included on the mini-album “Utaben,” released in April 2017, before later being released as a single.

Performed when she won the New Artist Award at the 50th Japan Cable Radio Awards, the piece is also widely loved as a choral song.

The animated music video also drew attention.

It’s a song that gently stays with you when you want to quietly remember someone after cherry-blossom viewing, or for those who have experienced parting with someone dear.

SakuraNEW!arashi

ARASHI – Sakura [Official Music Video]

Among Arashi’s many songs that have been beloved for years as a national idol group, this is the quintessential cool and stylish spring track.

While cherry-blossom songs are generally gentle ballads, this single—released in February 2015—features an intense dance beat and a serious worldview.

It was chosen as the theme song for the TBS drama “Ouroboros: This Love Is, Indeed, Justice,” and it became a hot topic as the group’s first time providing a theme song for a serial drama in which none of the members appeared.

The lyrics, which convey a strong resolve for a new season, create a glamorous and mysterious atmosphere reminiscent of cherry blossoms at night.

It’s a recommended number for when you want to set a more mature mood, different from the usual cherry-blossom viewing vibe.

SAKURANEW!Shunsuke Kiyokiba

Shunsuke Kiyokiba / SAKURA (cover)

After his time with EXILE, Shunsuke Kiyokiba—now performing as a “uta iya,” a singer who moves the soul—continues to sing songs that stir the heart.

This work, with its beautifully resonant string melodies, overlays the chill of winter with the imagery of cherry blossoms, conveying a message that is both heartrending and powerful.

Although it was released as a single in December 2007, it had actually been performed earlier in the bonus footage of the album IMAGE and at live venues, making it a piece that fans had long hoped to see officially recorded.

The melody co-written by Shunsuke Kiyokiba and Raon Kawane sinks deeply into the heart.

In this season where partings and new departures intersect, it is a masterpiece best heard while quietly gazing up at the night cherry blossoms.

Nadeshiko SakuraNEW!Wagakki Band

Wagakki Band / Nadeshiko Sakura

Wagakki Band is a rock band that has captured worldwide attention with its unique style fusing shigin, traditional Japanese instruments, and rock.

This piece, included on their 2015 album Yasou Emaki, was chosen as the ending theme for the TV anime Samurai Warriors.

It portrays the heartrending emotions of a woman living through an age of war and her strong determination to protect someone dear to her.

Delicate tones of traditional instruments merge with a powerful rock sound to create a ballad that evokes the transience and beauty of flower petals scattering on a spring night.

Its soul-stirring melody is perfect for listening to on a quiet night after cherry-blossom viewing.

cherry blossomDA PUMP

DA PUMP / Sakura MV+SPOT (short ver.)

This is the 30th single by DA PUMP, a male dance and vocal group that has long energized the J-POP scene with catchy melodies and rap over hip-hop, as well as high-level, impactful dance performances.

Following their single “U.S.A.,” which made a splash in the 2018 J-POP scene, this track offers a different flavor with Japanese-inspired melodies and a lyrical atmosphere that feels soothing.

Its relaxed tempo highlights their strong vocal abilities, showcasing DA PUMP’s wide expressive range.

It’s a song that embodies the beauty of Japanese aesthetics—perfect as background music for cherry-blossom viewing, especially under the night sakura.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

cherry blossomKetsumeishi

Ketsumeishi “Sakura”

Often hailed as pioneers of “singable rap,” Ketsumeishi—a four-member music group known not only for their singing but also for their melodious rap—released this as their 11th single.

Despite having no commercial tie-ins, it became the group’s biggest hit single and stands as both Ketsumeishi’s signature song and a quintessential “sakura song.” Its off-beat rhythm layered with beautiful piano and strings, the lyrical melodies that evoke scenes of cherry blossoms, and catchy rap passages encapsulate Ketsumeishi’s appeal.

It’s a standout spring anthem, perfect both as background music for cherry-blossom viewing and as a karaoke favorite everyone can sing together.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem