For When You Want to Get Sentimental: Classic Japanese Songs Overflowing with a Melancholic Atmosphere
There are times when you suddenly find yourself feeling sentimental, aren’t there?
Cheering yourself up is one way to go, but it might also be nice to just let yourself be as you are in those moments.
In this article, we’ve picked out songs you can sink into on a sentimental day.
Letting yourself go with the flow and listening to classics like these can be surprisingly soothing.
These tracks aren’t just for autumn nights—you can enjoy them in all sorts of seasons and situations.
Hopefully you’ll find a song that fits your sentimental mood.
- Emotional songs that resonate in a sentimental autumn. A collection of autumn tunes.
- A nostalgic song—a timeless classic that somehow feels familiar and touches the heart.
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- The nostalgic atmosphere tugs at your heartstrings. Tear-jerker songs from the Showa era.
- [I Want Healing] Songs That Bring a Sense of Calm: Heartwarming Masterpieces of Japanese Music
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Gently soaking into a weary heart... Healing songs released in the Reiwa era
- [Classic and Contemporary Hits] Emotionally Stirring, Heart-Touching Songs
- [Cheering Songs] Japanese tracks to listen to when you’re troubled, lost, or feeling anxious
- Tears won’t stop with these sentimental lyrics! Heisei-era tearjerker songs
[For When You Want to Get Sentimental] Classic Japanese Songs Overflowing with Melancholic Atmosphere (31–40)
L.A. NightsAgawa Yasuko
This song by Yasuko Agawa, who showcases her approach to exquisite jazz and soulful tracks, sings of her nostalgic memories of Los Angeles.
With its sophisticated track and richly moody atmosphere, it’s a piece that invites you to sink into a wistful reverie for an urban life long past.
PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism
I can’t stop crying at this heartbreaking story of someone stepping back on their own.
This is the song that truly made Official HIGE DANDism a nationwide name.
It’s easy to be captivated by Satoshi Fujihara’s beautiful vocals, but the real charm lies in the lyrics that portray the protagonist’s emotions.
Realizing he won’t end up with the one he loves, the song conveys the feelings of a man who chooses to bow out.
He can no longer say “I love you”; all he can do is praise the other person’s beauty.
The world it paints—where dignity and lingering attachment intersect—tightens your chest, doesn’t it? Released as a single in May 2019, it became a massive hit as the theme song for the film The Confidence Man JP, spending 34 consecutive weeks at No.
1 on Billboard Japan’s streaming chart.
On nights when you’re tormented by unrequited love, it’s sure to gently stay by your side.
Maplesupittsu
It’s one of Spitz’s signature ballads and an absolutely indispensable song when introducing bittersweet tracks.
The song was originally included on the March 1998 album “Fake Fur,” and was later released as a single.
It has been used as an insert song across eras, in dramas like “Over Time” and “silent,” so I think many people have heard it.
The lyrics convey a heartfelt resolve to keep moving forward while holding tight to memories of a beloved person one can no longer meet, and it really squeezes your heart.
Masamune Kusano’s soft, clear vocals and the band’s warm performance seem to gently permeate a sorrowful heart, while at the same time accentuating the loneliness embedded in the lyrics.
I want to be kinder.Saitō Kazuyoshi
This is a work by Kazuyoshi Saito, notable for its arrangement that opens with a guitar riff using delay.
Released in November 2011 and widely known as the theme song for the high-rated TV drama “Kaseifu no Mita,” it has reached a broad audience.
While feeling the emptiness of a self-centered way of living, the lyrics—wishing to make a loved one smile—portray a complex mix of melancholy and kindness.
Believing it’s not an era without love, the voice that clumsily yet earnestly cries out “I want to be stronger” pierces the heart.
When you feel frustrated with a reality that won’t go your way, this emotional rock tune is sure to offer warm companionship.
Agate Caressed by NightAyase
A beautiful ballad from Ayase’s solo project that poignantly paints the depths of the night.
Included on the first EP, “Ghost City Tokyo,” released in November 2019, this piece vividly portrays the emotions of a man and woman who have no choice but to decide on parting from a loved one.
In a city after the last train has gone, a young man looks back on their relationship; his frustrated feelings as he senses the approaching goodbye are conveyed alongside an urban, mellow sound.
The wavering between wishing for a night with no terminus and trying to accept reality—tenderness toward the other person and a lingering regret—soaks into the heart with the melancholic melody line.
It’s a work that shines with adult sophistication and delicate emotional expression, perfect for a late-night drive or quiet time.
[For When You Want to Get Sentimental] Classic Japanese Songs Overflowing with Melancholy (41–50)
Thread of feelingstonun
Singer-songwriter Tonun, who has gained popularity for his ennui-tinged musical style.
He’s a singer-songwriter who rose to prominence on YouTube and has been drawing nationwide attention since around 2020.
His new track, Kimochi no Ito (“Threads of Feelings”), is an orthodox J-pop ballad that leans on acoustic sounds throughout, enveloping the song in a languid, melancholic atmosphere.
It’s perfect for chilling out—be sure to give it a listen.
spin; weave; compose (e.g., a story)tota
Tota is a next-generation artist.
The song that instantly blew up on TikTok when she released it is “Tsumugu” (Spinning/Weaving).
It’s a track that likens parting with someone important to changes in the weather.
The wavering of the heart and inner conflict are expressed in beautiful words.
Since it doesn’t depict specific situations, it’s easy to listen to while overlaying it with your own experiences.
Also noteworthy is how the passage of time is expressed through weather throughout the song.
From that, you can sense the protagonist trying to move on.
