Recommended heartbreak songs for women in their 70s. A collection of classic Showa-era breakup masterpieces.
If you’re a woman in your 70s, chances are you listened to a lot of love songs from around the 1970s.
Japanese pop songs released in that era truly include many masterpieces—timeless tracks that still haven’t lost their charm.
In this article, we’ll focus specifically on heartbreak songs and introduce tracks recommended for women in their 70s.
They may help you recall past romantic experiences or bring back the feelings you had back then.
You’ll likely recognize many of these songs, so take this opportunity to listen to them again with fresh ears.
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Classic nostalgic hits: A collection of youth songs
- Tear-jerking songs for women in their 70s: from Showa-era classics to Heisei hits
- Recommended love songs for women in their 70s: A collection of nostalgic love songs
- [Shōwa-Era Heartbreak Songs] Carefully selected timeless love classics adored across generations!
- Recommended love songs for men in their 70s: A collection of nostalgic love songs
- Sing-Along Hits! Karaoke Songs That Get Women in Their 70s Excited
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that really move you. Beloved classic Japanese hits of the past.
- Lively songs recommended for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic enka and kayōkyoku
- Breakup songs recommended for people in their 80s: a collection of classic tracks that capture heartbreaking feelings
- [Heartbreak Song] To Bounce Back From a Broken Heart | Uplifting, Positive Tracks & Anthems
- [For women in their 70s] A collection of songs that are easy to sing even for people who are tone-deaf
- Recommended Christmas songs for people in their 70s: A collection of classic winter hits from the Showa era
- Heart-touching, tear-jerking masterpieces from the Showa era
Recommended breakup songs for women in their 70s. A collection of classic Showa-era breakup masterpieces (21–30)
The memories are too beautifulYagami Junko
Junko Yagami’s major-label debut song, which sings of a love forever out of reach, framed within beautiful memories.
A superb ballad where a sophisticated bossa nova-tinged melody intertwines with her lustrous vocals.
With lyrics that poignantly and beautifully depict a lost love, and a transparent, elegant sound, it can be considered the very essence of classic New Music.
Released in January 1978, it reached No.
25 on the Oricon chart.
It was also included on the album “Omoide wa Utsukushisugite” and selected as the theme song for Nippon Broadcasting’s “Cocky Pop.” This work is a timeless classic that gently accompanies hearts feeling the sorrow of parting with a loved one and the nostalgia for a past that can never return.
Recommended for those moments when you want to surrender to a soothing melody and immerse yourself in memories of days gone by.
Kanda RiverMinami Kōsetsu & Kaguyahime
A gem of a folk song that richly captures the emotions of youthful cohabitation.
Scenes like wearing a red tenugui as a scarf on the way to the public bath, or sketching a lover’s portrait with crayons, gently depict the modest yet warm lives of young people.
Released in September 1973 as a single cut from the July 1973 album “Kaguyahime Third,” the song went on to top the Oricon weekly singles chart for seven consecutive weeks that year, selling 1.6 million copies and becoming a massive hit.
Please take your time to savor the heartfelt vocals—whether as a nostalgic tune that brings back memories of the era, or as a song that evokes the atmosphere around the Kanda River and Asakusa.
Breakup songs recommended for women in their 70s. A collection of classic Showa-era breakup masterpieces (31–40)
A Letter Waiting for Springyoshida takurou
This is a gem of a melody by Takuro Yoshida, warmly depicting a heartfelt exchange through letters that gently convey the feelings and memories of a man and a woman.
The image of two people far apart, drawing close to each other through their letters, carries a nostalgic sentiment that many have felt.
Accompanied by a calm guitar tone, the feelings of a couple trying to connect while awaiting the arrival of spring leave a lingering resonance.
Released in October 1979, it reached No.
52 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It was also included on the album “ONLY YOU 〜since coming For Life〜,” and has long been loved by many.
It’s a perfect song for those moments when you want to relax and enjoy music while looking back on memories with someone special.
Beyond the GoodbyeYamaguchi Momoe
A gemlike ballad by Momoe Yamaguchi that portrays parting and gratitude on a grand scale.
Though it runs over six minutes, its expansive arrangement and deeply expressive vocals blend beautifully, stirring the listener’s heart.
Released in August 1980, this work came out just before Yamaguchi’s retirement, and at her final concert at the Nippon Budokan that October, many remember her singing it through tears.
While it conveys the impermanence that nothing lasts forever, it also suggests hope for new beginnings.
It is a song that deeply resonates with those who have experienced a farewell with someone dear or who find themselves at a turning point in life.
Flying to IstanbulShōno Mayoyo
A captivating song that beckons you into an exotic world with its dreamy melody and sophisticated, cosmopolitan lyrics.
Released in April 1978, it became one of Maya Shono’s signature works, selling 463,000 copies on the Oricon charts.
Though composer Kyohei Tsutsumi originally wrote it for Goro Noguchi, he decided it would suit a female vocalist better and offered it to Shono.
The arrangement features the Greek folk instrument bouzouki, adding to its exotic atmosphere.
The song portrays a woman setting off on a sentimental journey after a heartbreak, delicately expressing her resolve not to resent her former lover but to accept the experience as a cherished memory.
It’s a perfect choice to sing on a summer night at karaoke, accompanied by your own precious memories.
A Doll’s HouseHirota Mieko
A quintessential love song that symbolizes the Showa era, this is Mieko Hirota’s signature track, released in July 1969.
While harboring deep affection for her partner, the song portrays a woman who has lost sight of herself.
The protagonist likens herself to a doll and expresses her resolve to overcome lost love and rediscover who she is.
It topped the Oricon chart for three consecutive weeks and earned the Vocal Performance Award at the 11th Japan Record Awards.
Her powerful yet delicate voice beautifully conveys the song’s melodic and lyrical world.
Many artists across genres, including Megumi Asaoka and Hideaki Tokunaga, have covered it.
It’s a song that resonates when facing a farewell with someone dear or taking a step into a new chapter of life.
Listening to OliviaAnri
A melody that gently envelops the lingering ache of a bittersweet romance, paired with refined musicianship, resonates deeply in the heart.
The lyrics, which carefully depict a woman healing her delicate emotions after a breakup while listening to Olivia Newton-John’s songs, have struck a chord with many.
With Anri’s clear, translucent vocals giving the piece a sophisticated, urban feel, it was released in November 1978 and included on the album “Anri.” In 2008, it was also featured as an insert song in the Nippon TV drama “Saito-san,” cementing its status as a timeless classic loved across generations.
This warm ballad offers comfort to those trying to recover from the pain of heartbreak and to anyone who has experienced parting with someone dear.