Unrequited love songs from the Showa era. Those nostalgic classics.

In this article, we introduce unrequited love songs from the Showa era.

If you spent your youth around the time these were released, you’ll likely find many nostalgic tracks.

You might even rediscover a song you listened to when you were in love and feel those forgotten emotions return.

Some are love songs that portray impossible romances and heartbreak, but if you’re looking for Showa-era unrequited love songs, be sure to give these a listen.

No matter your generation, if you’ve experienced love, you’re sure to find at least one song you can relate to.

Playlist

Unrequited love songs from the Showa era. Those nostalgic classics.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Taking shelter from the rainsadamasashi		Introducing the charm of Masashi Sada’s classic song “Amayadori”
2	Let’s get married.yoshida takurou		Takuro Yoshida’s classic song brightly expresses young people’s views on love.
3	I want to protect youMatsutōya Yumi		A famous song by Yumi Matsutoya about love
4	Goodbye to sorrowanzenchitai		A massive hit song featuring Koji Tamaki’s warm, captivating vocals
5	A Love Story in GinzaYūjirō Ishihara · Junko Makimura		A classic Showa-era duet, Love in the City Night
6	I LOVE YOUOzaki Yutaka		A beautiful ballad with Yutaka Ozaki’s restrained piano
7	Silhouette RomanceOhashi Junko		Jazz-style ballad with emotionally rich vocals
8	Ballad of the RainYubara Masayuki		Masayuki Yuhara's wistful ballad: City Rain and Love
9	Embraced by the wintry windKoizumi Kyoko		A classic song that sings of Kyoko Koizumi’s heartrending love
10	I like you.Shimizu Shota		A bittersweet cell phone love song
11	Love without meetingUchiyamada Hiroshi to Cool Five		A classic song that expresses the heartache of a love that can’t meet
12	LetterYuki Saori		Saori Yuki’s lyrical farewell song
13	Passionate loveSaijō Hideki		A passionate love, Hideki Saijo’s classic that charges straight ahead
14	Heavenly KissMatsuda Seiko		A spark of love, a heart-thrilling tune
15	Summer Days of 1993class		A ballad portraying the shift of feelings from friendship to romance
16	A piece of youKahara Tomomi		A ballad that reflects Tomomi Kahara’s heartrending emotions
17	Bus StopTaira Koji		The feelings of a woman withdrawing from a mistaken love
18	clownNakajima Miyuki		Miyuki Nakajima’s classic waltz. A protagonist hiding the sorrow of a broken heart.
19	Smiling Backkyandīzu		Spring songs of parting and memories, timeless melodies that touch the heart
20	Strings of TearsTonosama Kingusu		A signature song by Tonomachi Kings released in 1973
21	That wonderful love once moreKatō Kazuhiko, Kitayama Osamu		An earnest longing for lost love and youth
22	Returning RiverGodai Natsuko		Natsuko Godai’s enka “Modorigawa,” a heartrending love story
23	As time goes bysawada kenji		A beloved Showa-era ballad of love by Kenji Sawada
24	Morning of the PegasusIgarashi Hiroaki		A classic by Hiroaki Igarashi. It portrays human relationships that go beyond romance.
25	One thing I want to ask youSHISHAMO		Singing of a cute crush and pure feelings
26	If I can see you in my dreamsOhtaki Eiichi		A classic with a wistful melody by Eiichi Ohtaki
27	You are more beautiful than a rose.Fuse Akira		Akira Fuse’s masterpiece, an emotion-filled classic about a reunion.
28	My heart is stop-motionKuwae Tomoko		Tomoko Kuwae’s magnum opus that captures the feelings of springtime love with a refreshing melody
29	To my distant loverSaijō Hideki		Hideo Saijo of the city: a classic song about love from his hometown
30	Love Dial 6700Fingā 5		Depicts a graduation ceremony romance in Finger 5’s signature song
31	And then I’m at a lossŌsawa Yoshiyuki		Yoshiyuki Osawa’s poignant breakup classic
32	loveMatsuyama Chiharu		Chiharu Matsuyama’s classic heartbreak song
33	Our FailureMorita Doji		A classic of the Showa era, capturing the wistful melancholy of youth
34	Your NameOrii Shigeko		A memorable masterpiece of a movie theme song
35	Love is vulnerable.Hide to Rozanna		A masterpiece that sings of love and pain, an eternal classic
36	First loveMurashita Kōzō		Kozo Murashita’s unrequited love song masterpiece
37	Another SaturdayHamada Shogo		Shogo Hamada’s poignant classic ‘Another Saturday’
38	Unrequited loveHamada Shogo		A wistful unrequited-love ballad by Shogo Hamada
39	Love Song of LumMatsutani Yūko		A classic song that sings of the bittersweet feelings of first love
40	dandelionŌta Hiromi		The poignancy of unrequited love expressed by dandelions
41	I’m praying for you.Satoi Ito to Happī & Burū		Depicting a woman's heart with straightforward feelings of love
42	Love Doesn’t Stop ~Turn It Into Love~Wink		A song about unrequited love that sprouted from friendship
43	As long as the sun is in the skynishikino akira		A gem of a love song that expresses eternal love
44	Beautiful SpringKayama Yūzō		A classic hit by Yuzo Kayama that depicts a springtime romance.
45	Waltz of StarlightSen Masao		An enka love song that sings of the sorrow of parting
46	A Letter Waiting for Springyoshida takurou		A masterpiece that sings about the feelings of two people in a long-distance relationship
47	I miss you so muchSono Mari		Mari Sono Shōwa 41 old footage popularity
48	Cotton HandkerchiefŌta Hiromi		Hiromi Ohta’s classic song depicting a long-distance romance
49	The Flower Girl of TokyoHaruo Oka		A 1946 classic that portrayed hope in postwar Tokyo
50	Lips NetworkOkada Yukiko		The charm of Yukiko Okada’s classic song “Red Sweet Pea”
51	A One-Night LoveKudō Shizuka		A ballad that expresses the bittersweet love of adults
52	Love MemoryMatsuzaki Shigeru		Shigeru Matsuzaki’s love ballad
53	I Want to See You ~Missing You~Matsuda Seiko		A love ballad about heartbreak and reunion
54	Drinks for twoAzusa Michiyo		A song that gently accepts the parting of love
55	Mysterious Peach PieTakeuchi Mariya		Mariya Takeuchi’s spring song, expressing the exhilaration of love with refreshing clarity
56	I’ll wait.amin		Aming’s debut single was a big hit.
57	High School LullabyImokin Torio		Imo Kin Trio’s classic Showa-era unrequited love song
58	Strawberry Statement Once Againbanban		A memorable song that sings of the bittersweet feelings of youth
59	Second LoveNakamori Akina		Akina Nakamori’s Shōwa classic wins her first Oricon No. 1
60	MissingKubota Toshinobu		A classic Showa-era ballad by Toshinobu Kubota. It depicts heartbreak and inner conflict.
61	foreignerKUBOTA Saki		The allure of Saki Kubota’s classic song “Ihōjin” (Stranger)
62	Stranger – Theme of the Silk RoadKume Sayuri		A masterpiece whose exotic melody touches the heart
63	Boat SongYashiro Aki		Aki Yashiro's classic Showa-era ballads
64	Twilight, My LoveOhashi Junko		A Showa-Era Classic: Summer Love and Winter Farewell
65	youKozaka Akiko		A song that portrays dreams for the future and the bittersweetness of farewell
66	Fall in LoveKobayashi Akiko		A poignant ballad imbued with feelings for a white rose
67	The arrival of springKoyanagi Rumiko		A popular song by Rumiko Koyanagi that heralds the arrival of spring
68	Equator Sweetheart, Thump!Yamashita Kumiko		Kumiko Yamashita’s summer love song is a big hit
69	Mischief of the spring breezeYamaguchi Momoe		Momoe Yamaguchi’s classic: the bittersweet feelings of a springtime love
70	I won’t forget.Okazaki Yuki		A heartbreak song from the north, with a memorable melody.
71	spring hazeIwasaki Hiromi		Hiromi Iwasaki’s spring love break-up song
72	TouchIwasaki Yoshimi		A song that portrays youthful romance as the theme song of Touch
73	hopeKishi Yoko		An iconic, heart-touching masterpiece representing the Showa era
74	MUGO… so sexyKudō Shizuka		A masterpiece that sings feelings beyond words
75	The last spring breakMatsutōya Yumi		Yumi Matsutoya’s classic: memories of youth and farewell
76	Pink Unrequited LoveMatsuura Aya		The cuteness of a girl's unrequited love song
77	Sweet MemoriesMatsuda Seiko		Seiko Matsuda’s Showa-era classic songs
78	Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko		A love song by Seiko Matsuda set on a southern island
79	Sake, Tears, Men, and WomenKawashima Eigo		A signature song that entrusted the melancholy of life to booze and tears
80	ambushIshikawa Hitomi		A signature work by Hitomi Ishikawa that portrays the poignancy of unrequited love
81	Elegy of SpringShōji Shirō		A classic song from the Showa era, an elegy for lost love
82	for you…Takahashi Mariko		A classic by Mariko Takahashi that portrays deep affection
83	letterHY		Regret and growth after heartbreak, feelings for the other person
84	Withered Susuki Grass of the Shōwa Erasakura to ichirō		A classic song from the Showa era, a massive hit with 1.5 million copies sold
85	Yearning for youFuranku Nagai		An old song was rearranged in 1961 and became a hit.
86	Don’t say anything.Sono Mari		Mari Sono, a singer who represents the Showa-era Japanese pop music scene
87	Love-madnessOkumura Chiyo		Shockingly expressing the madness of love
88	The two were young.Ozaki Kiyohiko		Kiyohiko Ozaki’s tragic love melody resonates in the heart.
89	The Door to TomorrowI WiSH		When you meet someone you like in your youth, liking...
90	tricolor violetSakurada Junko		A song that entrusts a faint first love to tricolored violets
91	Surely more than anyone else in the worldNagayama Miho		Miho Nakayama and WANDS’ summer love song, a big hit
92	I wanted to see you.Haruo Oka		Haruo Oka’s sailor-themed kayō songs colored the postwar era.
93	Eyes Are DiamondMatsuda Seiko		Seiko Matsuda’s heartrending heartbreak song
94	applausechiaki naomi		A powerful masterpiece about overcoming sorrow
95	Journey of the Heartchūrippu		Tulip’s classic song that portrays the conflict of setting off on a journey
96	The one I still love even after we’ve broken upRosu Indiosu & Shirubia		A massive breakup hit featuring Silvia
97	Falling in LoveKobayashi Akiko		Singing about a poignant love for a married man
98	Red Sweet PeaMatsuda Seiko		Seiko Matsuda’s poignant spring love ballad
99	The Day the Seagulls FlewWatanabe Machiko		A 1978 hit song by Machiko Watanabe that tells a bittersweet love story
100	Do You Remember Love?Iijima Mari		Mari Iijima’s classic song, the theme of love and reunion