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	Silhouette RomanceOhashi Junko		Jazz-style ballad with emotionally rich vocals
2	I like you.Shimizu Shota		A bittersweet cell phone love song
3	Ballad of the RainYubara Masayuki		Masayuki Yuhara's wistful ballad: City Rain and Love
4	Embraced by the wintry windKoizumi Kyoko		A classic song that sings of Kyoko Koizumi’s heartrending love
5	Love without meetingUchiyamada Hiroshi to Cool Five		A classic song that portrays the bittersweet pain and intensity of a love that cannot be.
6	A Little Lovetenchi mari		A signature song by Mari Amachi that depicts the scene of first love.
7	LetterYuki Saori		Saori Yuki’s lyrical farewell song
8	Passionate loveSaijō Hideki		A passionate love, Hideki Saijo’s classic that charges straight ahead
9	Heavenly KissMatsuda Seiko		A spark of love, a heart-thrilling tune
10	A piece of youKahara Tomomi		A ballad that reflects Tomomi Kahara’s heartrending emotions
11	clownNakajima Miyuki		Miyuki Nakajima’s classic waltz. A protagonist hiding the sorrow of a broken heart.
12	Summer Days of 1993class		A ballad portraying the shift of feelings from friendship to romance
13	Bus StopTaira Koji		The feelings of a woman withdrawing from a mistaken love
14	Smiling Backkyandīzu		Spring songs of parting and memories, timeless melodies that touch the heart
15	Strings of TearsTonosama Kingusu		A signature song by Tonomachi Kings released in 1973
16	One thing I want to ask youSHISHAMO		Singing of a cute crush and pure feelings
17	A One-Night LoveKudō Shizuka		A ballad that expresses the bittersweet love of adults
18	A snap in yellow-green (moegi)anzenchitai		The famous song by Anzen Chitai that evokes the arrival of spring
19	The Door to TomorrowI WiSH		When you meet someone you like in your youth, liking...
20	dandelionŌta Hiromi		The poignancy of unrequited love expressed by dandelions
21	Fall in LoveKobayashi Akiko		A poignant ballad imbued with feelings for a white rose
22	Morning of the PegasusIgarashi Hiroaki		A classic by Hiroaki Igarashi. It portrays human relationships that go beyond romance.
23	Unrequited loveHamada Shogo		A wistful unrequited-love ballad by Shogo Hamada
24	Love Song of LumMatsutani Yūko		A classic song that sings of the bittersweet feelings of first love
25	Another SaturdayHamada Shogo		Shogo Hamada’s poignant classic ‘Another Saturday’
26	That wonderful love once moreKatō Kazuhiko, Kitayama Osamu		An earnest longing for lost love and youth
27	I wanted to see you.Haruo Oka		Haruo Oka’s sailor-themed kayō songs colored the postwar era.
28	Love Doesn’t Stop ~Turn It Into Love~Wink		A song about unrequited love that sprouted from friendship
29	Shinin’ On-kun is sad.rukku		LOOK's signature song, the sandy beach at night where we reminisce
30	Beautiful SpringKayama Yūzō		A classic hit by Yuzo Kayama that depicts a springtime romance.
31	Waltz of StarlightSen Masao		An enka love song that sings of the sorrow of parting
32	A Letter Waiting for Springyoshida takurou		A masterpiece that sings about the feelings of two people in a long-distance relationship
33	I Want to See You ~Missing You~Matsuda Seiko		A love ballad about heartbreak and reunion
34	To my distant loverSaijō Hideki		Hideo Saijo of the city: a classic song about love from his hometown
35	Song of Seeing Spring OffNoguchi Goro		Goro Noguchi’s ballad that sings of springtime farewells
36	Strawberry Statement Once Againbanban		A memorable song that sings of the bittersweet feelings of youth
37	Stranger – Theme of the Silk RoadKume Sayuri		A masterpiece whose exotic melody touches the heart
38	Twilight, My LoveOhashi Junko		This song, released in 1978, was written by Yu Aku...
39	Goodbye to sorrowanzenchitai		A song about overcoming the pain of heartbreak and finding hope for new love
40	Mischief of the spring breezeYamaguchi Momoe		Momoe Yamaguchi’s classic: the bittersweet feelings of a springtime love
41	I won’t forget.Okazaki Yuki		A heartbreak song from the north, with a memorable melody.
42	spring hazeIwasaki Hiromi		Hiromi Iwasaki’s spring love break-up song
43	TouchIwasaki Yoshimi		A song that portrays youthful romance as the theme song of Touch
44	The last spring breakMatsutōya Yumi		Yumi Matsutoya’s classic: memories of youth and farewell
45	Your NameOrii Shigeko		A memorable masterpiece of a movie theme song
46	Elegy of SpringShōji Shirō		A classic song from the Showa era, an elegy for lost love
47	for you…Takahashi Mariko		A classic by Mariko Takahashi that portrays deep affection
48	Love is vulnerable.Hide to Rozanna		A masterpiece that sings of love and pain, an eternal classic
49	Eyes Are DiamondMatsuda Seiko		Seiko Matsuda’s heartrending heartbreak song
50	Journey of the Heartchūrippu		Tulip’s classic song that portrays the conflict of setting off on a journey
51	The one I still love even after we’ve broken upRosu Indiosu & Shirubia		A massive breakup hit featuring Silvia
52	If I can see you in my dreamsOhtaki Eiichi		A classic with a wistful melody by Eiichi Ohtaki
53	Do You Remember Love?Iijima Mari		Widely known as the ending theme of the anime film…
54	I’m praying for you.Satoi Ito to Happī & Burū		Depicting a woman's heart with straightforward feelings of love
55	As long as the sun is in the skynishikino akira		A gem of a love song that expresses eternal love
56	Returning RiverGodai Natsuko		Natsuko Godai’s enka “Modorigawa,” a heartrending love story
57	I miss you so muchSono Mari		Mari Sono Shōwa 41 old footage popularity
58	Cotton HandkerchiefŌta Hiromi		Hiromi Ohta’s classic song depicting a long-distance romance
59	The Flower Girl of TokyoHaruo Oka		A 1946 classic that portrayed hope in postwar Tokyo
60	Lips NetworkOkada Yukiko		The charm of Yukiko Okada’s classic song “Red Sweet Pea”
61	You are more beautiful than a rose.Fuse Akira		Akira Fuse’s masterpiece, an emotion-filled classic about a reunion.
62	Love MemoryMatsuzaki Shigeru		Shigeru Matsuzaki’s love ballad
63	Sweet MemoriesMatsuda Seiko		If you ask about iconic songs that represent the Showa era, Seiko Matsuda...
64	My heart is stop-motionKuwae Tomoko		Tomoko Kuwae’s magnum opus that captures the feelings of springtime love with a refreshing melody
65	Drinks for twoAzusa Michiyo		A song that gently accepts the parting of love
66	Mysterious Peach PieTakeuchi Mariya		Mariya Takeuchi’s spring song, expressing the exhilaration of love with refreshing clarity
67	I’ll wait.amin		A Shōwa-era love song that gently sings of unrequited love
68	High School LullabyImokin Torio		Imo Kin Trio’s classic Showa-era unrequited love song
69	Love Dial 6700Fingā 5		Depicts a graduation ceremony romance in Finger 5’s signature song
70	Second LoveNakamori Akina		Known as a classic song from the Showa era, this work was released in 1982…
71	MissingKubota Toshinobu		Among the famous Showa-era ballads of the 1980s…
72	foreignerKUBOTA Saki		The allure of Saki Kubota’s classic song “Ihōjin” (Stranger)
73	Boat SongYashiro Aki		Aki Yashiro's classic Showa-era ballads
74	And then I’m at a lossŌsawa Yoshiyuki		A masterpiece widely known as one of the signature songs of the Showa era...
75	youKozaka Akiko		A song that portrays dreams for the future and the bittersweetness of farewell
76	The arrival of springKoyanagi Rumiko		A popular song by Rumiko Koyanagi that heralds the arrival of spring
77	Equator Sweetheart, Thump!Yamashita Kumiko		Kumiko Yamashita’s summer love song is a big hit
78	hopeKishi Yoko		An iconic, heart-touching masterpiece representing the Showa era
79	MUGO… so sexyKudō Shizuka		A masterpiece that sings feelings beyond words
80	loveMatsuyama Chiharu		Chiharu Matsuyama’s, released in 1980 (Showa 55)…
81	Pink Unrequited LoveMatsuura Aya		The cuteness of a girl's unrequited love song
82	Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko		A love song by Seiko Matsuda set on a southern island
83	Our FailureMorita Doji		A classic of the Showa era, capturing the wistful melancholy of youth
84	As time goes bysawada kenji		Among the masterpieces of the Showa era, this work shines with a special brilliance...
85	Sake, Tears, Men, and WomenKawashima Eigo		A signature song that entrusted the melancholy of life to booze and tears
86	ambushIshikawa Hitomi		A signature work by Hitomi Ishikawa that portrays the poignancy of unrequited love
87	letterHY		Regret and growth after heartbreak, feelings for the other person
88	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
89	Yearning for youFuranku Nagai		An old song was rearranged in 1961 and became a hit.
90	Don’t say anything.Sono Mari		Mari Sono, a singer who represents the Showa-era Japanese pop music scene
91	Love-madnessOkumura Chiyo		Shockingly expressing the madness of love
92	The two were young.Ozaki Kiyohiko		Kiyohiko Ozaki’s tragic love melody resonates in the heart.
93	Surely more than anyone else in the worldNagayama Miho		Miho Nakayama and WANDS’ summer love song, a big hit
94	tricolor violetSakurada Junko		A song that entrusts a faint first love to tricolored violets
95	applausechiaki naomi		A powerful masterpiece about overcoming sorrow
96	My loverGorin Mayumi		Mayumi Itsuwa’s biggest hit is born
97	Falling in LoveKobayashi Akiko		Singing about a poignant love for a married man
98	First loveMurashita Kōzō		Kozo Murashita’s unrequited love song masterpiece
99	Red Sweet PeaMatsuda Seiko		This song sung by Seiko Matsuda slowly seeps into the heart...
100	The Day the Seagulls FlewWatanabe Machiko		A 1978 hit song by Machiko Watanabe that tells a bittersweet love story