[Tanabata Song] Exquisite Japanese love songs to listen to under the starry sky
When it comes to Tanabata on July 7, the famous story is that it’s the one day of the year when Orihime and Hikoboshi are allowed to meet.
Maybe because of that episode, don’t you find yourself wanting to listen to fleeting, bittersweet love songs when Tanabata comes around? In this article, we’ll introduce love songs with a Tanabata theme that we recommend, as well as tracks that will move those in long-distance relationships and romantic songs that are perfect for the night sky.
If you’re looking for BGM for a Tanabata event or want to expand your karaoke repertoire, be sure to check it out!
- Songs of the constellations: classic and popular tracks you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the night sky
- A timeless masterpiece that lets you feel the cosmos. A space-themed song filled with dreams and love, evoking starry skies and galaxies.
- Masterpieces that sing of the stars. Star songs that resonate in the heart, best heard beneath the night sky.
- A song perfect for fireworks that color the summer night sky
- [July Songs] A selection of Japanese summer tunes perfect for the start of the season!
- A love song for grown-ups. A romantic tune to listen to at night.
- [Adultery Song] A forbidden song about an affair that sings of an impossible love
- Popular songs on MixChannel. Heart-throbbing tunes [Dance cover / Lyrics video]
- Songs to give to your lover or someone you like. Love songs devoted wholeheartedly to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Love songs you want to listen to in summer. Love songs that color the summer.
- [Summer Love Songs] Hot and Heart-wrenching! Carefully Selected Summer Tunes of Love That Set Your Heart Ablaze
- Hidden gems of Japanese love songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- [Love Songs] Must-Relate! A Selection of Japanese Love Songs with Great Lyrics
[Tanabata Songs] Exquisite Japanese Love Songs to Hear Under the Starry Sky (61–70)
ORIONNakajima Mika
A great song I recommend that expresses the feeling of not being able to see your beloved is Mika Nakashima’s “ORION”! Released in 2008 as her 27th single, it’s one of her signature tracks and reached No.
6 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.
It was featured as an insert song in the TBS drama “Ryusei no Kizuna” and became a hot topic along with the show.
It’s a masterpiece filled with a bittersweet emotion, like capturing the feelings of Orihime and Hikoboshi, who can’t meet until Tanabata.
If you haven’t listened to it yet, be sure to check it out—along with the drama!
Saddle of a Shooting StarKubota Toshinobu
“Ryusei no Saddle” is a track included on Toshinobu Kubota’s first album, “SHAKE IT PARADISE.” It’s dance music with a 1990s R&B vibe that showcases Kubota’s appeal to the fullest.
“Ryusei no Saddle” is highly regarded by fans and within the industry, and although it was never released as a single, it was included on his best-of album.
While it’s not directly related to Tanabata, since it sings about shooting stars, it might be a nice song to listen to on Tanabata.
shooting starMagokoro Burazāzu
Recommended for those who want to listen to songs with a relaxed rhythm.
This is a track by the rock band Magokoro Brothers, formed in 1988.
It was released in 2001 as their 23rd single.
As the first installment of their “Farewell Song Trilogy,” it’s a poignant love song from a man’s perspective, singing of lingering feelings for someone he loved who is no longer there.
On the night of Tanabata, be sure to listen while gazing up at the starry sky.
SpacewalkDECO*27
This work is a song by the Vocaloid producer DECO*27, released on July 7, 2023.
Inspired by the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi, it’s a perfect Tanabata love song that portrays bittersweet romance and the fragility of human relationships.
Sung by Hatsune Miku, it conveys the complexity of affection and the fleeting surges of emotion.
The lyrics, intertwining the sweetness of love with the pain of its end, resonate deeply with listeners.
It’s a striking track that showcases DECO*27’s exceptional sensibility.
long-distance relationshipRADWIMPS
A track from the 2006 album “RADWIMPS 4: Okazu no Gohan,” which was soaring in popularity at the time.
While RADWIMPS often sing from personal experience, this was reportedly their first song written as fiction—a unique piece that likens the small distance of a minor misunderstanding to Orihime and Hikoboshi.
People say couples grow closer after fights, and love strengthens through various clashes.
It’s the kind of song you’ll want to listen to precisely because you can’t meet, so it’s perfect for Tanabata.
The brisk guitar rhythm is memorable, and its positivity—turning distance into an ally—will lift your spirits!
summer festivalWhiteberry
At the time, Whiteberry was an all-girl band of 15- and 16-year-olds, and their signature song was Natsu Matsuri.
It’s a cover of a track by the band JITTERIN’JINN, but Whiteberry made it so much their own that they even performed it on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
The image of a girl’s summer-festival romance fits them perfectly, making it an ideal song for the group.
A sky full of holesadieu
A song released under the name adieu, which is the singer name of Moka Kamishiraishi—who is also active as an actress—was chosen as the ending theme for the anime Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.
Its sound carries a curious floating sensation that blends wistfulness and freshness, evoking an image of someone facing their own heart.
The lyrics, which express suffering and pain, are striking and convey strongly that love is not only about happiness.
It’s a transparent track that contrasts the changing sky with one’s inner feelings.
