Crying songs, tear-jerker tunes. A request of tears dedicated to you.
When you hear the phrase “tearjerker song,” what kind of track comes to mind?
A heartbreaking breakup song, a love song that sings of earnest devotion, a piece that tells a moving story, an anthem that cheers on life, a song about loss…
Even just listing them like this shows how many kinds of tearjerker songs there are, doesn’t it?
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of masterpieces that shake us listeners to the core—songs you can’t hear without tears.
We’ve picked out all kinds of genres and moods—above all, songs that will make you cry.
If you find one that resonates with your experiences and feelings, it’s sure to become a treasured song for you.
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Crying songs, tear-jerker tunes. A request of tears dedicated to you (161–170)
Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi
This gem of a ballad, carried by a gentle, heart-stirring piano tone, sings of feelings for a precious person who keeps moving forward toward the future.
Aoi Teshima’s crystalline voice beautifully conveys a sense of nostalgia for one’s hometown and a pure, unadorned heart.
Included on the album “Ren’dez-vous,” released in July 2014, it was later chosen as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Love That Makes You Cry” in February 2016, and it has also been featured in a commercial for Aflac Life Insurance.
Embracing listeners with images of innocent childhood smiles and hometown scenery while encouraging them to face forward, this song offers gentle comfort to those living away from the places they call home.
crescent moonayaka
This ambitious work powerfully sings of the aching feelings of longing for a faraway lover.
Released as a single in September 2006, it showcases Ayaka’s outstanding expressive ability to the fullest.
The song is memorable for its forward-looking resolve to overcome parting and loneliness with a loved one, as well as its strong will to keep thinking of that person, while also conveying a sense of a positive future.
It was featured as the CM song for au’s “LISMO” and as the theme song for NHK General TV’s “Tsunagaru TV @ Human,” and it won the Best New Artist Award at the 48th Japan Record Awards.
It’s a song that offers comfort to those in long-distance relationships or anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone dear.
Crying songs, tearjerker tracks. A tearful request dedicated to you (171–180)
How to Love AfterimagesTele
A delicate sonic world, woven to gently embrace the pain and regret that lie deep within the heart.
Riding on Tele’s slowly flowing, lyrical melodies, the song about a lost love quietly stays close to the listener’s heart.
The tender, almost whispering vocals and the dreamlike soundscape that seems to reflect a city at night create a space filled with a familiar, aching nostalgia.
Released in February 2025, this work serves as the theme song for Tele’s nationwide tour, coloring 12 shows across 9 cities starting in March.
It’s a song that gently accompanies those who have experienced parting with a loved one or who carry unspoken feelings in their hearts.
Maplesupittsu
A gem of a ballad that weaves a fleeting yet beautiful farewell scene with a clear, transparent melody.
Released by Spitz in July 1998 from the album “Fake Fur,” this song tenderly sings of longing for what has been lost.
It portrays the heartache that gradually softens over time and the strength to keep looking forward, carried by a warm, gentle performance.
Beginning with its use in the 1999 Fuji TV drama “Over Time” and continuing through to the network’s 2022 series “silent,” it has colored many stories.
It’s a song to listen to when your heart is deeply wounded or when you’ve said goodbye to someone dear.
Masamune Kusano’s tender, comforting vocals are sure to become a source of support for your heart.
motherHikawa Kiyoshi
This is a hit song by Kiyoshi Hikawa that sings of deep love and gratitude for a mother.
Set to a gentle, warm melody, it conveys feelings for a cherished presence and the universal bond between mother and child.
Crafted by a stellar production team, this gem portrays the profound parent-child connection and unconditional love through a moving vocal performance.
Released in February 2020, it received high acclaim, including the Best Vocal Performance award at the 62nd Japan Record Awards.
With Rei Nakanishi’s delicate lyrics and Masato Sugimoto’s emotionally rich melody in perfect harmony, it’s an ideal gift for Mother’s Day.
Why not entrust the gratitude that’s hard to put into words to this song and give it to someone special?
AnswerIkuta Rira
Lila Ikuta delivers a heartwarming medium-tempo ballad that gently stays close to the anxieties and uncertainties of one’s future.
Amid a grand, dramatic arrangement, its warm melody stands out—offering the courage to take a step forward toward tomorrow while facing loneliness and pain.
It’s an encouraging song that softly nudges those who are unsure of their path.
Released in March 2021, the piece was also featured as the CM song for Tokio Marine Nichido Anshin Life’s “Disability Income Insurance,” resonating with many listeners.
It’s a moving, tear-evoking track we hope those searching for their own way, or spending days without clear answers, will hear.
I can’t put it into wordsofukōsu
Partings from those dear to us, encounters with the ones we love, and emotions too deep for words.
This gem of a ballad, released by Off Course in February 1982, gently sings of such delicate moments in life.
Kazumasa Oda’s clear, pure voice and the beautiful melody seep deep into the heart.
The song is included on the album “over” and was released as a double A-side single with “Kimi ni Okuru Uta.” In 1999, it was chosen for a life insurance company’s commercial, once again moving the hearts of many.
It’s a song to play when your feelings for someone overflow or when you want to express gratitude to someone precious.