Tear-jerking songs recommended for men in their 30s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
I think everyone has times when they want to cry.
When you’re feeling down, hurt, or just want to let the tears flow…
That’s exactly when certain lyrics can pierce your heart.
I’ve put together some recommended songs that can stay by your side through all those different emotions that make you want to cry!
Tear-jerking songs recommended for men in their 30s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (1–10)
me me sheRADWIMPS
Let me introduce a classic ballad that sings of a man’s aching heart, still thinking of his former lover even after the breakup.
Created by RADWIMPS, one of Japan’s leading popular bands, this track is included on their landmark album “RADWIMPS 4: Okazu no Gohan,” released in December 2006.
Despite never being released as a single, it has long enjoyed overwhelming support among fans.
The lyrics vividly depict the lingering attachment to a love that has ended, as well as the ego that, while wishing for the other’s happiness, can’t help but prioritize oneself.
The world of Yojiro Noda’s honest and complex emotional landscape—so distinctly his—will pierce the hearts of adults who usually put on a brave face.
On nights when you carry a weakness you can tell no one about, why not listen to this song alone in silence and let yourself cry your heart out?
Mikan HeartC&K
There’s nothing more painful than knowing your feelings won’t reach the person you love.
This is a song by the male music duo C&K, made up of CLIEVY and KEEN, released in October 2013 as their 10th single.
It’s a ballad marked by a poignant piano and deeply emotive vocals.
Centered on the theme of an “unfinished heart,” the lyrics portray longing and hurt for someone special, leaving a deep impression on listeners.
Many of us have probably had moments—on the way home from work or alone at night—when a sudden memory of someone brought us to tears.
CLIEVY’s high tone layered with KEEN’s warm voice amplifies the heartache.
The music video, featuring Haruma Miura and Naoko Watanabe, also drew attention for its dramatic depiction of the song’s worldview.
Included on the album “CK AND MORE…,” it remains a beloved classic.
It’s a must-listen for adult men who can’t cut off lingering feelings—when your head says you shouldn’t fall in love, but your heart can’t keep up.
Happinessback number
Back number, known for lyrics and melodies that ache and tighten the chest, has won wide support.
This work is the B-side track included on their major-label debut single “Hanabira,” released in April 2011.
It was later included on the album “Superstar,” released in October of the same year, and has continued to be cherished by fans as a hidden gem.
Realizing that the person you love is thinking of someone other than you, yet being able to stay by their side only by wishing for their happiness—these painfully selfless feelings and inner conflicts are depicted in the lyrics, piercing listeners’ hearts.
The beautiful arrangement incorporating strings further stirs the emotions.
For those suffering from unrequited love or who have once prayed for a loved one’s happiness from afar, this is a song that will bring you to tears.
umbrellaKing Gnu
This is a mid-tempo track that resonates with King Gnu’s signature sophisticated sound, linking rainy scenery with a sense of emotional loss.
Daiki Tsuneta’s wistful melodies intertwine with Satoru Iguchi’s crystal-clear vocals to beautifully portray the helplessness of a love that has ended.
Released in October 2019 and included on the album CEREMONY, the song also drew wide attention as the commercial theme for Bourbon’s Alfort featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.
The lyrics, which express the loneliness of a man left behind in a room after his partner is gone and the unfillable void in his heart, may be painful for some to hear.
If you listen quietly alone on a sleepless night, the tears you’ve been holding back might begin to flow.
PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism
An unbridgeable distance and the reality that you can’t make the other person happy yourself.
This song, a signature track by Official HIGE DANDism, vividly portrays that heartrending struggle.
Written as the theme song for the 2019 film “The Confidence Man JP,” it pairs a pop melody with lyrics that cut deep into the heart.
Satoshi Fujwara’s emotional vocals painfully convey a sense of powerlessness against fate, along with a pure love that persists nonetheless.
Swallowing the words “I love you,” he simply engraves the other’s beauty in his heart and walks away…
That mature exit brings tears to your eyes.
If your chest aches from an unrequited love, immerse yourself in this world.
The song that comes afterback number
back number portrays lingering attachment and regret after a breakup in unadorned, down-to-earth words.
“Ato no Uta,” included on their indie-era album Ato no Matsuri, is a hidden gem released in June 2010.
The lyrics describe the ironic psychology where deliberately avoiding reminders in an effort to forget only makes you more conscious of the other person’s presence.
By refusing to dress up the pain of heartbreak and instead depicting it as traces that remain in everyday life, the song’s words carry a wrenching sense of reality.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to on nights when the sadness of parting hasn’t healed and memories resurface in unguarded moments.
If you’re standing still, unable to sort out a past love, this song will gently stay by your side.
See you againSEAMO
When it comes to SEAMO’s signature ballad that intertwines the bittersweet pain of parting with compassion for the other person, it has to be this song.
Many men have surely found themselves moved to tears, overlaying it with their own experiences.
The gentle, conversational rap and the memorable chorus melody really leave an impression.
Rather than ending the breakup as something purely sad, the lyrics aim to affirm the other person’s future and send them off—something adult men can particularly relate to.
Released in April 2006 as his fourth single, it later became well-loved as the theme song for the anime Tokyo Marble Chocolate.
Also included on the album Live Goes On, this is a track you’ll want to listen to alone on nights when you’re putting on a brave face but are truly lonely, unable to sort out your feelings.
From our joined handsback number
Back Number’s lifelike depictions that capture everyday, ordinary scenes are deeply moving.
This work is their 10th single, released in March 2014.
It opens the classic album “Love Story” and was also used in a JTB Premium commercial.
Despite its bright and lighthearted sound, it is filled with lingering feelings for a lost love and reflections on personal weakness.
Realizing someone’s importance only after a relationship ends, or being suddenly struck by a pang of sadness—these are emotions many people have experienced, aren’t they? This is a heartbreak song that will stay close to anyone who lies awake at night remembering a past love, or quietly sheds tears when they can’t sort out their feelings.
balladKetsumeishi
This work by Ketsumeishi gently embraces listeners with a melody overflowing with songcraft, keeping the rapping to a minimum.
It’s their 24th single, released in January 2011, and it became widely familiar as the theme song for Nippon TV’s information program “Sukkiri!!”.
Sung over a quiet arrangement woven from piano and strings, the lyrics convey the pain of unrequited love and a yearning for a beloved that refuses to fade.
Even an adult man who usually keeps his emotions under wraps may find the long-suppressed ache welling up when he hears this song, perhaps even moved to tears.
It’s a touching adult love ballad that makes you want to listen alone, quietly, on a sleepless night.
Close your eyesHirai Ken
The moment that poignant piano intro begins, many of you may feel your memories from that time come rushing back.
This is the 20th single by singer-songwriter Ken Hirai, who continues to captivate countless fans with his overwhelming vocal prowess and expressive artistry.
Written as the theme song for the 2004 film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World,” it became a historic hit, topping the year-end charts.
The lyrics, which portray the sorrow of mourning a lost lover and the resolve to go on loving them in memory, never fail to bring listeners to tears.
Also included on the album “SENTIMENTALovers,” this ballad gently accompanies the heart of a man living on while carrying an unforgettable love.
On a night when you want to quietly lose yourself in memories alone, give it a listen.