For men in their 30s: Heart-touching breakup songs—masterpieces that can move grown men to tears

From our joined handsNEW!back number

back number – From the Hands We Held (full)

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.

OrangeSMAP

Orange – SMAP (Full)

A classic released in 2000 by SMAP, a national idol group that produced numerous hit songs.

Known for leaving behind songs that still resonate with people—such as “Yozora no Mukou,” “Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana,” and “Lion Heart”—this work by them is a heartrending ballad about parting.

Maplesupittsu

Spitz / Kaede

Spitz’s 19th single, released in 1998.

It has been used as a TV drama’s theme and insert songs, as well as in commercials, and in December 2025 a film based on this song will be released—proof that this gem of a heartbreak song has been cherished for many years.

Today it is covered by many artists and is often sung at choral festivals.

Masamune Kusano’s gentle vocals and the wistful melody truly touch the heart.

Blue BenchSasuke

Blue Bench / Sasuke

A male duo from Saitama, Sasuke released their debut single in 2004.

It became their biggest hit.

It later drew attention when the unit Tegomass, consisting of Yuya Tegoshi and Takahisa Masuda, covered it.

It’s a poignant song about the regret of wishing you’d been more honest in saying you liked someone.

somedaySaucy Dog

Saucy Dog "Someday" MUSIC VIDEO

A straightforward, sincere love song that brings the pain and ache of heartbreak to your chest.

Through real landscapes—like the empty park at Tawarayama and the starry hillside—the woven memories vividly portray feelings for a precious person you can never meet again.

Released in May 2017 as a track on the album “Country Road,” the song wraps an everlasting romance in warm lyrics that also weave in the local Shimane dialect.

Its gentle melody resonates comfortingly with those who want to hold their one-sided memories close, and with those who can’t quite put an end to a past love.

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

A heartrending ballad that likens a breakup with a live-in lover to the children’s game “hide-and-seek.” Through images like the tumbler left behind and a messy room, it vividly portrays a man’s feelings shrouded in emptiness and loneliness.

Yuuri’s delicate vocals and the simple, guitar-centered arrangement beautifully capture the pain of heartbreak.

Released in December 2019, the recording was supervised by Hiro from MY FIRST STORY.

The music video, directed by Elizabeth Miyaji and featuring actress Yuu Kinoyama, further deepens the work’s world.

It is a gem of a love song that closely resonates with those who have just experienced a breakup or who still yearn for someone dear.

Snow SmileBUMP OF CHICKEN

Snow Smile @ Zepp Sapporo

A four-member Japanese rock band.

In 2002, their song “Tentai Kansoku” became a huge hit.

This is BUMP OF CHICKEN’s fifth single, released in 2004.

Although the lyrics seem cute and like a happy love song, it’s actually a heartbreaking song about lost love.