[2026] Must-listen! This Year's Best Japanese Hit Songs

A Lump of LoveDOMOTO

DOMOTO - “A Lump of Love - Promotion Movie -”

It’s a love ballad where warmth and heartache live side by side.

In 2025, when KinKi Kids renamed the group DOMOTO, the song they released as a symbol of their new start was a gem that originally appeared in 2001 as the B-side to “Hey! Minna Genkikai?”.

The lyrics crafted by Tsuyoshi Domoto are written from a woman’s perspective on the night she’s proposed to, delicately capturing the anxieties that arise precisely at the peak of happiness and the longing to trust her partner.

Another hallmark is the melody composed by Koichi Domoto, designed with a structure that makes it easy for anyone to harmonize.

Why not give it a listen on a winter night spent with your loved one?

Sorry for singing.AKASAKI

[AKASAKI] Sorry for Singing / Utatte Gomen [Music Video]

This song was released for streaming in November 2025 as the TV commercial theme for NEC’s PC brand “LAVIE.” It’s the 18th single by AKASAKI, a singer-songwriter who rose to prominence on TikTok, and it’s marked by a passionate acoustic guitar sound reminiscent of flamenco.

The lyrics depict a boy charging forward without knowing right from left, and convey the protagonist’s inner conflict and resolve—he’s torn yet can’t stop singing.

From the anxiety over rusting talent to the friction with someone dear, there’s an irrepressible urge to raise one’s voice nonetheless.

It’s a powerful track that gives you a push when you need the courage to step into something new.

loveUru

[Official] Uru “Ai”

Included on the 16th single “Platform,” released in November 2025, this song was written and composed by Uru herself, with arrangement by guitarist Shingo Sekiguchi.

It is a work that weaves the pain and tenderness of continuing to think of someone dear, expressed in straightforward words.

It carries a message that gently touches each listener’s own memories.

A moving love song best savored at night, alone with your thoughts.

Welcome To Our Show TonightTravis Japan

Travis Japan – ‘Welcome To Our Show Tonight’ Music Video

A glamorous swing-jazz number from Travis Japan.

Featured on the album ‘s travelers,’ this track stands out with its big-band-style horn section and buoyant rhythms, giving you the exhilaration of being there the moment a Broadway curtain rises.

The lyrics carry a message: forget your daily fatigue and enjoy the show together—your smile is the missing piece that completes the stage.

It’s a show tune you’ll want to play when you need a boost.

trajectoryVaundy

trajectory

This work, Vaundy’s first full-fledged orchestral piece, possesses an overwhelming sense of scale that evokes the history of the Earth and the endeavors of humankind.

It carries a message that conjures the flow of time connecting the past to the future, and together with its weighty sound, it resonates deeply with listeners.

Chosen as the theme song for the TBS program “World Heritage,” it will be released digitally in November 2025.

The recording at London’s prestigious Abbey Road Studios also became a major talking point.

NON STOPHANA

HANA / NON STOP -Music Video-

Created as the track to cap off HANA’s debut year, this song is an aggressive dance tune packed with the year’s relentless sprint and a determination to “make dreams come true.” Over a heavy beat infused with hip-hop and trap elements, rapid-fire switches between English and Japanese rap unfold alongside a melodious hook.

The confident vocal performance meshes perfectly with the hard-hitting sound.

It’s a number that gives you strength when you want to charge headlong toward your dreams.

MAKE IT, BREAK ITFLOW GLOW

MAKE IT, BREAK IT

Break the status quo—or break yourself.

This is a fierce dance track that surges forward with a razor’s-edge intensity.

It’s a song by the five-member unit FLOW GLOW, released in November 2025.

The ambition to escape a dull everyday life and seize the center of the stage with friends is vividly conveyed through the five members’ distinctive raps and vocals.

The heartbeat-raising beat makes it perfect for moments when you need to fire yourself up.

Give it a listen when everything’s on the line.