Classic Japanese songs I want to listen to leisurely on the weekend

SaturdayNEW!Mr.Children

Mr.Children「Saturday」MUSIC VIDEO

Mr.Children is a four-piece rock band that enjoys nationwide popularity and has long led Japan’s music scene.

Released in February 2026, their song “Saturday” is a pre-release track from their 22nd album, “Ubugoe” (First Cry).

Its lyrics, which depict a scene of relaxing in a room on a Saturday afternoon, may help anyone leading a busy life to unwind.

The band’s groove adds color to everyday life.

dead endHoshino Gen

Gen Hoshino – Dead End [Official Video]

Ikidomari, the theme song for the film A Moon in the Flatlands, by Gen Hoshino.

It’s a quiet love song composed only of piano and vocals.

The lyrics, which depict adult loss and regret—continuing to harbor feelings for someone unforgettable even while standing at a dead end—resonate deeply.

Hoshino has commented that it’s “not a song about myself, but a song that tells the story within the song in the first person,” which shows how faithfully it conveys the film’s worldview.

Please take your time and immerse yourself in its poignant afterglow.

cherrysupittsu

Spitz / Cherry

Although it’s a song for an older generation, I think quite a few teenagers listen to it too.

The melody and vocals are refreshing and gentle, making it a great background music choice for spending some relaxing, personal time.

Even people who haven’t heard it much before will likely find it to be a good song, so I’d love for you to give it a listen at least once.

strangeEasycome

Easycome 「strange」

This is a song by Easycome, an Osaka-based band known for their refreshingly nostalgic sound.

It’s included on their mini-album “Otenki Deshita,” released in August 2017.

With its bittersweet melody and Chiikama’s clear, expansive vocals, it beautifully evokes the days of youth gone by.

The lyrics portray a delicate emotional landscape where a touch of loneliness at taking a new step mingles with anticipation for the future.

It’s a perfect number for an evening drive or a relaxed moment at home.

WATAGUMOKroi

Kroi – WATAGUMO [Official Video] #Kroi_WATAGUMO

A chill number that captivates with a pleasant sense of weightlessness and mellow groove.

It’s a 2021 November release from Kroi, a band that fuses diverse styles like R&B and funk.

This track is the lead song from the EP “nerd,” reportedly created in pursuit of “sounds that feel good to the ear.” Its sonic palette and lyrics—layering elusive emotions and a modern sense of loneliness onto cottony clouds—offer quiet introspection and relaxation at once.

It’s great as background music for work or studying.

For ten minutes, for a hundred yen feat. Moka Sato, KujiraMAISONdes

【310】[feat. Moka Sato, Kujira] For ten minutes, for a hundred yen / MAISONdes

MAISONdes is a music project that weaves stories of a “six-tatami-mat apartment somewhere.” This track is a collaboration between Moka Sato and Kujira.

The theme is the small, everyday respite spent at a laundromat.

With a relaxed tempo and Moka Sato’s clear, translucent vocals, it gently eases the confusion and fatigue of growing up.

On nights when you want to step away from the busyness of daily life and reset your mind, listening to this gentle melody is sure to bring you a sense of calm.

Luv(sic) feat.Shing02Nujabes

Nujabes – Luv(sic) feat.Shing02 [Official Audio]

This is a work by the globally acclaimed music producer Nujabes.

Created together with rapper Shing02, this track was produced under the concept of “a letter to the goddess of music.” A deep love for the creative process is poetically expressed over a jazzy, soothing beat.

It’s a piece that gently accompanies you—perfect as background music for focused work or as a companion at the end of the day.