Winter Songs: Classic tracks you want to listen to in winter. Songs you long for during the winter.

Snow MenHoshino Gen

Gen Hoshino – Snow Men (Official Video)

This is a number by Gen Hoshino, a singer-songwriter who shows his multifaceted talents not only in music but also as an actor and writer.

It’s included on the album YELLOW DANCER, released in December 2015, and was written as the theme song for Shiseido Maquillage’s web movie Snow Beauty.

Snow tends to evoke a cold image, but the groove rooted in Black music and the gently feverish vocals create a pleasantly warm feeling.

The mature sound is captivating, as if the quiet of falling snow coexists with a hidden inner passion.

It’s a track you’ll want to savor on a winter night when you’d like to spend a romantic, moody time—distinct from lively winter songs.

BreathNEW!Laputa

Breath – Laputa

Laputa, a flagship band of the Nagoya-kei subgenre that steadfastly upheld its own aesthetics in the ’90s visual kei scene.

The winter scenery they depict goes beyond a mere seasonal song, coexisting with taut tension and beauty.

Released as a single in January 1999, this work also reached living rooms as the opening theme of the TV program “Rank Kingdom.” True to its title, within a worldview where even “breath” seems to freeze white, the interplay of aki’s heartrending, piercing vocals and Kouichi’s meticulous guitar work can only be described as art.

Also included on the album “Sho ~Kakera~ Hadaka,” it remains beloved by fans as a signature number from the band’s later period.

It’s a winter masterpiece that lingers in the history of ’90s visual kei, the kind you’ll want to listen to alone on a frigid winter night, sinking into the silence and its profound afterglow.

Winter LoveBoA

BoA / Winter Love

With its heartrending lyrics and sweeping melody, this winter song profoundly moves listeners.

BoA’s powerful vocals blend into the cold air, beautifully capturing a frigid sense of loneliness and the yearning for warmth.

Released as a single in November 2006, it was also included on the milestone album MADE IN TWENTY (20).

The song was used as an ending theme for programs on Nippon TV and is a celebrated classic that won a Gold Award at the 48th Japan Record Awards.

There’s even an anecdote that the music video was filmed in a giant freezer, visually conveying the chill.

It’s a track that seeps into the heart—perfect for those skin-craving-for-warmth seasons, the kind you want to listen to alone on a quiet night.

LAT.43°N 〜forty-three degrees north〜NEW!DREAMS COME TRUE

LAT.43°N 〜forty-three degrees north latitude〜

The duo affectionately known as “DoriCam,” DREAMS COME TRUE.

This single, released in November 1989 and also included on the classic album LOVE GOES ON…, is an early masterpiece.

Set in a city at 43 degrees north latitude, its lyrics poignantly portray the heartache of a long-distance relationship and the sense of separation felt over the phone.

The anxiety of time spent apart overlaps with the chill of winter, resonating deeply with listeners.

While it wasn’t a major chart hit at the time of release, it was later included on a best-of album and frequently ranks high in live request polls, cementing its status as a hidden gem.

How about listening to it on a quiet, snowy night, when you want to immerse yourself in its lyrical world alone?

Snowlit TownNEW!saitou yuki

Snowlit Town

Yuki Saito, a top idol representing the 1980s who continues to shine today as a skilled actress.

This work is included on the album “Yuki no Danshō Sound Sketch,” released in December 1985 as a related piece to the film “Fragments of Snow – Passion,” in which she starred.

The contrast between the snowy scenery painted by Takashi Matsumoto and the artificial lights seeps into the heart, carried by Takao Kisugi’s poignant melody.

Although it was never released as a single, its serene beauty has made it a beloved hidden gem among fans.

On a winter night when the cold bites, if you want to sit quietly and reflect in a warm room, why not listen to Yuki Saito’s crystal-clear singing voice?

Christmas EveYuuri

Yuuri 'Christmas Eve' Official Music Video

This is a winter ballad characterized by a poignant melody and lyrics that resonate with the heart.

It was released digitally in November 2022 and was also included on the album “Ni,” which came out in March of the following year.

With Yuuri’s expansive vocals, it delicately captures the loneliness felt on Christmas Eve and the pain of a lost love.

The gentle guitar sound also really sinks into your chest.

I think it’s a song that stays close to your heart when you listen to it on a winter night alone, or when you’re trying to overcome a farewell with someone important.

Snow SmileShimizu Shota

Shota Shimizu “SNOW SMILE” Music Video (Full Size)

Set against Christmas, this song became a hot topic for its music video depicting the reunion and parting of long-distance lovers.

Many viewers surely felt their hearts tighten watching the couple portrayed by Nana Komatsu and Kentaro Ito.

Released as a single in November 2014 by Shota Shimizu, a hugely popular R&B singer, it was also used as an insert song for the “Christmas Carol Clock” event held at the commercial complex Ikspiari.

Its warm melody and bittersweet vocals, which seem to fill the loneliness of time spent apart, resonate through winter streets.

Realistically capturing the feelings of two people treasuring their limited time together, this piece is a love ballad that stands beside anyone who has experienced a long-distance relationship, coloring the winters of the Heisei era.