Winter Songs: Classic tracks you want to listen to in winter. Songs you long for during the winter.
When you think of “songs you want to listen to in winter,” what comes to mind?
In the J-POP scene, countless winter songs are released every year, and there are so many popular hits as well as hidden gems!
Of course there are tracks that depict snow and Christmas, but even songs without explicit seasonal words—those whose sound evokes the atmosphere of winter—are captivating.
I’m sure you also have a special winter song of your own.
In this article, we introduce timeless tunes that will stir up fond memories or make you want to listen as they match the winter scenery.
From love songs to pieces that sing of beautiful winter landscapes, we hope you’ll find a track that resonates with your heart.
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[Winter Songs] Masterpieces to listen to in winter. Songs you long for in winter (41–50)
Dear Snowarashi
A supreme winter ballad by Arashi that begins with a wistful yet warm intro.
Its lyrics evoke an oath of eternal love, and the fragile, beautiful melody deeply resonates in the heart.
Released in October 2010 as their 33rd single, it was used as the theme song for the film Ōoku, starring group member Kazunari Ninomiya.
Combined with the film’s fantastical, emotive atmosphere, it’s a masterpiece that quietly stirs the listener’s soul.
It debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart, becoming a memorable hit for many.
The song is also included on the album Beautiful World.
It’s a track you’ll want to savor on a quiet night as snow falls softly—why not immerse yourself in its world in a warm room while thinking of someone dear?
A winter fairy is melting a snowmanKimura Kaera
With a glittering synthesizer tone resounding through the intro, can’t you instantly picture a wintry scene the moment you hear it? Sung by Kaela Kimura, this song introduces fantastical motifs like winter fairies and snowmen, drawing listeners into a picture-book-like, wondrous world.
Released as a single in December 2010, it played in living rooms across Japan as an NTT DoCoMo commercial song at the time.
It was also featured in a LINE MUSIC commercial in 2017, making it a beloved winter classic that transcends eras.
It was her first release after giving birth as well, and beneath its cuteness you can feel a strong sense of resolve.
The dance beat that makes you want to move your cold, huddled body is perfect for car rides on the way to the slopes or for livening up winter events.
Snow SmileShimizu Shota
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.
Christmas songback number
When it comes to winter songs and Christmas songs, many of them are mellow, yet somehow they still manage to lift you into the Christmas spirit.
back number’s “Christmas Song” is also a very relaxed, tender track that makes you feel the winter breeze, but it still brings a little excitement and a flutter to your heart.
It’s a love song like a letter, confessing your feelings to someone you love, and it resonates especially with couples—a number that heightens the winter mood.
Outside, it’s a night of white snow.yoshida takurou
It’s a wistful yet beautiful ballad you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the snowy landscape outside the window.
The lyrics paint such a vivid scene of a man initiating a breakup and a woman accepting it that you can almost see their dialogue unfold—an exquisite fusion of the talents of lyricist Takashi Matsumoto and Takuro Yoshida.
The song appears on the album “Rolling 30,” released in November 1978.
Though not a single, it has long been cherished by fans as a hidden gem and was performed at the Tsuma Koi concert in 2006.
On a quiet winter night, why not listen to it as if you were watching a short film? It’s sure to become a deeply memorable musical experience.
silentSEKAI NO OWARI
A wistful Christmas song draped in the stillness of winter.
Released in December 2020, it was used as the theme song for the drama “Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka.” It paints a scene in a pure white world where only the voice of a lost loved one echoes in the heart.
The interplay of piano and sleigh bells feels like snowflakes falling upon the listener’s soul.
Fukase’s gentle vocals, too, sink deep into the chest.
It’s a song that keeps you company on cold winter nights as you spend time thinking of someone.
366 daysHY
Even if they don’t explicitly feature winter season words or scenes, there are many songs that simply feel right for winter.
HY’s “366 Days” is one such song, well-known as a tearjerker and a heartbreak anthem.
Included on their fifth album “HeartY,” released in 2008, the track has also been covered by numerous artists.
This song, which expresses feelings of sadness and heartache, might resonate even more deeply when you listen to it on a cold, freezing winter’s day.