Classic songs about women. Recommended popular tracks.
Although J-pop and rock are commonplace in Japan’s music scene today, there was a time when enka and kayōkyoku were at the center.
Here is a list of masterpieces from that era in Japan, all themed around “women.” Some sing of tragic love, others of adultery—different situations, yet the abundance of love songs reminds us that, in every era, love is essential for women.
- Masterpieces that sing about women. Recommended popular songs.
- Masterpieces about girls: recommended popular songs
- A number I’d recommend to the yutori generation—one I’d like women to sing
- Women’s Enka: A collection of classic enka songs expressing women’s emotions
- Popular Japanese songs among women in their 50s: recommended classics and staple tracks
- Songs women like. Famous and popular Japanese songs.
- Nostalgic Showa-era heartbreak songs. Soothe your heart with timeless classics that can move women in their 60s to tears.
- Recommended breakup songs for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- [For Women] Masterpiece Enka Songs with a High Degree of Difficulty
- Recommended heartbreak songs for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese hits
- [Must read] Songs with great lyrics. Moving songs you’ll want to listen to while reading the lyrics
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
Masterpieces that sing about women. Recommended popular songs (71–80)
cherry (sweet cherry; cherry fruit)Otsuka Ai
Ai Otsuka is an artist overwhelmingly supported by women for her cute, approachable singing voice and lyrics that precisely capture the complexities of female emotions.
This hugely popular love song is a classic whose lyrics compare a happy couple to a pair of neighboring cherries, resonating with many people.
planetariumOtsuka Ai
Ai Otsuka’s iconic song was released in September 2005 as the image song for the drama “Boys Over Flowers.” It beautifully portrays memories of a lost first love while gazing up at the starry sky.
The quiet melody that opens into a soaring chorus is striking, and the aching feelings of love hit close to the heart.
Ai Otsuka, at 19, was moved by the starry sky she saw over the dark sea in Ishikawa Prefecture and composed this song.
In a dreamlike, planetarium-like space, one hopes to preserve memories with someone special forever… You can feel the pure emotions of a woman in that wish.
If you want to soothe a heart hurt by unrequited love or heartbreak, give it a listen.
First loveOku Hanako
It was released in 2010 as Hanako Oku’s 10th single.
What the title suggests and the lyrics convey are slightly different, and it has become the ultimate breakup song, depicting the aftermath of losing a mature love—when you’ve truly fallen for someone.
The lyrics, expressing a woman’s lingering feelings for him, are deeply moving and poignant.
First LoveUtada Hikaru
This is a song by Hikaru Utada that brings a poignant sense of heartbreak to the fore.
Written when she was 16, the lyrics vividly portray the pain of first love and unforgettable memories.
The gently unfolding melody further accentuates the sadness.
Released in April 1999, the track reached No.
2 on the Oricon singles chart and became a massive hit, topping the karaoke chart for 15 consecutive weeks.
It’s recommended not only for those who have experienced a breakup, but also for listeners who want to imagine a farewell that may come someday.
Be sure to savor this masterpiece that leaves a deep imprint on the heart.
The summer you gave meieiri reo
Leo Ieiri’s songs, which capture the ache of unrequited love, beautifully depict the hearts of women.
Her clear, airy vocals and delicate lyrics create a world many women are sure to relate to.
Released in August 2015, the track drew attention as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Koinaka.” This medium-tempo ballad expresses both heartache and the joy of moving forward, singing about embracing one’s past self while facing the future.
It’s perfect for listening as you recall summer memories or moments of youth.
A song that resonates not only with women struggling in love, but also with men who want to understand a woman’s heart.
Playback Part 2Yamaguchi Momoe
Even someone like me, who isn’t from Momoe-chan’s generation or anything, knows this song, and her low voice is sexy and truly cool.
It’s a song that lets you picture a woman on top, commanding a man with real authority.
In reality it doesn’t work that way, so it’s also a song that makes you long to become a woman that cool.
aloneMayo Okamoto
A signature unrequited-love song by Mayo Okamoto, an artist who enjoys immense support from women for her powerful, mesmerizing vocals and songs that capture the subtleties of feminine emotion.
This classic ballad portrays the feelings of a woman who, in front of the man she loves, puts on a brave face and can’t bring herself to confess her true feelings.