A love song that feels like youth. Love songs you want to listen to—and remember—during your adolescent years.

Slow motionNakamori Akina

[Official] Akina Nakamori 'Slow Motion (from “Hajimemashite”)' [1st Single (Released May 1, 1982)] Akina Nakamori / Slow Motion

A striking song that depicts a fateful encounter on the beach.

Akina Nakamori’s translucent vocals blend beautifully with Takao Kisugi’s melody, vividly expressing the freshness of first love.

The lyrics carefully portray, almost in slow motion, the moment one’s heart is captured by the sight of someone walking along the sandy shore, brimming with the familiar anticipation of romance.

Released as her debut single in May 1982 and included on the album “Prologue ,” it remained on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for 39 weeks.

It’s a song you can sing with a calm heart as you look back on a youthful romance etched in your memory along with cherished moments.

Beyond nostalgiaNogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 “Beyond Nostalgia”

Memories of youth and the ache of unrequited love tighten the heart.

Created in February 2025 to mark Nogizaka46 member Yūki Yoda’s graduation, this piece is an emotional work built on a beautiful soundscape of piano and strings.

It’s filled with the regret of not confessing your feelings to the one you love, and simply reading the lyrics makes you empathize with that emotion.

It’s a song I recommend to anyone who has experienced parting with someone precious, or to everyone standing at a crossroads in life.

Love ForeverKatō Miriya × Shimizu Shōta

Miliyah Kato × Shota Shimizu “Love Forever”

A love song whose male-female duet, woven with sweet, bittersweet vocals, resonates deeply.

The tender concern for one another and the love that lingers even after a breakup overlap with the warmth of their voices, stirring profound emotion.

Featured on the album “Ring,” this track was released in May 2009 and became a major hit, reaching No.

1 on the Oricon daily chart.

Set to a smooth, R&B-tinged melody line, the romance portrayed from both a man’s and a woman’s perspective will comfort those who’ve experienced heartbreak or cherish memories with someone special, gently reminding them of a delicate first love.

Sakura RabbitKawasaki Takaya

Takaya Kawasaki - Sakura Usagi [OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO]

A poignant ballad by Takaya Kawasaki that tenderly portrays the feelings of someone unable to confess their love.

The timid protagonist is likened to a rabbit, and the story is warmly expressed alongside the springtime atmosphere of graduation.

With its beautiful melody and distinctive husky vocals, the song delicately weaves in pure emotions for the person they care about.

Released as a digital single in January 2021, it is also included on the album “Nukumori.” It drew attention with the simultaneous release of its music video and an acoustic live performance.

Recommended as a youthful spring song for those harboring feelings for someone dear.

Only the graduation photo knowsHinatazaka46

The Only One Who Knows Is the Graduation Photo by Hinatazaka46

A song by Hinatazaka46 set in the cherry blossom–filled spring season, depicting the bittersweet feelings of a love that couldn’t be confessed on graduation day.

It tells a memorable story of hidden emotions sealed within a graduation photo and lingering regrets that won’t fade with time.

Nao Kosaka serves as center for the sixth time after a six-release interval, and the music video portrays a fantastical world of swirling cherry blossoms under the theme of a parade that heralds spring.

The single, set for release on January 29, 2025, will be available in five formats: Limited First Edition TYPE-A through TYPE-D, and a regular edition.

The song premiered at the Tokyo Dome concert on December 26, 2024, captivating the audience.

It’s a track to be heard with empathy during spring, the season of partings and new encounters.

Oh, early summer rainSakurazaka46

Sakurazaka46 'Samidare yo'

A poignant love song by Sakurazaka46 that portrays feelings of love through the motif of early-summer rain.

Released in April 2022 as their fourth single, it received a tremendous response, topping the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Like rain that never stops, the swelling emotions are expressed through delicate vocals and choreography, gently embracing unspoken love and the struggles it brings.

It is a warm track that waits for the arrival of spring, resonating with those in the midst of unrequited love or unable to convey their feelings.

Cherry Blossom MoonSakurazaka46

Sakurazaka46 'Sakuzuki'

A single released by Sakurazaka46 in February 2023, themed around youthful farewells and new encounters, with a poignant love depicted through the imagery of cherry blossoms that tugs at the heart.

The delicate feeling of “being unable to tell you how I feel” is entrusted to the falling blossoms, while the protagonist’s resolve to live as beautifully as a full-bloom sakura is expressed through a fleeting yet powerful melody.

In their fifth single, second-generation member Rena Moriya serves as center for the first time, and the members’ expressively nuanced performance is a major draw.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear in the spring season of partings—one that encourages young people heading into new lives, such as through transferring schools or moving on to higher education.