[Yumi Matsutoya’s Masterpieces] A Collection of Heart-Touching Gems: Yuming’s Finest Hits

Happy New YearMatsutōya Yumi

Happy New Year / A Happy New Year

A winter love story shimmering with the anticipation of the New Year.

Yumi Matsutoya’s gentle vocals tenderly portray the rush through frostbitten street trees to a lover’s room.

Released in November 1981, the song was also featured as an insert track in the 1987 film “Take Me Out to Snowland.” Included on the album “Sakuban Oai Shimashou” (“Shall We Meet Last Night”), it’s a warm ballad whose piano tones seep into the heart.

With lyrics that capture a new kiss shared with the tolling of the New Year’s bells and the wish for a lover’s happiness, it’s a song you’ll want to listen to with someone special on New Year’s Eve.

Departing AutumnMatsutōya Yumi

Departing Autumn

Above all, it’s astonishing to think this song was written when she was just around twenty.

It’s an early work by Yumi Matsutoya, back when she performed as Yumi Arai, and it’s included on the classic album “MISSLIM,” released in October 1974.

The scene of autumn slipping through the trees and disappearing into the night seems to delicately depict farewells to cherished people and places, as well as the start of a new chapter.

You can picture the protagonist setting off with quiet resolve, even while steeped in sentimentality.

Set against the sophisticated sound crafted by Caramel Mama and others, this hidden gem evokes a gentle, lingering emotion through Yuming’s poetic world and expressive power.

It’s a perfect song for an autumn night when you find yourself at a crossroads in life, lost in thought.

Chasing the Horizon ~ L’aventure au désertMatsutōya Yumi

Chasing the horizon

A track from the album “ALARM a la mode,” inspired by the Paris-Dakar Rally.

It’s an upbeat song that portrays the adventure of love as a rally with no finish line in sight.

The repeated use of “L’aventure” gives it a more mature feel that conveys the passion of this romance.

river sceneryMatsutōya Yumi

Riverscape / Yuming Cover - Solo Acoustic Performance

A track from the 14th album, REINCARNATION, released in 1983.

A refreshing early-summer drive date.

It’s a song that conjures up shimmering riverside scenes—the season when love made everything shine, wishing this moment would last forever, and hoping you’ll always think of me.

Late Summer (A Season for One)Matsutōya Yumi

Late Summer (A Season for One)

It’s a beautifully descriptive piece that was also used as the theme song for a TV drama series.

It teaches us that when creating something, you don’t need paints or other tools—simply stringing words together can conjure a landscape.

Its quiet, fleeting, and delicate beauty comes through powerfully.

Sweet premonitionMatsutōya Yumi

Sweet premonition

This is a track from the seventh album, OLIVE, released in 1979.

It was originally written for the duo BanBan, but has been covered by various artists.

Despite its upbeat tone, the song tells of someone who storms out after a fight, only to return and find another woman there; every time a cold rain falls, the memories come rushing back.

As myselfMatsutōya Yumi

As Myself / Yumi Matsutoya [Yumi Voice · Yumin · Tribute]

“Watashi Rashiku,” the sixth track on Yumi Matsutoya’s 24th album “TEARS AND REASONS,” released on November 27, 1992, is a breakup song that portrays a woman’s feelings as she tries to live true to herself in order to become her authentic self.

It’s a song where you can deeply feel the story’s movement—conflict, growth, being true to yourself, and being true to myself.