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

Little Bird DayMatsutōya Yumi

Kotoriyoubi

A song by Yumi Matsutoya, who has set numerous records and led the Japanese pop scene for many years.

Created as an homage to the painter Matisse, it’s a poignant number that depicts, like a fable, a one-sided attachment to a bird that has flown away and the feelings that pass each other by.

It is included on her 40th original album, “Wormhole / Yumi AraI,” released in November 2025.

The piece was produced as a collaboration track for the exhibition “Arakawa Nash Medical: Paintings Are Pop Stars,” held at the National Art Center, Tokyo.

Since it could initially only be heard on radio programs and the like, many fans must have been eagerly awaiting an official release.

How about listening to it quietly at night, alone, taking it in slowly as if gazing at a painting?

Shadow of WaterMatsutōya Yumi

Shadows On The Water / Mizu No Kage

Yumi Matsutoya, who has produced numerous hit songs and continues to lead the Japanese music scene.

This piece, included as the final track on her ninth album “Toki no Nai Hotel,” released in June 1980, is a self-cover of a song she originally provided to the female duo Simons in 1978.

The poignant lyrics, which liken the passage of time to the flow of a river, resonate deeply with listeners.

It’s also well known for being used for many years as the ending theme of NHK General’s “Tanken Roman: World Heritage.” The beautiful melody that quietly brings the album’s weighty worldview to a close is perfect for adults seeking peace at the end of the day.

It can be called a hidden gem that is loved across generations.

Snow, Moon, and FlowersMatsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Setsugetsuka

A soul-stirring ballad interwoven with winter’s stillness and a distinctly Japanese sense of beauty.

Sung by Yumi Matsutoya—affectionately known as Yuming—the song features delicate lyrics that seem to let past memories and the present intersect, offering deep comfort to listeners.

It is included on her 32nd album, “Wings of Winter, Shades of Summer,” released in November 2002, and was also used as the theme for NHK’s program “NHK Television 50 Years: I Want to Meet That Person.” There’s an anecdote that during production, the producer instructed her to “write lots of ballads,” and after many songs were discarded, this piece was finally completed.

It’s a winter classic you’ll want to hear when quietly revisiting memories alone at night.

Youthful RegretMatsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Regret of Youth (Into the Dancing Sun)

If you’ve ever been the one to initiate a breakup, only to be overwhelmed later by a crushing sense of loss, this is the song by Yumi Matsutoya you should hear.

Many will relate to the lyrics’ searing passion, which condemns the self who tried to act gently at the moment of parting.

Though included on the album DA・DI・DA, released in November 1985, did you know it’s actually a self-cover of a song she originally provided to Remi in 1984? In addition to being used as the theme song for the TV program Hito Tabi Wakuwaku, it also inspired a drama broadcast in 2024.

It’s a deeply piercing track, perfect for those moments when you want to look back on a past love, shed some tears, and feel cleansed.

An Afternoon Spent Watching the SeaArai Yumi

Yumi Arai – An Afternoon Looking at the Sea (from “Japanese Love and Yumi”)

Set in a restaurant with a view of the sea in Yokohama, the scene that overlays the landscape reflected through a glass with a love that has passed resonates deeply.

It’s a song included on the classic album MISSLIM, released in October 1974, written by Yumi Matsutoya—known as Yuming—under the name Yumi Arai.

Did you know that “Dolphin” in Yamate, which appears in the lyrics, is a real establishment still cherished as a holy site by fans today? Many artists, including Hi-Fi Set, have covered it.

While the piece has no flashy developments, the gentle tones of the quiet piano seem to softly nestle close to the heart.

It’s a song I’d recommend for times when you want to bask in nostalgia, or for a solitary, peaceful afternoon tea.

Chuo FreewayMatsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Chuo Freeway (Yumi Arai The Concert with old Friends)

A famous song included on the album “The 14th Moon.” Back then, it was popular to go for drives on the Chuo Expressway while listening to this track, taking in sights like Suntory’s Musashino Brewery and Tokyo Racecourse.

It’s an indispensable piece among Yuming’s masterpieces.

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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ANNIVERSARY ~ Infinitely Calling YouMatsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – ANNIVERSARY ~Endlessly Calling You~

The 23rd single by Yumi Matsutoya, released on June 28, 1989.

As the protagonist looks up at their lover and feels eternal love, their feelings unfold into a deep and beautiful landscape.

It’s a love song that lets you feel love expanding without end!