Article: Ten Japanese Songs About Love

The music industry in Japan is massive and has a significant impact on people's lives. Love songs are common in all languages and convey various emotions related to love. Here are ten Japanese love songs that everyone can enjoy.

1. Koi - Gen Hoshino

Koi is a song by Gen Hoshino. The song has beautiful lines like ‘be more than a couple, be more than two, be more than one suggests different forms of love in which marital status, gender, or being with someone is just part of what makes us appreciate love.  This song also closely links with the TV drama Nigeru Wa Haji Da Ga Yaku Ni Tatsu.

 

2. Zen Zen Zense –Radwimps

Zen Zen Zense by Radwimps is a song that was written exclusively for the animation movie Kimi No Na Wa. The song followed the plot and spoke the minds of the characters. This song is loved by anime fans worldwide.

 

3. Prisoner Of Love - Hikaru Utada 

Prisoner of Love by Hikaru Utada was used as a theme song in the TV drama Last Friends. This song and Last Friends focused on facing harsh truths about love in which loving someone can be the greatest hardship in life.

 

4. La La La Love Song -Toshinobu Kubota

La La La Love Song by Toshinobu Kubota is his second single that was released in 1996 which had featured the American model Naomi Campbell. The song had charted at number 1 on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart and Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. This single sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and became a certified two-million seller.

 

5. Say Yes - Chage And Aska

Say Yes by Chage and Aska was their 27thsingle and was used in the TV drama Hyakuikkaime no Puropozu.  The song’s remarkable lyrics are often regarded as a marriage proposal asking the intended person for the most wanted answer, hence the title.

 

6. Ue O Muite Arukou - Kyu Sakamoto

Ue o Muite Arukou by Kyu Sakamoto became a major hit in the UK with a jazz cover of this song. The lyrics told the story of a man who looked up and whistled while he was walking so that his tears would not fall. The verses in the song describe his memories and feelings.

 

7. Plastic Love - Mariya Takeuchi

Plastic Love by Mariya Takeuchi was produced by her husband, Tatsuro Yamashita. Takeuchi had mentioned in an interview with The Japan Times that ‘I wanted to write something danceable, something with a city pop sound…. Tell the story of a woman who lost the man she truly loves’.

 

8. Stay With Me - Miki Matsubara

Stay with Me by Miki Matsubara was released in November 5, 1979. It was the debut single of Miki Matsubara, which saw a resurge in popularity after 41 years of its release. This song has seen resurge on the social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc.

 

9. Jewel – Ayumi Hamasaki

Jewel by Ayumi Hamasaki is a part of her album Secret, which was released in 2006 by Avex Trax. The album was a rock-pop-influenced album. The Music video of this track was directed by Takeishi Wataru. It was a 100 million yen MV that showed Ayumi adorned in diamonds in a winter-like background.

 

10. Dancing Hero - Yōko Oginome

Dancing Hero is a song by Yōko Oginome, who was a former pop idol, actress, and voice actress. Dancing Hero was her 7th single which was released on November 21, 1985. It was the Japanese language cover of the 1985 song ‘Eat You Up’ by British singer Angie Gold.