21 Famous Japanese Songs

12. “Winding Road” by Ayaka

Song Year: 2007

Ayaka’s “Winding Road” is the first collaboration between Japanese singer-songwriter Ayaka and the pop-rock duo Kobukuro. Commercially, the track was used to help promote the Nissan Cube in 2007. This platform helped the song reach incredible popularity, including 2nd on the Oricon Singles Chart of 2007.

The physical copy of the single included only the lyrical and instrumental versions of “Winding Road” and sold for just over 500 yen, with the price justified for having two songs instead of the standard four on a single.

13. “Michi” by Exile

Song Year: 2007

The pop band Exile makes its second appearance on the list of famous Japanese songs with one of their landmark tracks, “Michi.” Translated as “Road,” the track was released in February of 2007, and while it was limited to 100,000 physical copies, the song achieved online success with over 250,000 downloads. It also became a popular late-2000s ringtone with more than one million downloads.

The song’s CD includes instrumental and piano versions of the single, with the latter clocking a few seconds longer than the original pop track.

14. “LIFE” by Kimaguren

Song Year: 2008

The Japanese pop and reggae duo Kimaguren comes in next on our list with the single “Life.” The song is a mix of English and Japanese lyrics, and the athletic brand au Smart Sports used the single in a 2009 commercial, where it quickly gained popularity.

Selling more than 3.5 million copies, “Life” is one of 2008’s top songs. The acoustic rhythms of the guitar max with a beachy, reggae feel for a motivational hit.

15. “Koko Ni Iru Yo” by SoulJa

Song Year: 2007

Japanese hip-hop singer-songwriter SoulJa released “Koko ni Iru yo,” meaning “My Dear Friend,” in 2007. This song is the counterpart to “I'm By Your Side,” one of Aoyama's tracks (and first on our list). 

It is challenging to disconnect the success of the two songs as they are frequently linked, but “Koko Ni Iru Yo” remained on Oricon’s list of top 10 singles for five weeks. This B-side track was utilized as the conclusion theme for the Japanese television program Japan Countdown.

16. “Yasashiku Naritai” by Kazuyoshi Saito

Song Year: 2011

Japanese singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito’s love song “Yasashiku Naritai” was originally written as the ending theme song to the Japanese television drama Kaseifu no Mita. The song has sold over 2.5 million copies, but it is difficult to find outside Japan due to strong copyright laws.

The romance song tells the story of wanting to find love in a world that seems to fight against such things. Promising to be gentle, kind, and strong, the narrator insists they can find love. A thumping bass line and addictive guitars accompany the touching lyrics and earned Saito the Excellent Work Award at the 54th Annual Japan Record Awards.

17. “Kiss In The Dark” by Pink Lady

Song Year: 1979

Released in May of 1979, “Kiss in the Dark” was a global hit. Debuting during the Leif Garrett TV special, the song peaked at 19th on the Oricon charts, making it the first Pink Lady single that failed to make it into Japan’s top 10. In the United States, the Billboard charts saw the song land at 37th.

Still, Pink Lady became the first to have a hit sung in English for the American charts. They passed Kyu Sakamoto’s “Sukiyaki” for this record and the first song since “Sukiyaki” to chart in the States.

18. “First Love” by Hikaru Utada

Song Year: 1999

Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada’s title track from her debut  R&B and pop album First Love focuses on love and relationships. Mixing English and Japanese helped the song grow worldwide, with the artist fluent in both languages.

Born in New York City, Utada dreamt of debuting a single in the United States and Japan. “First Love” became a hit in both nations, eventually re-issued in 2014 with a live DVD. The album remains one of Japan’s best-selling albums of all time, selling over 11 million albums to date.

19. “Yuki no Hana” by Mika Nakashima

Song Year: 2003

Released in late 2003, “Yuki no Hana” was the fifth single for Nakashima’s album Love. The song utilizes soft vocals and string instrumentation.

The romantic song focuses on winter, calling snowflakes “snow flowers” and meditating on love. “Yuki no Hana” was received positively, peaking at number three on the weekly Oricon Singles chart. The song has also reached global popularity with several cover versions.

20. “Homura” by LiSA

Song Year: 2020

Japanese singer LiSA is well-known among anime fans. Her music has been featured as the opening and closing for numerous popular shows, including Sword Art Online.

The song “Homura” was featured in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train and translates to “flame” in English.

“Homura” won the grand prize of 2020’s 62nd Japan Record Awards, and, as a ballad, the song fits thematically with the anime it was composed for. The single also landed on Japan’s Hot 100, giving LiSA the record for the first act in history to have a song and an album debut at number one.

21. “Towa ni Tomo ni” by Kobukuro

Song Year: 2004

Closing our list is Kobukuro’s “Towa ni Tomo ni,” a calm and quiet piano ballad. The duo mixes soft keys with a serene vocal performance.

Lyrically, the single takes the form of a longing love song. The narrator focuses on the object of their desire, meditating on how they feel nothing in particular. They know they’ve yet to find their happy memories, longing to win over their beautiful lover and begin living a life worth living.

Best Japanese Songs, Final Thoughts

From Babymetal’s genre-bending fusions to Kobukuro’s piano-led ballads, there’s always something new in the Japanese music scene. Use our list to start your playlist as you broaden your horizons!

Did we forget your favorite Japanese tracks? Let us know what songs you’d like us to cover next time!