[For Seniors in Their 80s] Recommended Summer Songs: From Enka and School Songs to Folk Songs

We are children of the sea.Monbushō shōka

[Music Recreation / With Lyrics] Children's Song: We Are Children of the Sea [For Elderly Care Facilities]

It’s a grand-sounding piece that conveys feelings about living by the sea and episodes related to the ocean.

Because the theme is the sea, it also evokes an image of a refreshing summer breeze.

Although no specific location is depicted, the detailed portrayal of seaside life invites listeners to picture their own familiar coastlines.

The song feels both expansive and light, and it seems to carry a positive sentiment toward one’s hometown.

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kappamaki

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BoyhoodInoue Yosui

Boyhood / Yosui Inoue

It’s one of the signature songs by Yosui Inoue, who is active as a singer-songwriter.

As a classic that evokes the feeling of summer, it’s known across generations.

You can sense the loneliness that comes as summer draws to a close, and the way it prompts you to look back on those summer memories.

The sound unfolds with a gentle mood, strongly colored by folk elements, quietly bringing the memories in your heart to the surface.

How about taking your time with this song and reflecting on summers past?

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Forever with youKayama Yūzō

Yuzo Kayama – Forever With You

When it comes to summer songs, many of them evoke clear skies, don’t they? The one I’d like to introduce is “Kimi to Itsumademo.” This song was created by Yuzo Kayama and is well known for having won the Japan Record Award and for being used as a movie theme song.

Its lyrics depict a love song set against a summer twilight, portraying the deep love and bond between a man and a woman.

Be sure to listen to it at dusk and let yourself drift into the mood.

Since it has been sung for many years, you can also enjoy comparing performances from its original era to more recent renditions.

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We are children of the sea.shouka

I am a child of the sea.

“Ware wa Umi no Ko” is a traditional school song that beautifully portrays the richness of seaside nature and the growth of children raised there.

It conveys a love for the sea and the spirit of Japanese people who live in harmony with it.

With lyrics evoking quintessential Japanese landscapes—such as white-capped waves and pine groves—it expresses a sense of calm daily life and unity.

Since its publication in 1910, it has been sung in many schools and cherished by children.

Why not sing it leisurely while gazing at the coastal scenery?

Summer MissSakakibara Ikue

Ikue Sakakibara Summer Girl

On a music show, Yuta Watanabe—the son of Toru Watanabe and Ikue Sakakibara—performed this song with a perfect copy of the original choreography.

He didn’t look embarrassed at all; he seemed to be having a great time, and it reminded me of how charming this song is! The guitar intro that evokes the Showa era, the memorable first verse, and the chorus with the popular dance moves—I’m sure it’ll get even people who don’t know the song excited.

People in their 50s might all be able to sing along.

It’s my recommended track for August.

a bright red sunMisora Hibari

Crimson Sun

This song beautifully blends the seasonal feel of love with a passionate rock sound.

Evoking the image of the midsummer sun, its vivid composition richly portrays young love by the seaside in summer, dramatizing the changing emotions of romance as the seasons shift.

The unique world conjured by Hibari Misora’s powerful vocals is captivating.

Released in May 1967 as a track on her 20th anniversary album in show business, “Uta wa Waga Inochi,” it became a massive hit, selling over 1.4 million copies.

It’s a perfect choice for karaoke at day service centers, offering a heart-lifting melody and a chance to bask in wonderful memories.

summer vacationyoshida takurou

Summer Vacation by Takuro Yoshida

This is a classic song by Takuro Yoshida, written with a gentle, bittersweet melody that traces summer memories in Kagoshima and Hiroshima.

Included on the 1971 live album “Yoshida Takuro On Stage Tomodachi,” the piece vividly paints scenes of a summer vacation that anyone might find nostalgic.

Childhood memories and moments with a cherished teacher are woven together with heartwarming lyrics.

A studio version was released on the 1972 album “Genki Desu.,” and the song has continued to be beloved by the artist and fans alike.

Inviting listeners to look back tenderly on summers from their youth, it’s a tune you can hum together with older generations, sparking wonderful conversations about treasured memories.