Songs you want to listen to at the end of summer: Late-summer classics to look back on the season

Crimson-colored sunsetFujifaburikku

Fujifabric – Akane-Colored Sunset

The autumn-tinted evening sky has a way of stirring a certain wistful sadness, doesn’t it? A perfect match for such a scene is a classic ballad by the rock band Fujifabric.

It captures the loneliness of being far from home, and yet the glimmers of hope one still manages to find, resonating with a lyrical melody.

It’s not merely sorrowful—there’s a curious strength to it that lets you look forward just a little, even as you reflect on the past.

After first appearing as a demo on their indie-era mini album “a la mold,” the song was released as a single in September 2005.

It was also used as the ending theme for the TV Kanagawa program “saku saku.” It’s a track you’ll want to listen to on nights when you want to bask in summer memories, or when you wish to quietly sink into your thoughts alone.

bubble; foam; ephemeral (as in something short-lived)wanuka

Utakata / Wa Nuka [Music Video]

As the clamor of summer fades and a hint of loneliness settles in, Wanuka’s songs resonate deeply.

Like bubbles that rise to the water’s surface and vanish at once, they seem to sing of fleeting summer romances and memories.

Beneath the wish to be beautiful lies an inescapable emptiness and bittersweet ache, carried on delicate, subtly Japanese-tinged melodies that press upon the heart.

This work was released in February 2022 and is also included on the first album Aonizai, released the same year.

It’s the perfect track for a late-summer dusk, when the night breeze turns a little chilly and you want to be alone with your thoughts.

It will gently stay by your side as you reflect on the season that has passed.

Late Summer (A Season for One)Arai Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Late Summer (A Season Alone) (Live)

This is a song by Yumi Arai that overlays the changing seasonal scenery with the end of a romance and the beginning of time alone.

The sight of leaves blazing with color and delicate flowers swaying in the wind seems to reflect the protagonist’s loneliness.

The song was included on the album “The 14th Moon,” released under the name Yumi Arai in November 1976, and it also served as the theme song for the NHK dramas “Natsu no Furusato” and “Maboroshi no Budōen.” Its poignant melody—mingling a lingering affection for the summer that has passed with a quiet resolve for the seasons to come—resonates deeply with listeners.

Whether you play it on a drive while reminiscing about summer or during a slightly chilly evening stroll, it will gently keep you company.

Sentimental Ghost feat. OkiishiNatsunose

[Official Music Video] Sentimental Ghost feat. Okiishi

A bittersweet yet passionate ode to the end of summer, composer Natsunose’s number “Sentimental Ghost feat.

Okiishi.” Released in 2023, this track features vocalist and singer Okiishi.

As the title suggests, it portrays a protagonist who lingers like a ghost, steeped in sentimentality as summer comes to a close, trying desperately to convey feelings to someone precious.

The gently placed, softly spoken words sung by the protagonist make this a song that tightens the chest.

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SAKI

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parasolNanawo Akari

Parasol / Nanawo Akari

Akari Nanawo is an artist known for popular songs like “Turing Love feat.

Sou” and “Dadadadadadada Tenshi.” In 2022, she released “Higasa” (“Parasol”), which was selected as the theme song for the short film “Sunday and the Mermaid.” The song depicts the protagonist reflecting on their past self at the end of summer.

Distant summer memories can feel bittersweet—even happy ones—when you realize you can’t go back.

When you’re in the mood for something wistful, give this song a listen and let it touch those precious memories of summer.

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sasashina

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The Swirling Summer Fermataoishikuru meronpan

Swirling Summer Fermata

A song with a dreamlike melody that leaves a strong impression, perfect for the end of summer.

This work is one of the annually released “summer”-themed tracks by Oishikuru Melonpan.

It was released digitally in August 2024.

With rich musical expression, it conveys feelings toward time that has passed and things that have been lost.

Don’t you sometimes feel a sudden pang of loneliness while gazing out the window on a late-summer outing? This breezy track evokes just such emotions.

The Summer Without YouDEEN

[Detective Conan ED4] The Summer Without You – DEEN

As summer draws to a close, do you ever find yourself overcome by a quiet melancholy? This classic ballad by DEEN gently stays by your side in those moments.

It brings back memories of those sweet summer days that can never return, and even as you carry an ache you can’t shake, you offer a small prayer in a corner of your heart… You can almost see the protagonist before your eyes.

Released in August 1997 as their 12th single, this song served as the ending theme for the anime Detective Conan.

When you want to quietly reflect on a love that has passed or sort out your feelings, listening to it will surely soften that sense of loneliness, if only a little.