[Heisei-Era Summer Songs] A curated selection of timeless summer tunes loved across generations!
A summer when you hung out with friends and made tons of memories, a summer of passionate love, a summer when you poured your sweat into club activities and studying.
What kind of memories do you have of summer?
In this article, we’ll introduce summer songs released during the Heisei era.
We’ve gathered a variety of Heisei summer tracks, including songs by artists strongly associated with summer and timeless summer classics loved across generations.
You might even find a song that colored your own Heisei summers!
If you spent the Heisei years with the songs we introduce, take a trip down memory lane.
And if you’re discovering them for the first time, find your favorites and be sure to give them a listen this summer!
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[Heisei Summer Songs] A curated selection of timeless summer tunes loved across generations! (11–20)
Et cetera related to the seashorePUFFY
When it comes to a star-studded lineup with lyrics by Yosui Inoue and music by Tamio Okuda, many people probably think of this summer tune by PUFFY.
Released in April 1997, it also became widely known as the CM song for Kirin Beverage’s “Tennen Sodachi.” The lyrics—so quintessentially Yosui Inoue, with crabs and famous actors popping up—are irresistibly humorous and delightfully offbeat.
Blended with PUFFY’s natural, laid-back vocals, the result was a perfect match that sold over 1.1 million copies.
Just listening to it will put you in an irresistibly bright mood, as if you’re having fun on a summer beach.
Voice of the Seaurashima tarō (kiritani kenta)
It’s a signature late-Heisei summer ballad, sung by the character actor Kenta Kiritani played in the au commercials! The melody composed by BEGIN’s Hitoshi Shimabukuro and the sound of the sanshin create a world that’s both wistful and warm.
This masterpiece sings of unwavering feelings for a beloved person you can’t meet, and it captured the hearts of many.
Released in 2015 as a commercial song, it’s also included on Kiritani’s album “KANON.” Listen to it by the seaside at dusk, and surely anyone will find their own hidden feelings reflected in it.
A Perfect SkyBONNIE PINK
Singer-songwriter BONNIE PINK, whose smash hit ‘Heaven’s Kitchen’ overturned the J-POP norm that English-language lyrics don’t sell, continues to shine.
Her 21st single, ‘A Perfect Sky’—originally written only up to the chorus and later featured in Shiseido’s ANESSA commercial—lingers in the ear with its liberating melody.
True to its title, the song evokes a clear blue sky, offering a refreshing feel that makes it a perfect summer outing BGM.
It’s a dazzling track that will elevate the mood in the car as you drive toward your destination.
water lily blossomShonan no Kaze
Among Shonan no Kaze’s songs, this one especially captures the feeling of summer, with a thrilling, high-energy appeal.
It starts with a gentle, laid-back sound and builds momentum toward the chorus—a highlight that evokes the rising excitement as summer approaches.
The lyrics, giddy as if intoxicated by the summer heat, are fun and convey the image of friends going all out together.
While the track bursts with a lively vibe, it also carries a sense of cherishing the fleeting time of summer, along with a subtle hint of bittersweet emotion.
astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN
Known as one of BUMP OF CHICKEN’s signature songs, this track is their third single, released in March 2001.
It was used as an insert song for a Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama and drew a huge response.
The lyrics contrast the innocence of childhood with the complex emotions of the grown-up protagonist, resonating with many listeners.
As Motoo Fujiwara described it as “a song about trying to find answers to questions that have none,” it depicts the drive to seek the right answer in each moment of life.
It’s a song that lets you look back on the process of overcoming failures and growing, as if you were gazing up at the starry sky.
A perfect track to listen to on a summer night with someone special.
Over DriveJUDY AND MARY
When it comes to summer songs by JUDY AND MARY, a band emblematic of the ’90s, this classic is likely the first that comes to mind for many.
Released in June 1995, it became the band’s first Top 10 hit on the Oricon charts and marked the start of their meteoric rise.
YUKI’s lyrics don’t just capture the speed and sense of freedom of summer; they also portray those fleeting moments of sorrow and fragility, adding a depth that makes the song fascinating.
As the CM song for Toyota’s Corolla Touring Wagon, it echoed through living rooms across Japan, and plenty of people surely spent their Heisei-era summers with this track.
It’s an unfading summer tune that gives you the urge to dash off somewhere.
[Heisei Summer Songs] A curated selection of timeless summer tunes loved across generations! (21–30)
Goodbye, Summer DaysYamashita Tatsuro
Tatsuro Yamashita’s 21st single, released in May 1991, is a classic inspired by his own high school experience of being caught in a sudden shower at an amusement park pool and seeing a rainbow after the rain.
It beautifully captures the bittersweet feeling at summer’s end and the tender emotions of first love before adulthood.
The song was also used in a commercial for Dai-ichi Life and released as an advance single from the album “ARTISAN.” It reached No.
12 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and was certified Gold.
It’s a quintessential summer ballad recommended for those who want to relive their youthful memories or nostalgically revisit the delicate romances of those days.