[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)
fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi
This is a memorable masterpiece distinguished by a wistful yet beautiful harmony that appeared at the end of the Heisei-era summers.
Performed by DAOKO × Kenshi Yonezu, it was released in August 2017 as the theme song for the animated film “Fireworks (Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?).” It dominated the Billboard Japan charts for 11 consecutive weeks, making it no exaggeration to call it a song that defined its time.
The lyrics overlay fireworks fading into the night sky with the transience of youth, and the seamless fusion of DAOKO’s translucent vocals with Kenshi Yonezu’s rich tone stirs deep nostalgia in listeners.
It’s the perfect song to play on a summer night when you’re feeling a bit sentimental and want to bask in your memories.
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.
Can’t Say Anything… SummerTHE JAYWALK
Even within the countless classic and hit summer songs of the ’90s, many people surely find this particular masterpiece especially memorable.
Released by J-WALK in 1991, it became their signature song, enjoying long-running sales and tugging at the heart with its poignant lyrics.
In fact, this work is the summer version of a track included on the previous year’s album, “DOWN TOWN STORIES.” Koichi Nakamura’s husky voice, brimming with mature charm and allure, paints the helpless feelings of a protagonist who, at a farewell at summer’s end, finds themselves suddenly captivated by little gestures of their partner they had never noticed before.
It’s also well known as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama “Otona no Natsuyasumi” (An Adult’s Summer Vacation).
If you have unforgettable summer memories, why not let this song be your BGM and indulge in some nostalgia for those days you can never return to?
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.