[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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Summer Songs of the Heisei Era: A curated selection of timeless summer tunes loved across generations! (51–60)
Summer memories scented by the windAAA
A song whose bittersweet yet beautiful melody seeps into the heart, like recalling an old love in a fleeting moment on a summer evening.
Don’t the memories AAA sings of—days of summer now gone and a fragile romance—spread through your chest like a pale watercolor? The track was included as the B-side to AAA’s single “Wake up!” released in July 2014, and later featured on the album “GOLD SYMPHONY” released the same year, as well as the following year’s best-of collection “AAA 10th ANNIVERSARY BEST.” It was used in Ito-Yokado’s yukata commercial, coloring the memories of many alongside the sights and sounds of summer.
For those who want to soak in a sentimental mood at summer’s end, this song will gently stay by your side, bringing you close to those sweet-and-sour memories of days gone by.
Summer is comingDaikoku Maki
With the crisp, catchy rhythm of timbales that seems to herald the arrival of summer, this is a standout track by Maki Ohguro.
Released in April 1994, the song is also included on the album “Eien no Yume ni Mukatte.” Its charm lies in the straightforward lyrics that capture the slightly stubborn feelings of a protagonist who can’t quite be honest despite the expectations around marriage.
It also reached living rooms nationwide as the opening theme for COUNT DOWN TV and as a Sapporo Beer commercial song.
It’s a perfect pick to amp up a summer drive and to give courage to anyone who wants to move forward at their own pace.
Summer Days of 1993class
When it comes to summer songs from the Heisei era, this is surely the first track that comes to many people’s minds.
Performed by the male duo class, it was their debut single and a million seller in 1993, topping 1.155 million copies.
It tells a bittersweet story of suddenly falling in love with a long-time friend under the dazzling summer sun.
Carried by a refreshing melody, it vividly sings of the protagonist’s heart being stolen by charms they had never noticed before.
It was also loved as the theme song for the TV show “Kimi to Itsumademo.” Its straightforward lyrics invite a variety of interpretations depending on the listener—perhaps one reason this song continues to be talked about for so long.
rainbowFukuyama Masaharu
This is a refreshing pop-rock number by Masaharu Fukuyama that brightens the listener’s mood.
For the first time, he handled the arrangement himself and was meticulous about the performance, channeling the passions of youth and grand dreams for the future into the music.
Feelings he wanted to express but couldn’t put into words, and a strong will to overcome hardships and grasp hope, come through clearly in his soaring vocals and the lively sound.
The song was included on a single released in August 2003 and was loved by many as the theme song for the drama “WATER BOYS.” It’s truly one of the signature masterpieces that symbolize that summer.
[Heisei Summer Songs] A curated selection of timeless summer tunes loved across generations! (61–70)
Like when we first metEvery Little Thing
Every Little Thing is a duo that has gained popularity with pop tunes featuring a cute vocal style and a hint of rock.
Their 5th single, “Deatta Koro no You ni,” used as the theme for Morinaga’s ICE BOX commercial, starts with a crystalline chorus that instantly lifts your spirits.
The lyrics, which depict a romance blossoming in the heat of the season, are something many people can relate to in any era.
It’s one of Every Little Thing’s signature songs, with a refreshing ensemble that perfectly matches summer scenery.
Sound of SummerGReeeeN
GReeeeN’s “Natsu no Oto” paints a delicate yet heartrending story set against the backdrop of a summer festival.
Written as the campaign song for Kirin’s “Namacha,” it was released as a digital-only lead single ahead of its inclusion on the 2015 album “C, D desu to!?”.
From the intro, a sense of melancholy already seeps in, and as you listen, it feels like your chest is being tightly squeezed.
“Natsu no Oto” likely refers to the sound of fireworks, with the fleeting fireworks mirroring the singer’s own love.
FlowerKinKi Kids
KinKi Kids is an idol duo whose members each have a strong individual presence, not only as a group but also in music, on stage, and in TV dramas.
Their 7th single, “Flower,” which was chosen as the campaign song for ANA’s ’99 Paradise Okinawa, became a massive hit, marking their fourth million-selling release.
Its positive message and upbeat, off-beat rhythm with a hint of reggae bring a refreshing breeze to the heat of summer.
With fresh, lingering vocals, it’s a pop tune that makes you want to sway along.