[July Songs] A selection of Japanese summer tunes perfect for the start of the season!
July marks the opening act of full-fledged summer.
Fireworks, the start of beach season, Tanabata, festivals…
For students, it’s also when summer vacation begins—no shortage of events to get excited about.
In this article, we introduce songs that are perfect for July, a month when outings become more frequent.
From tracks that evoke the start of summer—like the sea, the stars, and festivals—to refreshing youth anthems, it’s a lineup packed with mood-boosting classics.
Crank up your favorite tune and power through the sweltering summer heat!
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- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
[July Songs] A selection of Japanese summer tunes to kick off the season! (61–70)
UMI（produced by C&K）TEE
TEE, the entertainer from Hiroshima who shot to fame with the smash hit “Baby I Love You,” released this new summer track in 2019.
With ukulele and reggae-style rhythms perfectly matching his extraordinary voice and vocal prowess, it’s a laid-back reggae song that offers an authentic chill you can enjoy in Japanese.
It’s a beautiful tune you’ll want to listen to while cruising in an open-top car in Okinawa or any tropical paradise.
EsperanzaNishino Kana
It was released in 2011 as Kana Nishino’s 14th single.
Chosen as the theme song for the morning show “Sukkiri!!” for May 2011, the track established a new image of a confident, assertive woman in love.
It’s a number widely embraced as a powerful anthem cheering on women who have been buffeted by romance.
Because I met youmiwa
For students, summer is also the season for club activities.
A song themed as a “cheer anthem for students devoted to their clubs” is miwa’s ‘Kimi ni Deaeta Kara’ (“Because I Met You”).
Released as a single in 2014 and featured in Shiseido’s Sea Breeze commercial, it reached No.
4 on the Oricon singles chart.
Its refreshing, fast-paced sound is perfect for summer.
It’s a song I’d love for students sweating it out in their club activities over summer vacation to hear!
lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE
This song packs a sense of exhilarating, fast-paced guitar rock with the bittersweetness of youth.
It was selected as the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime “Oblivion Battery” in April 2024, marking Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s first anime tie-in in about five years.
Created by Motoki Ohmori with the feeling of an answer song to “Ao to Natsu,” the track features striking, technically intricate guitar riffs that signal a return to the band’s roots.
The lyrics explore the finiteness of life, the struggles of adolescence, and the importance of loving one’s imperfect self.
It’s a refreshingly uplifting song, perfect for those who want to get fired up at summer festivals or reminisce about their youth.
An isosceles large triangle of summerGen’in wa jibun ni aru.
Have you listened to “Natsu no Nitōhen Daisankakkei,” the Tanabata song from the vocal dance group Genjibu (Cause We Are)? It portrays the feelings of a man who can’t easily meet the woman he cares for.
In the song, the two are likened to Orihime and Hikoboshi, and further compared to constellations.
There’s the Summer Triangle formed by Vega, Altair, and Deneb; taking into account the theme of “two people who can’t meet,” the song cleverly describes it as an “isosceles love triangle,” whose sides do not intersect.
That kind of skillful metaphor is part of its charm.
SwimmyYuka
In August, at the height of summer when the heat feels harsh and exhausting, this song brings a refreshing coolness to your ears.
Singer-songwriter Yuka’s “Swimmy,” released digitally in May 2023, features a whirling, ever-shifting rhythm that becomes addictive.
Her clear, soothing voice slips right in—it’s a track I highly recommend for summer.
While it carries a breezy image, it also conveys the inner conflicts we all feel, making it both relatable and uplifting.
Summer Love Fireworks40mP
This is a collaborative song by popular Vocaloid producer 40mP and singer Shano.
It was released on a video-sharing site in 2010.
It’s a heart-fluttering love song about watching fireworks with someone you love.
The light, upbeat rhythm and sound feel great, and the unpretentious vocals are lovely.
By the way, 40mP and Shano are married.
