Recommended summer songs for kids: Popular J-POP/Japanese hits [2026]

Somewhere in the summerWANIMA

WANIMA "Somewhere in the Summer" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

A sky so blue it pierces through, and the heady scent of lush greenery.

Energizing Japan’s summer with just that vibe is a classic by WANIMA, the rock band from Kumamoto.

Riding on their signature, fast-paced sound, the song delivers a straightforward message that hits home: blow away past sorrows and future doubts, and live out your best summer as yourself.

Included on the single “Summer Trap!!” released in July 2019, it’s also well-known as the theme song for the Mitsuya Cider commercial featuring Suzu Hirose.

It’s a refreshingly fizzy track perfect not only as background music to hype up kids’ summer vacations, but also to give a push to anyone taking on a challenge.

Glistening, babyWEST.

WEST. – Gira Gira Baby from SUMMER SONIC 2024

An irresistibly upbeat party tune bursting with bright, infectious energy that gets your body moving! This track is by the Kansai-born group WEST., included on their November 2016 album “Nawest.” The lyrics capture the liberating feeling of ditching your inhibitions under the summer sun and having all-out fun.

It’s packed with spoken lines and call-and-response shouts from the members, lifting your mood just by listening.

Put it on during summer outings like drives or camping, and it’ll be the perfect BGM for singing and dancing with the kids.

Your car might even start to feel as hot as a live venue!

In the Blueikimonogakari

Ikimonogakari “In the Blue” (Mitsuya Cider theme song) Music Video

This is a pop tune with an exhilarating sense of speed that makes you want to dash off with your friends under an endlessly spreading blue sky.

The song was written by Ikimonogakari to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Asahi Soft Drinks’ Mitsuya Cider and was released in March 2024.

Its positive message—about weaving your own story with your own hands—hits straight to the heart.

In July of the same year, it was also released on CD as a double A-side single together with Harebare!, the opening theme for the TV anime Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin.

Kiyoe Yoshioka’s soaring vocals sparkle like the dazzling sunshine of summer.

It’s also perfect as background music to liven up family drives and camping trips.

Scatter! Summer peopleYabai T-shatsu Yasan

Yabai T-Shirts Yasan – “Scatter! Summer People” Music Video

I love summer, but I hate the heat! This exhilarating rock tune will make even homebodies want to head outside with a smile.

It’s the lead track from Yabai T-Shirts Yasan’s single “Himawari Contest,” released in June 2022.

Created for the surprising reason that “we play summer festivals all the time but don’t have a summer song,” it pairs an uptempo sound with wonderfully relatable lyrics—like not wanting to get sunburned.

The single also includes the commercial song for Momotaro Dentetsu.

Put it on during a summer drive and you might end up singing along together as a family.

Super SummerNiziU

NiziU 「Super Summer」 Dance Performance Video

When it comes to summer songs that make you long for the arrival of summer vacation, Super Summer tops the list.

Released in 2021 by NiziU, a girl group hugely popular among elementary and middle school students, it was also featured as the song for Coca-Cola’s “This Moment is Me” Summer edition commercial, so some of you may already know it.

Its tropical sound is so catchy it makes your body move, and the group’s vocals, unfolding in a girly world, are irresistibly cute.

It’s a dance track that fills you with excitement as you imagine fun events.

Why not give it a listen as the perfect companion for making memories with friends and family?

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That gentle girlsupittsu

Spitz / That Gentle Girl

With its light rhythm and catchy, warm melody, this song is sure to appeal to little kids, too.

It’s a track by Spitz, a rock band that has been a leading presence on the Japanese music scene for many years, released in 2019 as their 42nd single.

Chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series Natsuzora, it drew a lot of attention.

You can feel a breeze of fresh summer air blowing through the sound—it’s truly pleasant.

It has a charm that makes you want to keep listening.

Highly recommended for parents and kids to enjoy together.

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Araki Jakkan

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fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi

DAOKO × Kenshi Yonezu 'Uchiage Hanabi' MUSIC VIDEO

Summer nights tend to make you feel a bit sentimental, don’t they? This lavish collaboration by DAOKO and Kenshi Yonezu was released as a single in 2017.

It was chosen as the theme song for the film “Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?” directed by Akiyuki Shinbo.

While it’s not sparse in terms of instrumentation, it somehow conveys a sense of quiet, characterized by its dreamy, otherworldly sound.

And when the call-and-response section swells, it stirs emotions deep in your chest.

Recommended for kids who find themselves yearning for a more grown-up kind of love.

You could also call it an anisong, so it should be easy to get into.

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Araki Jakkan

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