Recommended summer songs for people in their 90s: A collection of Showa-era summer tunes [2026]

Leaving sunny Tosa behindPegī Hayama

Leaving Tropical Tosa (Peggy Hayama) with Japanese Lyrics

The famous song that sings of Tosa’s beautiful nature and deep love for one’s hometown remains beloved as one of Peggy Hayama’s signature works.

It weaves in Kochi landmarks such as Harimaya Bridge, Katsurahama, and Cape Muroto, and, together with the melody of the Yosakoi-bushi, conveys a feeling rich with nostalgia.

Released by King Records in May 1959, the song was a massive hit, selling about two million copies.

A film of the same title was also released that year, with Peggy Hayama herself appearing in it.

It’s perfect for those who have lived away from their hometown or when you want to recall the beautiful scenery of the countryside.

If you sing it together at a recreation event, it’s sure to spark a lively sharing of fond memories.

The Longed-For Hawaii RouteHaruo Oka

The Longed-For Hawaii Route

Haruo Oka’s “Akogare no Hawaii Kōro” is a classic that carries the hopes of the postwar era on its melody.

The lyrics’ beautifully painted scenery stirs a longing for Hawaii.

Since its release in 1948, it has continued to resonate with many people.

How about humming this wonderful, nostalgic song together with older adults and letting the conversation blossom with stories of the past? I’m sure it will make for a lovely time.

Tanabata DanceShimakura Chiyoko

Tanabata Dance / Chiyoko Shimakura / With Lyrics

This is a classic song that continues to be cherished locally as a quintessential summer tradition coloring Sendai’s Tanabata Festival.

Released in July 1962 as a single by Chiyoko Shimakura, the piece features folk-like melodic turns and a light, lively rhythm that instantly puts you in a festive mood just by listening.

The lyrics depict scenes of Sendai, such as Aoba Castle and the Hirose River, conjuring images of people in yukata joyfully dancing.

Widely beloved as a Bon-odori song for the Sendai Tanabata Festival, it is also famous for its distinctive fan dance.

Listening to it with people connected to Tohoku might spark lively conversations filled with memories of bustling festivals from days gone by!

The Life of Mutsu (Including “A Thousand Ryō of Guts”)Murata Hideo

The Life of Mutsu (Including “A Thousand Ryō of Guts”)

This is a song by Hideo Murata, who, with a commanding voice honed through rokyoku narrative singing, proudly gives voice to the spirit of a Kyushu man.

With personal conviction and “guts worth a thousand ryō” in his heart, the protagonist lives straightforwardly despite his awkwardness—evoking a scene straight out of a yakuza film.

Released as a single in July 1958, the piece resonated with many, overlapping with the imagery of the film of the same name.

Casting the sorrow of an unrequited love into the rough waves of the Genkai Sea and facing forward to the beat of festival drums, he embodies a strength tempered by a bittersweet humanity.

Perhaps it speaks deeply to the hearts of those who have weathered a turbulent era.

Summer Mountain Songmin’yō

Michiya Mihashi [Summer Mountain Song]

When it comes to folk songs that evoke the cool mountain air of an early summer morning, this song long sung in Miyagi Prefecture surely comes to mind.

In the stillness before dawn, its simple yet powerful melody seems to convey both the resolve of those heading out to work in the mountains and the drowsiness that still lingers.

The timbre of the shakuhachi feels as if it carries the misty mountain landscape with it.

Originally a work song from Yamagata, it was arranged during the Showa era by the renowned folk shakuhachi virtuoso Momoji Goto and spread widely through record releases.

It has been passed down by many singers and continues to be cherished today, including its inclusion on the May 2018 album “Mountain Folk Songs.” Perhaps it brings to mind, for some, memories of youthful days of hard work or scenes from their hometown.

banana boatHamamura Michiko

Michiko Hamamura: 1957: Banana Boat (Banana Boat Song: Duophonic Stereo Ver)

Michiko Hamamura, who popularized the cheerful Caribbean rhythm known as calypso across Japan.

Her signature work is that classic song celebrating the vigor of people sweating at their portside jobs and the sunny feelings of a woman waiting for her lover.

Released in 1957, the song became a massive hit, selling 180,000 copies within its first month.

Set to a light, exotic melody, it conveys the sense of freedom after a day’s work and the candid emotions for a beloved.

Simply listening makes your heart naturally dance—an outstanding track that brightly colored Japan’s summer.

Crazed FruitIshihara Yūjirō

Yujiro Ishihara "Crazed Fruit"

Under the dazzling summer sun, the blaze of youthful fragility and passion.

It’s a masterpiece that vividly captures a slightly bittersweet page of adolescence, isn’t it? Yujiro Ishihara’s low, velvety voice, carried on the scent of the sea breeze, sings with deep feeling of the helpless emotions swaying in a false love.

This song is the theme for the 1956 film Crazed Fruit, in which Ishihara starred—surely many had their hearts set aflame by his on-screen presence.

How about spending a moment listening to this piece and basking in the radiant summer memories of your younger days?