[2026] A summer song that tightens your chest with bittersweet feelings. A classic summer tune that touches the heart.

miraclemiwa

miwa 'Miracle' Music Video

It’s a cheerful, samba-flavored number by miwa that’s easy on the ears.

Released in April 2013 as her 11th single, you’ll also recognize it as the song from Shiseido’s SEA BREEZE commercial.

The sound is strikingly refreshing, as if it captures that glittering instant of sweat and smiles from students giving their all in club activities.

Written and composed by miwa herself, it brilliantly conveys the unique flutter and exhilaration that comes with the start of a summer romance, expressed through her sparkling vocals.

The masterpiece album Delight, which includes this track, debuted at No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart.

Listen to it under the blazing sun, and the brilliance of those summer days may vividly come rushing back—wrapping you in a sweet pang of nostalgia that tightens your chest.

SUMMER SONGYUI

YUI「SUMMER SONG」

Among YUI’s music career, that exhilarating number released in July 2008 is beloved as a quintessential summer song.

It brilliantly captures the unique sentiments of summer—the thrill under the blazing sun, those sudden pangs of melancholy, and the loneliness that comes as summer draws to a close.

YUI has said the track expresses her “longing to go to the sea” and her desire to “overcome things by her own strength.” Although it was reportedly completed in 2005, the story that they waited to release it until summer is especially memorable.

As a result, it debuted at No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and etched its name into the classic album HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN.

Why not give it a listen when you want to bask in memories of the hot season or sink into a slightly sentimental mood at night?

Heat haze of Augustmakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu “August Heat Haze” MV

This work, released by Macaroni Enpitsu in May 2021, skillfully paints vivid scenes where blazing heat haze springs to mind.

It captures the sentimental feelings of summer—nostalgic yet raw—with striking clarity.

As vocalist Hattori has said, he created it with images of sunsets and shimmering heat, and the song is characterized by a driving, emotional rock sound.

The performance, recorded without a metronome, seems to embody the wavering emotions of youth.

It was also used as the theme for Taisho Pharmaceutical’s “Coppertone” commercial, resonating deeply with its tagline.

The track is included on the album “Hopes for a Happy Ending.” If you want to feel that sudden loneliness that wells up at summer’s end, or the bittersweetness lurking behind glittering memories, give it a listen.

Summer IllusionOmoinotake

Omoinotake / Summer Illusion [Official Music Video]

This song, with summery imagery scattered throughout, is a track by the piano trio band Omoinotake.

From various scenes painted in the lyrics, you can glimpse a sweet-and-sour, innocent love story.

As you listen, many might find themselves looking at the lyrics, recalling past relationships, and feeling a tight squeeze in their chest.

While the overall tone of the song is sophisticated and stylish, vocalist Reo Fujii’s high notes carry a bold melancholy that pierces ever deeper into our listeners’ hearts.

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Live the summerRyokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai “Living the Summer” Music Video / Ryokuoushoku Shakai

Set to a fast-paced, exhilarating sound, this song by Ryokuoushoku Shakai doesn’t just capture the brilliance of summer—it also sings of the gritty effort and strength behind it.

The words woven by vocalist Haruko Nagaya, blending soda-pop freshness with a raw, mud-streaked intensity, truly stir the listener’s heart.

Released as a digital-only single in July 2020, the track is also included on the album “SINGALONG.” Known as the theme song for tvk’s “RIDE OF KANAGAWA 2020 High School Baseball,” its warm message offers a powerful cheer and a sense of hope for those chasing their dreams.

It’s a perfect pick for when the end of summer leaves you feeling a little lonely, or when you’re ready to take a new step forward.

sea glasssutoreitenaa

Straightener – Seaglass

For music listeners who love the bittersweet scenes of summer’s end, this song by Straightener holds a special resonance.

Using wave-worn, rounded shards of glass as a motif, the lyrics overlay the passing of the seasons with a fragile longing for love, showcasing Atsushi Horie’s delicate sensibility.

The melodious yet powerful band sound further heightens that sense of poignancy.

Released as a single in April 2016, the track was also included on Straightener’s ninth original album, “COLD DISC.” The album features “Genshoku,” the theme song for the film U-31, and this track—one of the band’s “single emotional trilogy”—continues to enjoy enduring popularity.

It’s perfect for those moments when you want to immerse yourself in that heart-tightening melancholy at summer’s end, or for a quiet night spent reflecting on beautiful memories gone by.

It’s also a live staple, making it highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience Straightener’s passionate performance.

NatsuneYuuri

Natsune

It’s a delicate melody that seems to express, in music, that somewhat wistful tone you hear as summer draws to a close—simply wonderful.

Yuri’s emotionally rich voice beautifully conveys the lingering attachment to a fading season and the aching wish to spend just a little more time with someone dear.

This work is a rock ballad that sinks deeply into the listener’s heart.

Released in September 2021, it memorably colored the ending of episode 1 of the Hulu original drama “Dry Flower – July’s Room -,” which shares the worldview of one of Yuri’s signature songs.

Its popularity is evident from its peak at No.

23 on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100.

This gem is also included on the acclaimed album “Ichi.” It’s a masterpiece you’ll want to hear on a quiet night after summer’s clamor has passed, when you feel a sudden loneliness, or when you wish to etch an irreplaceable, beautiful moment into your heart.