Recommended Summer Songs for People in Their 70s: A Collection of Nostalgic Summer Tunes [2026]

Wet Sand in AugustIshikawa Seri

Wet Sand in August

It’s a masterpiece with an irresistibly alluring, languid vocal—like something you’d hear on a drowsy summer afternoon.

Originally the theme song for a 1971 film of the same title, it was released to the public as a single track in March 1972.

Many of you may know the story that its popularity took off after it was featured on a late-night radio program.

The calm melody, ebbing and flowing like the waves, seems to mirror the protagonist’s feelings as they reflect on a past love on a summer beach.

Seri Ishikawa’s wistful voice paints a bittersweet yet beautiful summer scene in the mind.

Crazed FruitIshihara Yūjirō

Ishihara Yujiro - Crazed Fruit

There’s a film written from an original story and script by Shintaro Ishihara that, upon its July 1956 release, became a social phenomenon.

Its theme song is sung by the film’s star, Yujiro Ishihara, and the work portrays the precarious yet passionate love affairs of young people set against a sun-sparkling summer seaside.

The lyrics suggest the luscious sweetness of ripened fruit and the ruinous tension brought on by a deceitful love, all carried by Masaru Sato’s dramatic melody and Yujiro’s rich, velvety low voice, gripping the listener’s heart.

After the movie’s release, the song was issued as a single coupled with “Ore wa Matteru ze” (“I’m Waiting”), and was later included on the classic album Yujiro Ishihara Cinema: A Collection of Unforgettable Movie Theme Songs.

It’s recommended for those who want to feel the heat of the Taiyozoku generation of the time, or for nights when you want to sink into the Showa-era mood-kayō atmosphere.

Tears That Vanished into the SandItō Yukari

Tears That Vanished into the Sand

It leaves you with a somewhat wistful melody that feels like a breeze from Italy, doesn’t it? It’s as if the pain of lost love were gently hidden in the sand, waiting for the waves to carry it away…

Yukari Ito’s delicate voice paints just such a scene.

As you listen, memories of those summer days may suddenly come back to you.

This piece is lovingly included on Yukari Ito’s classic 1965 album “Yukari of San Remo.” Her experience competing in the Sanremo Music Festival in 1965 and winning a prize with “Koizuru Hitomi” led to the creation of this masterpiece.

It’s a wonderful song that lets you savor canzone in Japanese.

On a summer evening, when you feel like reflecting a little, why not listen to this song? Its nostalgic resonance will surely wrap gently around your heart.

18 Years Old Under the SunKi no Mi Nana

Nana Kinomi: 1963: 18-Year-Olds Under the Sun (Sunlight Twist: Go Kart Twist)

Let me introduce a song that brings back the sparkle of those days, brimming with youth and energy.

Sung by Nana Kinomi, this track centers on the radiant teenage years at eighteen, and its bright, breezy melody is irresistibly charming! Just listening to it makes your heart dance, as if the excitement of that time comes rushing back.

Released in March 1963, it stands as one of Nana Kinomi’s notable early works.

Its pop sound, infused with Western rhythms, brought a fresh breeze to the music scene of the time.

While many know Nana Kinomi from her duet “Izakaya” with Hiroshi Itsuki, here you can enjoy a different side—her youthful, vibrant voice.

Why not hum along together while sharing fun memories of summers spent under the sun? It’s sure to fill the moment with wonderful smiles! Let the nostalgic melody carry you as you savor the memories of those days.

That girl and IHashi Yukio

Yukio Hashi / That Girl and Me (Swim, Swim, Swim) (1965)

It’s a lively, heart‑thumping tune by Yukio Hashi that captures the feeling of summer’s arrival.

Just listening to it conjures up vivid scenes of the bustling summers of that era.

The bright melody conveys the beaming smiles of young people and the heat of excitement as they enjoyed the swim dance that was popular at the time.

Released in June 1965, this was Hashi’s 68th single.

It became a major hit, selling 710,000 copies in less than two months, and he performed it on that year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

It was even adapted into a film and used in a swimsuit commercial that aired in households across the country.

For older listeners, it likely brings back the thrill of those summers along with fond memories.

If everyone hums along together, smiles will come naturally and conversation is sure to flow.

Summer-colored Memorieschūrippu

Summer-colored Memories

When you hear Tatsuya Himeno’s sweet, bittersweet singing voice, doesn’t a dazzling scene from a distant summer day come to mind? This work is also known as the first set of lyrics that the renowned lyricist Takashi Matsumoto wrote professionally.

Released as a single in October 1973, it came out following Tulip’s signature hit “Kokoro no Tabi” (A Journey of the Heart).

The pure feeling of wanting to become the wind and whisk away the one you love rides on a fast, exhilarating melody, and still shines with undimmed brilliance today.

It might be wonderful to spend a quiet moment immersed in precious memories, overlapping them with your own youth.

coconutSakushi: Shimazaki Tōson / Sakkyoku: Ōnaka Toraji

Coconut (♪ From a distant island whose name I do not know ~) by Himawari 🌻 With Lyrics [One Hundred Selected Japanese Songs]

This is one of Japan’s representative art songs: a poem written in 1898 by the renowned poet Shimazaki Tōson, set to a beautiful melody by Toraji Ōnaka.

Centered on the theme of a coconut that drifted ashore from a distant southern island, the piece delicately portrays feelings for one’s hometown and the journey of life.

Completed as a song in 1936, it has been passed down through performances by many singers, including Ichirō Fujiyama and Hibari Misora.

Its gentle, lyrical melody is widely beloved in schools and choral activities.

With lyrics rich in imagery that evoke a summery seaside and a moving, beautiful melody, it is recommended as a song that can awaken fond memories among older listeners.