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Songs of Summer from the Showa Era: A comprehensive introduction, from nostalgic Japanese hits to timeless favorites still popular today

Summer is packed with fun events like seaside drives, camping, and all-you-can-eat buffets.

And to make summer even more exciting, the right BGM is essential, isn’t it? If you’re struggling with your summer playlist, why not try some classic Japanese hits from the Showa era? In this article, we introduce a variety of “summer songs” mainly from the 1960s to the 1980s—ranging from Showa pop and Group Sounds to New Music, city pop, idol tunes, and rock bands.

For some, it’ll be a nostalgic trip; for younger listeners, a fresh discovery.

Enjoy!

Playlist

Songs of Summer from the Showa Era: A comprehensive introduction, from nostalgic Japanese hits to timeless favorites still popular today
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1The hottest summer in the worldPRINCESS PRINCESS
The hottest summer in the worldPRINCESS PRINCESSplay_arrow
Princess Princess's representative summer song, "The Hottest Summer in the World"
2Season in the SunTUBE
Season in the SunTUBEplay_arrow
A quintessential TUBE summer song with a refreshing sound
3A Tale of Two in Summer: Never-Ending SummerSugiyama Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe
A Tale of Two in Summer: Never-Ending SummerSugiyama Kiyotaka & Omega Tribeplay_arrow
Kiyotaka Sugiyama’s summer love song is a big hit
4Summer HeroineKawai Naoko
Summer HeroineKawai Naokoplay_arrow
Naoko Kawai’s classic songs that color the memories of summer
5Chaco’s Seaside StorySazan Ōrusutāzu
Chaco’s Seaside StorySazan Ōrusutāzuplay_arrow
A classic by Southern that refreshingly sings of summer love
6SPARKLEYamashita Tatsuro
SPARKLEYamashita Tatsuroplay_arrow
Tatsuro Yamashita’s classic summer anthem
7Forever with youKayama Yūzō
Forever with youKayama Yūzōplay_arrow
A summer dusk love song of Yuzo Kayama’s “Kimi to Itsumademo”
8Love VacationZa Pīnattsu
Love VacationZa Pīnattsuplay_arrow
Peanuts’ Love Vacation Song
9Last Summer WhisperAnri
Last Summer WhisperAnriplay_arrow
A classic song that sings of Anri’s summer memories
10Crimson SunMisora Hibari
Crimson SunMisora Hibariplay_arrow
Passion and ephemerality, a masterpiece by Hibari Misora
11You are in full color.Ohtaki Eiichi
You are in full color.Ohtaki Eiichiplay_arrow
Eiichi Ohtaki’s summer classic “Kimi wa Tennenshoku” (You Are Natural Color)
12Summer LoveOzaki Kiyohiko
Summer LoveOzaki Kiyohikoplay_arrow
Kiyohiko Ozaki's summery romantic pop
13You guys are kiwi, papaya, and mango, aren’t you?Nakahara Meiko
You guys are kiwi, papaya, and mango, aren’t you?Nakahara Meikoplay_arrow
The theme song for summer cosmetics released by Meiko Nakahara in 1984
14I hope you are keeping well in the summer heat.kyandīzu
I hope you are keeping well in the summer heat.kyandīzuplay_arrow
Candies’ summer classic—memories before their breakup
15The Door to SummerMatsuda Seiko
The Door to SummerMatsuda Seikoplay_arrow
Seiko Matsuda’s “Natsu no Tobira” is a refreshing summer classic.
16Season of LovePinkī to Kirāzu
Season of LovePinkī to Kirāzuplay_arrow
The Appeal of Pinky and the Killers’ Debut Song
17Heart-throbbing for you. — A Fickle Vacation —Yellow Magic Orchestra
Heart-throbbing for you. — A Fickle Vacation —Yellow Magic Orchestraplay_arrow
YMO’s 1983 summer song “Kimi ni Mune Kyun”
18Harmony at Summer’s EndInoue Yosui & Anzen Chitai
Harmony at Summer’s EndInoue Yosui & Anzen Chitaiplay_arrow
Summer masterpieces by Anzen Chitai and Yosui Inoue
19A summer to rememberYamaguchi Momoe
A summer to rememberYamaguchi Momoeplay_arrow
Momoe Yamaguchi’s summer love song
20Beach of MemoriesZa Wairudowanzu
Beach of MemoriesZa Wairudowanzu
The Wild Ones’ debut single “Memories of the Seashore”
21Time, stop.Yazawa Eikichi
Time, stop.Yazawa Eikichiplay_arrow
Eikichi Yazawa’s classic song capturing a man’s bittersweet summer feelings
22Suddenly, SinbadSazan Ōrusutāzu
Suddenly, SinbadSazan Ōrusutāzuplay_arrow
Depicting youth and summer in Southern All Stars’ debut song
2350/50Nagayama Miho
50/50Nagayama Mihoplay_arrow
Miho Nakayama’s 1987 summer love song
24Deceived by a guy like HiroshiTakada Mizue
Deceived by a guy like HiroshiTakada Mizue
Mizue Takada’s nostalgic summer classic
25Summer-colored DiaryHori Chiemi
Summer-colored DiaryHori Chiemiplay_arrow
A refreshing depiction of youthful summer and budding romance.
26Women Who Fall in Love in SummerOhnuki Taeko
Women Who Fall in Love in SummerOhnuki Taekoplay_arrow
Taeko Ohnuki’s cosmopolitan love song
27Summer Dayofukōsu
Summer Dayofukōsuplay_arrow
A classic ballad about summer love
28Be my bride.Kayama Yūzō
Be my bride.Kayama Yūzōplay_arrow
A signature song by Yūzō Kayama with a memorable ukulele
29Equator Girl: Dokki!Yamashita Kumiko
Equator Girl: Dokki!Yamashita Kumikoplay_arrow
Kumiko Yamashita’s 1982 hit song “Equator Girl Dokki”
30Summer MissSakakibara Ikue
Summer MissSakakibara Ikueplay_arrow
Ikue Sakakibara’s Summer Love Song
31RIDE ON TIMEYamashita Tatsuro
RIDE ON TIMEYamashita Tatsuroplay_arrow
Tatsuro Yamashita’s refreshing summer songs, perfect as driving BGM
32Shinin’ On-kun is sad.rukku
Shinin’ On-kun is sad.rukkuplay_arrow
LOOK's signature song, the sandy beach at night where we reminisce
33The Little MermaidNagayama Miho
The Little MermaidNagayama Mihoplay_arrow
A summer beach love story and Miho Nakayama’s crystalline voice
34South Wind – SOUTH WIND –Ōta Hiromi
South Wind - SOUTH WIND -Ōta Hiromiplay_arrow
Refreshing vibes with Hiromi Ohta’s summer songs
35BoyhoodInoue Yosui
BoyhoodInoue Yosuiplay_arrow
Inoue Yosui's Shonen Jidai is a Showa-era hit song
36Midsummer RainRebekka
Midsummer RainRebekkaplay_arrow
A wistful, weightless song that paints a scene of summer rain
37“Goodbye is an August lullaby.”Yoshikawa Koji
“Goodbye is an August lullaby.”Yoshikawa Kojiplay_arrow
The bittersweetness of Kōji Kikkawa’s summers in the ’80s
38Stella with Blue Eyes, Summer 1962…Yanagi Joji
Stella with Blue Eyes, Summer 1962…Yanagi Jojiplay_arrow
A classic ballad by George Yanagi that depicts memories of summers past
39Angel’s TemptationMayuzumi Jun
Angel's TemptationMayuzumi Junplay_arrow
Jun Mayuzumi's summer hit songs are hugely popular
40Seaside BoundZa Taigāsu
Seaside BoundZa Taigāsu
The Tigers’ summer love song is a big hit
41Love Letter on the Seashoresawada kenji
Love Letter on the Seashoresawada kenji
Kenji Sawada’s sentimental classic depicting a summer farewell
42Crazed FruitIshihara Yūjirō
Crazed FruitIshihara Yūjirō
Theme songs from Yujiro Ishihara’s films, classic hits of the Showa era
43The sun is crying.ishida ayumi
The sun is crying.ishida ayumiplay_arrow
Introducing the classic song released in 1968 by Ayumi Ishida
44Southern WindNakamori Akina
Southern WindNakamori Akinaplay_arrow
Akina Nakamori’s tropical resort love song
45Morning of the PegasusIgarashi Hiroaki
Morning of the PegasusIgarashi Hiroakiplay_arrow
Igarashi Hiroaki’s signature song, a refreshing anthem of hope
46The Days of Rainbows and Sneakerschūrippu
The Days of Rainbows and Sneakerschūrippuplay_arrow
Introduction to Tulip’s Summer Heartbreak Songs
47Waltz of StarlightSen Masao
Waltz of StarlightSen Masaoplay_arrow
An enka love song that sings of the sorrow of parting
48Ah, summer vacation.TUBE
Ah, summer vacation.TUBE
That uplifting feeling from TUBE’s signature summer song
49miragekurisutaru kingu
miragekurisutaru kinguplay_arrow
Crystal King's summer love song
50A Member of the Fire BrigadeRATS&STAR
A Member of the Fire BrigadeRATS&STARplay_arrow
Rats & Star's summer smash hit
5117 years oldMinami Saori
17 years oldMinami Saoriplay_arrow
The summer love song of Saori Minami’s debut
52The High-Class Mermaid of the ShoreKoizumi Kyoko
The High-Class Mermaid of the ShoreKoizumi Kyokoplay_arrow
Introduction to Kyoko Koizumi’s 1984 release
53Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko
Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seikoplay_arrow
Seiko Matsuda’s signature summer song “Blue Coral Reef”
54Two People’s Love IslandIshikawa Yuko & Chage
Two People's Love IslandIshikawa Yuko & Chageplay_arrow
The duet song by Chage & Aska and Yuko Ishikawa
55summer vacationyoshida takurou
summer vacationyoshida takurouplay_arrow
A folk rock piece depicting Takuro Yoshida’s summer memories
56SUMMER DREAMTUBE
SUMMER DREAMTUBEplay_arrow
Summer Dream, TUBE’s classic summer hit
57Mr. Summertimesaakasu
Mr. Summertimesaakasuplay_arrow
Mr. Summertime of Circus
58TouchIwasaki Yoshimi
TouchIwasaki Yoshimiplay_arrow
A song that portrays youthful romance as the theme song of Touch
59Nancy of Summer ColorsHayami Yū
Nancy of Summer ColorsHayami Yūplay_arrow
A refreshing classic that depicts a summer romance
60white parasolMatsuda Seiko
white parasolMatsuda Seikoplay_arrow
Expresses the bittersweetness of summer love in one of Seiko Matsuda’s signature songs
61Give Up on SummerNaoko Ken
Give Up on Summer Naoko Kenplay_arrow
A masterpiece that portrays the end of summer. Naoko Ken’s wistful vocals capture the essence of youth.
62A Midsummer Night’s DreamNoguchi Goro
A Midsummer Night's DreamNoguchi Goroplay_arrow
Goro Noguchi’s 1978 single “Midsummer Night’s Dream”
63Dance, fish.Yamashita Tatsuro
Dance, fish.Yamashita Tatsuroplay_arrow
A refreshing city pop song by Tatsuro Yamashita
64Sinbad on the Shorepinku redii
Sinbad on the Shorepinku rediiplay_arrow
Pink Lady's summer love song
65The Longed-For Hawaii RouteHaruo Oka
The Longed-For Hawaii Route Haruo Okaplay_arrow
A song of longing for postwar Japanese setting off to Hawaii
66Give Up on SummerSazan Ōrusutāzu
Give Up on SummerSazan Ōrusutāzuplay_arrow
Southern All Stars’ summer love song