Going to the pool or the beach, having barbecues, heading to music festivals… summer is full of fun things, isn’t it? Precisely because it’s such an open, joyful season, there are moments when you suddenly feel lonely or a touch of wistfulness.
In this article, we introduce mellow ballads that will stay close to those bittersweet summer feelings.
From songs that capture the sadness of summer’s end to tracks themed around love and heartbreak, these warm tunes will wrap you up whenever a sentimental mood unexpectedly arrives.
Give them a listen!
- Songs you want to listen to at the end of summer: Late-summer classics to look back on the season
- [Masterpieces to Enjoy During Summer Vacation] A collection of summer songs bursting with summer vibes
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
- Tear-jerking summer classics: recommended popular songs
- [2026] A summer song that tightens your chest with bittersweet feelings. A classic summer tune that touches the heart.
- Summer songs with great lyrics. Tracks that make your summer memories even more wonderful.
- Love songs you want to listen to in summer. Love songs that color the summer.
- Songs of Summer from the Showa Era: A comprehensive introduction, from nostalgic Japanese hits to timeless favorites still popular today
- [Summer Love Songs] Hot and Heart-wrenching! Carefully Selected Summer Tunes of Love That Set Your Heart Ablaze
- [Oldies] Summer Songs Recommended for People in Their 50s [2026]
- Emotional songs you’ll want to listen to in summer: classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters.
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
Ballads to Hear in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (1–10)
secret base ~What You Gave Me~ZONE
Speaking of summer songs, we definitely can’t leave this one out.
It became a beloved summer classic across generations after being used as the theme song for the TV drama series “Kids War” and the anime “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.” While it was originally a song themed around a friend transferring schools, it can also be heard as a friendship song—or even a love song, depending on the lyrics’ perspective.
It has a mysterious power that brings back countless memories of summers past just by listening to it.
Midsummer FruitSazan Ōrusutāzu
One of Southern All Stars’ signature songs and an absolute classic that always comes up when people talk about summer ballads, Manatsu no Kajitsu (Mid-Summer Fruit).
Keisuke Kuwata’s husky, wrung-out vocals further highlight the helpless sense of wistfulness woven into the song.
The arrangement, rich with gentle tones, is also incredibly soothing, and the more you listen, the more it heals you.
A supreme love ballad perfect for a summer night—if you’re reading this, it’s a must-listen track.
All of the YouthFujifaburikku
The masterpiece themed around the end of summer, Fuji Fabric’s “Wakamono no Subete.” The words scattered throughout the lyrics, the depictions of the town and fireworks, Shimura’s vocals, and the warmhearted performance—no matter where you focus, it evokes melancholy and youth.
Among their songs, this one is especially well-known and popular; it even appeared in the drama “SUMMER NUDE,” so many people across generations may be familiar with it.
That feeling of your chest heating up just by listening—you feel it too, don’t you?
fireflyFukuyama Masaharu
A gentle yet powerful ballad, this piece resonates with the heart through Masaharu Fukuyama’s soft and passionate vocals.
Like fireflies faintly glowing on a summer evening, it depicts the fleeting passage of time and bittersweet feelings for someone dear, reminding us of the importance of living fully within our limited time and loving someone deeply.
Released in August 2010 as Masaharu Fukuyama’s 26th single, it was also selected as the theme song for the NTV drama “Mioka: The Days You Were Here.” When you’re longing for something to accompany the loneliness and sentimentality felt at the end of summer, listening to this song will wrap you in warmth.
Because of the summerRADWIMPS
When it comes to summer ballads, RADWIMPS are indispensable.
They have several songs themed around summer, but the first one I want to mention is this track.
Released in 2020, it doesn’t follow their earlier guitar-rock style; instead, it’s crafted as a pop tune that makes full use of piano and programmed sounds.
Beyond its beauty, that sound design creates a dreamy atmosphere that’s perfect for summer nights.
Coupled with lyrics that evoke youthful days, it’s a masterpiece that makes your heart race as you listen.
I wonder if it will be sunny tomorrow.Kuwata Keisuke
With its grand sense of scale and message brimming with hope, this ballad seems to mirror the faint loneliness felt at the end of the day and the lingering anticipation for tomorrow.
The lyrics’ emphasis on “believing in yourself and wishing” gently lends strength in those quiet moments after summer’s bustle fades, when you find yourself facing your inner thoughts.
Released in May 2007 as Keisuke Kuwata’s ninth solo single, the song became etched in many people’s memories as the theme for the Fuji TV drama “Operation Love” (Proposal Daisakusen).
It’s a gem of a track to listen to when you want to soak in the sentimental mood of summer’s end, pause for a moment, and rediscover hope for the future.
A midsummer passing showerUtada Hikaru
A song that delicately weaves together the deep sorrow of losing someone precious and the love that still refuses to cease.
Like a gentle rain falling in the depths of the heart, it moves the listener—so quintessentially Hikaru Utada.
Included on the 2016 album Fantôme, this piece was released when Utada resumed musical activities after about eight years.
When you want something to quietly accompany the loneliness at summer’s end or those sudden pangs of wistfulness, this warm melody will envelop you.
On a night when you’re thinking of someone dear, why not listen closely?