Sounds of summer. Sound effects and soothing ambient sounds
What sounds say “summer” to you? What comes to mind? In this article, we researched a variety of soundscapes that evoke summer—from timeless classics to scorching, exotic vibes.
We curated a wide selection, carefully picked, so please take your time and enjoy! Close your eyes and you can picture everything from tropical resorts and remote deserts to jungles and fireworks festivals.
These can be used for healing, as sound effects, or as substitutes for pseudo–field recordings to add color to your music.
Most of them cannot be used commercially, so be sure to check the licenses carefully!
- Festival sounds. Sound effects and everyday ambient sounds.
- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
- Sound of wind. Sound effects and soothing ambient sounds
- A classic song themed around a summer festival. A song of summer memories (2026).
- Firework sounds. Sound effects and relaxing ambient sound
- Love songs you want to listen to in summer. Love songs that color the summer.
- Reiwa-era summer songs: A roundup of new staple tracks that color the hot summer
- Sound of rain. Sound effects and natural ambient sounds
- Cool songs to listen to in summer: a roundup of music to help you cool down
- [Summer Songs] Stylish Japanese Hits: A Collection of Masterpieces That Bring a Refreshing Breeze
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
- Songs to Enjoy in Summer! Classic Hits Special (Showa & Heisei)
- [Masterpieces to Enjoy During Summer Vacation] A collection of summer songs bursting with summer vibes
Sounds of Summer: Sound Effects & Soothing Ambient Audio (11–20)
The clear streams of Azumino in Shinshu
These environmental sounds were recorded in Azumino, Shinshu, in a pristine stream and nature-rich setting, focusing primarily on the sound of a flowing river.
Rather than a gentle, slow current, the impression is of water pouring into somewhere, occasionally revealing a strong flow.
Birds’ calls can also be heard intermittently, conveying the gentle breeze that passes through and the richness of the natural surroundings.
The river sounds convey both gentleness and strength, evoking an image of untouched, unspoiled nature.
Birdsong echoing through the fresh green forest
These are environmental sounds recorded near the Ikuyama Spring in Kumamoto, featuring a composition of a flowing river in a fresh green forest and birds calling from the surroundings.
The gentle babbling of the river is the main element, with birdsong heard farther away, conveying the richness of nature.
You can also faintly hear a strong, waterfall-like rush of water, which invites you to imagine how far the river before you continues.
Including the occasional sound of wind sweeping through, the recording evokes a strong sense of freshness.
Sunlight filtering through the trees and the sound of the wind—the sounds of the forest.
These environmental sounds evoke a forest scene gently bathed in dappled sunlight, letting you hear the wind as it passes through.
It’s basically the sound of wind rustling the leaves, and the softness of that sound tells you the breeze is calm.
You can also hear birds calling in the distance, and that combination of sounds clearly conveys the richness of nature.
The pairing of a refreshing wind and lively birdsong suggests a comfortably warm atmosphere.
The sound of a river flowing with spring water
These are gentle ambient sounds that evoke the softly flowing river in a forest and the birds calling around it.
It basically sounds like it was recorded near a river, with clearly audible water that conveys the richness of the flowing stream.
The birds’ voices are heard from afar and intermittently, which in turn conjures warmth and the abundance of nature.
Set within this gentle natural atmosphere, the water sounds also seem to carry a sense of clarity and transparency.
A tranquil morning forest
Ambient sounds that evoke a morning forest gently bathed in sunlight, with the presence of the animals that live there.
A key point is the clearly audible sound of the trees swaying, which conveys a soft breeze passing through.
The birdsong suggests it’s the morning hours when animals are starting their lively activities.
The warbler’s call, ringing out like an accent, also conveys the season—another part of its charm.
2016 Utsunomiya Fireworks Festival
This is the third part of the Utsunomiya Fireworks Festival, the grand finale.
You can picture the fireworks launching one after another in sync with the background music playing at the venue.
It’s the kind of sound that makes you nostalgic for that summer night when you enjoyed the fireworks in a yukata, uchiwa fan in hand.
Sounds of Summer: Sound Effects and Soothing Ambient Sounds (21–30)
Evening cicadas
It’s the call of the higurashi cicada, also known as kanakana or kanakana-zemi from its cry.
Because it often sings in the dim light before sunrise or after sunset, the higurashi’s call doesn’t evoke the stifling, inescapable heat associated with the aburazemi’s song.
On the contrary, it can even feel cool, and it carries a somewhat wistful, melancholy atmosphere.