[For adults too] Youth songs that let you look back on your memories

Cape TourYamamoto Kōtarō to Uīkuendo

Cape Tour

It’s a classic song that poignantly portrays a bittersweet love journey, marked by striking images of a beautiful sea and cape.

The gentle, refreshing melody harmonizes beautifully with lyrical verses that circle around memories of a cherished person who has been lost.

The delicate depiction of traveling alone on a trip once promised to a loved one conveys a quiet resilience—a resolve to move forward while carrying sorrow.

Yamamoto Kotaro and The Weekend debuted with this song in June 1974, and it became a major hit, reaching No.

5 on the Oricon charts.

It has long been beloved as the station melody on the Keikyu Kurihama Line and was also used as the ending theme for the anime Heaven’s Lost Property.

For those who have experienced parting from someone dear or who carry deep feelings in their hearts, this song will gently keep them company.

A Midsummer IncidentHirayama Miki

Miki Hirayama / Midsummer Incident ~ Now and Then

A bittersweet love story woven with a gentle, husky singing voice.

It’s a masterpiece that vividly captures the emotions of a man and woman traveling by car on a midsummer night.

Jun Hashimoto’s bold lyrics and Kyohei Tsutsumi’s funky sound are a perfect match, while Miki Hirayama’s vocal prowess further elevates the song’s appeal.

Released in May 1971, it reached No.

5 on the Oricon charts.

A remake in 1999 breathed new life into the track when it was used as the ending theme for the film Adrenaline Drive.

With its distinctly American groove and striking string arrangements, this song is perfect as BGM for driving scenes or for sinking into the bittersweet memories of summer.

Our FailureMorita Doji

Bokutachino Shippai

Starting with a scene bathed in spring sunlight, Morita Doji’s classic masterfully portrays the delicate feelings and subtle shifts of a young person’s heart.

Many will be moved by the protagonist, who acknowledges their fragility yet strives to move forward.

Featured on the album Mother Sky, the song initially garnered support for its unique worldview upon its November 1976 release.

Later, in 1993, it was chosen as the theme song for the TBS drama High School Teacher, becoming a major hit with over 900,000 copies sold.

Its melody—woven from a softly spoken, intimate vocal and the gentle timbre of an acoustic guitar—is the perfect companion when you’re carrying something in your heart or want to immerse yourself in memories of someone dear.

Far, far awayMakihara Noriyuki

Tohku Tohku

A gemlike ballad by Noriyuki Makihara that gently portrays the feelings of anyone living away from their hometown.

With a warm, tender voice, it envelops the delicate emotions where the struggle in a new place intersects with the desire to remain unchanged.

Included on the album “Kimi wa Boku no Takaramono,” the song was released in June 1992.

In later years, it was featured in an NTT East Japan commercial, drawing a strong response.

It was also used in 2007 for the reunion special of the TV program “Marumaru Chibi Maruko-chan.” This classic quietly stays by the side of anyone who wishes to stay connected with their loved ones despite the distance.

Is youth embarrassing, or is it youth if it’s embarrassing?Ryokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai 'Is Youth Embarrassing?' Official Video / Ryokuoushoku Shakai – Hazukashiika Seishun wa

This is a Ryokuoushoku Shakai song that depicts the brilliance and inner struggles of youth.

Released as a digital-only single in July 2024, it was written as the theme song for ABEMA’s dating show “Kyou, Suki ni Narimashita.

Summer Break 2024.” Its upbeat, powerful sound is paired with lyrics that capture young people sprinting forward with everything they’ve got.

The track conveys the importance of living to the fullest within the limited time of one’s youth, resonating with many young listeners.

The music video, featuring a grand collaboration with a 40-piece orchestra, also became a hot topic.

It’s a must-listen for anyone in the thick of their youth.

12th graderFunaki Kazuo

12th grader

This is a masterpiece whose nostalgic, march-like melody and warm vocals—enveloping the bittersweet farewell of youth—resonate deeply.

It begins with the scene of the setting sun reflected on the school building, moves through images of boys and girls dancing a folk dance, and gently depicts the end of high school life with memories shared among friends before parting.

Released in June 1963 as Kazuo Funaki’s debut single, it became a massive hit, selling over one million copies within a year.

In November of the same year, a film of the same title was produced, with Funaki himself in the starring role.

It’s a song I’d recommend to those who cherish memories of their youth or feel nostalgic for their school days.

Why not give it a listen in the springtime, when you want to spend your days with a calm and peaceful heart?

contrailArai Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Vapor Trail (Yumi Arai The Concert with Old Friends)

The story of a boy drawn on a white slope reflects Yumi Arai’s inner landscape from her youth.

With a clear, crystalline voice and beautiful piano lines, she gently sings of a longing for the heavens and a parting from the earthly world.

Inspired by feelings for a classmate from her elementary school days, the piece takes flight on a fragile yet refreshing melody, brimming with the radiance of life and hope for liberation.

Released in November 1973 as the title track of the album “Hikōki Gumo,” it drew renewed attention in 2013 as the theme song for Studio Ghibli’s “The Wind Rises.” It is a gem of a song that tenderly supports those who have experienced the loss of someone dear, as well as young people standing at a crossroads in life.