How to Play One Summer's Day on Piano
Joe Hisaishi
About this piece
One Summer's Day is a beginner-intermediate piano piece by Joe Hisaishi that most students can learn in 3-5 weeks.
The nostalgic theme from Spirited Away, evoking childhood wonder and bittersweet memory. The five-sharp key signature looks daunting but the hands fall naturally onto the black keys, making it more comfortable than expected.
Practice tips
- The B major key uses five sharps, but the black-key clusters (F#-G#-A# and C#-D#) serve as natural hand guides — learn to find your position by touch rather than sight.
- The melody unfolds in long, song-like phrases — practice breathing with the melody (literally inhale at the start of phrases, exhale as they end) to shape them naturally.
- The left-hand accompaniment uses a gentle, rocking pattern — keep it at a steady pp throughout so the right-hand melody can speak freely above it.
Common mistake
Hesitating at the key signature's accidentals — once you accept that F, C, G, D, and A are always sharp, the piece flows naturally under the hands.
How long to learn
Frequently asked questions
How hard is One Summer's Day to play on piano?
One Summer's Day is rated Beginner-Intermediate. The nostalgic theme from Spirited Away, evoking childhood wonder and bittersweet memory.
How long does it take to learn One Summer's Day?
For a beginner, expect 3-5 weeks. An intermediate player can learn it in 1-2 weeks.
What key is One Summer's Day in?
One Summer's Day is in B major, typically performed at around 60 BPM.
What's the most common mistake when learning One Summer's Day?
Hesitating at the key signature's accidentals — once you accept that F, C, G, D, and A are always sharp, the piece flows naturally under the hands.
Where to find the sheet music
- Free scores on IMSLP (Petrucci Music Library)
- Community sheet music on MuseScore
- Wikipedia: Joe Hisaishi
Free public-domain editions of works like Beethoven, Chopin, and Debussy are on IMSLP. For contemporary works, MuseScore has community arrangements.
Ready to practice One Summer's Day?
Upload your sheet music and start learning — at your tempo, hands separately, looping the hard parts.
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