[80s Graduation Songs] Nostalgic Classics & Hits That Have Become Standards

YaYa (I Won’t Forget That Time)Sazan Ōrusutāzu

Congratulations on the comeback! Southern All Stars - YAYA (I Won’t Forget That Time) (Cover)

A Southern All Stars number that portrays various moments of youth as beautiful memories.

For those who have long since graduated, listen while looking back on your memories with the same warmth as the song.

For those who are about to graduate, listen while reflecting on the fun times you had at school.

The lyrics include the name of the light music club that Keisuke Kuwata and other members belonged to during their university days, as well as scenes from campus life.

It’s a song that makes you feel that, even when there were hardships and sadness, everything becomes a beautiful memory when you look back.

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SAKI

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As a personKaientai

Hitotoshite

When it comes to the theme song of “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3-B” Season 2, this is probably the track many people think of.

Following their previous smash hit, this single by Kaientai was released in November 1980.

Much like the drama’s worldview, which tackled social issues of the time, it explores a profound theme: acknowledging human weakness and folly, yet choosing to love and live on.

The introspective lyrics by Tetsuya Takeda and the warm, heartfelt melody crafted by the members truly resonate.

It may not be a flashy anthem, but it’s a timeless classic you’ll find yourself wanting to listen to at life’s turning points—such as graduation—when you pause and reflect.

Now that we’re adults, why not listen to it again and see how it mirrors your own life?

Words of FarewellKaientai

Okuru Kotoba

A classic of the graduation season, this is a famous song by Kaientai that just about everyone in Japan has hummed at least once.

It carries not only the sadness of parting, but also a profound message that knowing sorrow can make us kinder—one that warms the heart every time you listen.

Released as a single in November 1979, it was used as the theme song for the first season of the drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B,” starring Tetsuya Takeda, and it became a runaway hit, reaching No.

1 on the Oricon charts.

It was also included on the album “Wajin-den,” and has been loved for many years.

Though it’s actually a song about heartbreak, its bittersweet yet gentle words offer courage to anyone setting out on a new journey.

It’s truly a Japanese standard, a song passed down across generations.

Don’t give up on your dreamsOkamura Takako

Takako Okamura “Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Released in 1987, Takako Okamura’s classic “Yume wo Akiramenaide” (“Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams”).

Takako Okamura made her singing debut with the duo Aming, known for “Matsu Wa,” and began her solo career in 1985.

This song is one of her signature tracks and has been featured in various TV programs and commercials, and even used on Nettou Koshien, making it a beloved song across generations.

Although she originally wrote it as a heartbreak song, it has become cherished as a graduation song and an anthem of encouragement.

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Even though it’s springKashiwabara Yoshie

Yoshie Kashiwabara - Haru na no ni (Even Though It's Spring)

A graduation song about a bittersweet farewell, written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima and sung by Yoshie Kashiwabara.

Spring usually brings a glamorous image of colorful blossoms and new encounters.

Yet in that joyful season, the parting called “graduation” can suddenly sweep away those happy feelings.

Both the title and the song “Haru na no ni” (“Though It’s Spring”) evoke that shift in the heart from joy to sorrow.

Graduation isn’t a farewell for life, but the song conveys a poignant sadness that somehow makes it feel like a parting for a lifetime.

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Eyes of the heartSakamoto Kyu

Kyu Sakamoto “Kokoro no Hitomi” (Original Song with Lyrics Subtitles)

When we think of Kyu Sakamoto, songs like “Ue o Muite Arukō” (“Sukiyaki”) and “Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o” come to mind, but this song, “Kokoro no Hitomi,” is also a wonderful piece.

Sakamoto’s works feel less like mere “tunes” and more like true “songs,” don’t they? Lyrics along the lines of “Even if time passes and everything changes, love alone remains the same” can be taken as both a love song and a song about bonds.

The words that gently teach us, “We can face partings without sorrow because there is a bond there,” also evoke a faint image of graduation scenes.

The lyrics and music come from the golden Shōwa-era duo, Toyohisa Araki and Takashi Miki.

It’s a good old Shōwa song we want to keep singing forever.

Romantic Flightkome kome CLUB

JAL Okinawa Campaign Summer Rikyu 1990 Theme Song: "Kome Kome Club - Roman Hikou"

Just by listening, many people may feel a sense of liberation, as if a blue sky opens up before their eyes.

Known for their diverse musicality and entertainment-packed performances, Kome Kome Club included this classic on their 1987 album “KOMEGUNY.” It was originally just an album track, but after being used in a JAL commercial in 1990, it became a huge hit and was re-released as a single in April 1990.

Its exhilarating melody and adventurous worldview give you the courage to leap into new places.

When you’re facing a new chapter—graduation, a job transfer, and other turning points in life—this indispensable standard for the season of departures transforms anxiety into an exciting sense of anticipation.