[Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026]
The graduation ceremony marks the culmination of your school life.
As you look back on your memories, you may feel nostalgic, lonely, or reluctant to say goodbye—so many emotions can come rushing in.
In this article, we’ll introduce graduation songs that will stay close to your heart when you’re overflowing with such feelings.
“I held it together and didn’t cry at the ceremony, but once I got home and was alone, I felt lonely…” “I’m hopeful about my new life, but saying goodbye to everyone is still so sad!” We’ve gathered songs we want you to listen to in moments like these.
They’re all timeless tracks that capture the loneliness you’re feeling and the memories you cherish—moving songs that might just bring you to tears.
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[Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026] (71–80)
Precious FeelingsRIEHATA
This exquisite ballad by RIEHATA—renowned worldwide as a choreographer—deliberately sets aside dance performance to convey emotion solely through her voice.
Released in August 2023 to coincide with her birthday, the song gently stands beside those carrying pain or loneliness, offering encouragement that says, “You’ll be okay.” It’s a tear-jerker that expresses gratitude to friends and family who are parting ways after graduation, and serves as a cheer for oneself embarking on a new path.
Waiting for flowersKihara Rui
Written and composed by singer-songwriter Atsu Mizuno, this piece is a ballad distinguished by its warm melody.
It captures the loneliness of parting and a wish to meet again, offering comfort to those standing at the major milestone of graduation.
Released as a single in March 2025, it was also included on the first album, “REPLAY,” released the same year.
It’s a perfect song for spring, a season of new beginnings.
Sakuraayaka
This is a graduation song released in 2018 by Ayaka, who has had many hit songs since her major debut in 2006.
The term “sotsugyo” (graduation) doesn’t just mean finishing school; it can also refer to various turning points in life.
The lyrics, which can be overlaid with the scene of leaving one’s parents to start a new life, make it a moving masterpiece that brings tears not only to those graduating but also to mothers and fathers who listen.
[Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Inducing Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026] (81–90)
Far, far awayMakihara Noriyuki
A song by singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara, known not only for his original works but also for providing numerous hit songs to other artists.
Included on his 3rd album, “Kimi wa Boku no Takaramono,” it’s recognized as one of Makihara’s signature songs despite never having been released as a single.
The lyrics, filled with the resolve to be able to proudly reunite with the friends you spent your school days with, may spark memories of youth amid the busyness of everyday life.
It’s a classic that gives you the courage to forge ahead on the path you believe in, and one that inevitably makes you nostalgic for graduation ceremonies.
weNishino Kana
It was released in 2012 as Kana Nishino’s 17th single.
Chosen as the theme song for the Toho-distributed film “Girl,” it’s a friendship song that portrays bonds between women.
It’s a warm track that conveys the feeling that even after graduation, as we go our separate ways, our friendship will never change.
This is me ~Poem of Promise~RIKU
RIKU from THE RAMPAGE wrote “This is me ~Yakusoku no Uta~” for his solo tour.
Released as a single in November 2025, it was created to express his true, authentic self.
It embodies a resolve to accept his weaknesses and past, and to live as he is.
The song is filled with a universal message of self-affirmation that encourages listeners to be proud of themselves.
For graduates about to embark on a new world, it will surely resonate as if it were their own story.
When the fleabanes bloomNogizaka 46
When the season is filled with the scent of spring, a complex mix of the sadness of parting and the resolve to set out begins to grow, doesn’t it? This number by Nogizaka46 is a masterpiece that gently embraces those emotions we feel during graduation season.
Released in March 2016 as their 14th single, it features Mai Fukagawa as the center, serving as a grand send-off toward her graduation.
It was also used in a commercial for “sizebook,” so many of you have likely heard it.
The video, with its hakama outfits that evoke the Taisho era’s romantic aesthetic, is striking—just watching it may bring a lump to your throat.
When you’re anxious yet determined to step into a new world, this song will quietly give you courage and become something truly precious.