[Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026]

Gray and Blue (+Masaki Suda)Yonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Gray and Blue (+Masaki Suda)

A collaborative song by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu and actor Masaki Suda.

With verses kept understated that surge into an explosive chorus, it links to the wish that even as we grow, some things will remain unchanged—a number that feels like the heart’s cry of those about to graduate.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Homeward Road in MarchHirai Dai

Dai Hirai / The Way Home in March (Lyric Video)

When it comes to ballads perfect for graduation season, Dai Hirai’s songs are the ones that come to mind.

The gentle melody woven by piano and strings is filled with the sadness of parting and the anticipation of a new beginning.

His soft vocals tenderly envelop cherished memories and gratitude toward friends.

Released as a digital single in February 2022, this song resonated with many hearts.

It’s perfect for listening alone after the graduation ceremony while reminiscing.

It’s a wonderful track that gives you the courage to take a new step forward.

true feelingsGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE

true feelings

This song is filled with messages cheering on those who keep moving forward despite uncertainty and regret.

It’s a track by the dance and vocal group GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE, released in March 2026.

It served as a tie-in song with the radio show SCHOOL OF LOCK!, which the members appeared on for six years, and the show’s live project MY GENERATION 2026.

The sentimental strings are sure to bring tears.

The lyrics, written in down-to-earth language, are deeply relatable, word by word.

With a graduation-themed worldview, it’s a masterpiece that stands by everyone carrying a sense of heartache.

Give it a listen when you want to shake off your sadness.

Thank youFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Thank You”

Though they disbanded in 2013 to much regret, FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ songs are still often heard.

Their 21st single, “Arigatou,” released in 2013, is well known for featuring Sanma Akashiya on the cover.

It has also become a staple graduation song.

While it’s a graduation song, it’s also a track you’ll want to gift to dear friends—people you want to cherish forever.

It’s the kind of song you’ll want as a good-luck charm for the times after graduation when things get tough or you feel like giving up.

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utatane

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treasurewacci

wacci “Treasure” (Lyric Video)

It’s a cheering song that gently affirms the anxiety and impatience you feel while pursuing your dreams, yet also the strong will not to give up.

Included on the album “Kanjō Hyakkei,” released in August 2017, this track features a warm band sound whose words and melody reach straight to the heart.

It became a hot topic when Miho Takagi of speed skating listened to it as her pump-up song during the Pyeongchang Olympics in February 2018, and it spread as a song that gives many people a push forward.

True to wacci’s style, its everyday, empathetic message makes it perfect to give to a friend setting out on a new path at graduation or to teammates who have overcome frustration in their club activities.

It’s a song that helps you reaffirm the “precious things” that will support you in the life ahead.

proofflumpool

flumpool “Proof” Music Video (Full Chorus ver.)

Asho (Proof), flumpool’s seventh single released in 2011.

This song was also selected for the 78th NHK National School Music Contest that year.

Gentle and deeply moving, it mirrors the sentimental mood of graduation and is a tearjerker.

It also evokes a sense of the future that lies beyond graduation.

While it’s a graduation song, it conveys bonds of the heart and inner strength, making it a perfect anthem to cheer on those who are giving their all.

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utatane

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Thank youKagura SCOPE

Kagura SCOPE – Thank You [Official Music Video]

A solo artist known as a “Rapsinger” who fuses rap and singing, Kagura SCOPE has been winning support from street performances.

This single, released in December 2024, is a heartwarming pop number that straightforwardly expresses gratitude.

Its lyrics reflect on the appreciation we often overlook in everyday life and the miracle that encounters are never to be taken for granted, resonating deeply with those facing seasons of farewells and new beginnings.

It’s easy to project feelings for loved ones—partners, family, and friends—and the music video, now available, heightens the emotion visually as well.

Perfect as background music for graduations and farewell parties, this gentle, empathetic song feels like it speaks the words of thanks we can’t fully convey ourselves.