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

Kadode no Ippo (feat. CHICO CARLITO)ASOBOiSM

Kadode no Ippo (feat. CHICO CARLITO)

This is an uplifting anthem that gives you the courage to set off toward your dreams.

Born from a collaboration between ASOBOiSM and CHICO CARLITO, the track was released in March 2024.

It weaves together the loneliness and anxiety of leaving familiar places with the excitement of taking a new step forward.

ASOBOiSM’s down-to-earth lyrics and CHICO CARLITO’s powerful rap gently nudge listeners onward.

It’s the perfect song for organizing your feelings before graduation or a new chapter in life.

Give it a listen—won’t you open the door to a new world, too?

Sakura rollFunatsu Mahiro

Masato Funatsu “Sakura Roll” Official Lyric Video

With the arrival of spring, the song that makes me want to listen is Masho Funatsu’s “Sakura Roll,” released in March 2021.

The title is a coined word that blends “sakura” (cherry blossoms) with a smartphone’s “camera roll,” a clever touch that layers the fleeting season with the enduring nature of memories.

This piece, graced by the soothing sound of acoustic guitar, features high school singer Ren on chorus; the overlap of their voices creates a beautiful harmony where warmth and wistfulness coexist.

The lyrics capture a contemporary feeling—the desire to etch fleeting moments into the heart like photographs—and gently resonate with those facing graduation or a new chapter in life.

It’s a highly recommended song to send with gratitude, while reflecting on days spent with friends or a loved one.

Nostalgic FutureKamishiraishi Mone

Mone Kamishiraishi “Natsukashii Mirai” (Lyrics/Composition: Naotaro Moriyama) Music Video

If you’re excited about starting a new chapter but also feeling a bit anxious, I recommend listening to “Natsukashii Mirai” (“A Nostalgic Future”).

This song was written and composed by Naotaro Moriyama as the theme for high school soccer, and it’s performed by singer-songwriter Mone Kamishiraishi.

Its message—encouraging you to keep moving toward the future you envision—will resonate even if you’re not into soccer.

The powerful vocals and chorus are sure to give you courage.

After listening, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on what the title “Natsukashii Mirai” means to you.

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BelieveSugimoto Ryuichi

Everyone! Congratulations on your graduation! Tried singing BELIEVE covered by Gachapin [Graduation Song] [Chorus Piece]

It’s a song with a warm vocal that gently resonates with children’s hearts.

It sings of hope and faith in the future, and the importance of human connections.

Released in 1998 as the ending theme for NHK’s “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (The Great Journey of Life on Earth), it captured the hearts of many.

It is often performed at school graduation ceremonies and choir competitions, and is loved by a wide range of generations.

I think it’s perfect for those taking a new step forward or parting from dear friends.

Ryuichi Sugimoto’s warm lyrics and beautiful melody will surely be close to your heart.

To the futureKiroro

Kiroro “To the Future” Music Video (Short ver.)

It was released in 1998 as Kiroro’s second single.

It is often sung in middle and high school music classes and at choral competitions, and is also known as a graduation song.

This classic is filled with courage and hope to move toward the future, as well as feelings of gratitude.

horizonback number

back number – Horizon

This piece, released in August 2020 by a three-piece band from Gunma Prefecture, is well known for the story behind its creation: it was made for high school students who lost their stage when the 2020 Inter-High was canceled.

It gently stays close to the frustration of efforts that don’t pay off and the unreasonable sorrow that follows, delivering a message that knowing pain makes us kinder to others—one that deeply moves listeners.

While holding the sense of loss from shattered dreams and goals, it carries a warmth that suggests those very experiences will become the nourishment that shapes your future self.

Even as graduates face a reality that doesn’t go as planned, this song will softly support them as they take their first steps down a new path.

For a cherished new beginning, why not offer the deep love woven by back number?

Born on this planetGasshou Kyoku

[Chorus] Born on This Planet (Mixed Chorus in Three Parts)

A classic choral piece that celebrates the preciousness of life and hope, with a majestic melody that resonates in the heart, “Born on This Planet.” Composed by Ryuichi Sugimoto as the theme for NHK’s “Living Planet,” it was released to the world in August 1996 on the album “Born on This Planet: NHK ‘Living Planet’ Soundtrack 2.” Many people may remember this melody alongside the beautiful images on television.

Its themes—courage to pursue one’s dreams and gratitude for the miracle of meeting—make it perfect for graduation season.

If you’ve sung it at a choral competition or a graduation ceremony, the very first notes will bring those scenes flooding back, perhaps even moving you to tears.

It’s a deeply moving song, beloved across generations, that reaffirms the bonds with those you cherish.