An uplifting, moving song to liven up the school festival—one that will be etched into your memories.
Music is essential for boosting the atmosphere at school festivals! Not only does it work perfectly as background music to energize stages and booths, but it also adds sparkle to band performances, choirs, and dance acts.
In this article, we’ll introduce our top recommended inspirational songs for cultural and school festivals.
Heart-stirring tracks that evoke memories with your friends will make this once-a-year celebration shine even brighter.
May you create wonderful memories with the best music!
- Youthful songs recommended as theme songs and openings for cultural and school festivals
- [2026] Tearjerker Songs That Bring the House Down at School Culture Festivals
- Popular band songs that hype up cultural and school festivals & recommended latest hit songs
- [Culture and School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up your venues and events!
- [Youth Anthems] A curated selection of popular and latest songs to hype up your school cultural festival
- [Uplifting Songs] A curated selection of popular and latest tracks to energize your school cultural festivals!
- A friendship song that fires up the culture festival/school festival
- A hype cheer song for school culture festivals—music that colors your memories.
- Recommended moving songs for junior high school students
- Fun and exciting! Dance songs that hype up cultural and school festivals [2026]
- [High School] Perform at the Cultural Festival Live! A Collection of Exciting Japanese Band Songs
- [120% Empathy] A Collection of Moving Songs [Love, Friendship, Encouragement]
- [Cultural Festival / School Festival] A Collection of Vocaloid Songs to Liven Up Your Event
Heart-stirring songs that hype up school culture festivals—moving tunes that leave a lasting mark on your memories (71–80)
catDISH//
This is a song that became a hot topic on social media as a “tearjerker.” It’s by the dance-rock band DISH// and was included as the B-side to their 2017 single “We Did It.” Later, the acoustic version released on YouTube, “Neko — THE FIRST TAKE ver.,” became a major hit and gained widespread popularity, especially among younger listeners.
So, if you’re looking for a track to play during a moving scene at a school festival, the acoustic version is recommended.
Beyond the Night SkySMAP
This is the single released in 1998 by SMAP, the famed Japanese male idol group.
It’s a timeless classic that continues to be covered and cherished by many artists today, including self-covers by lyricist Shikao Suga and composer Yuka Kawamura.
Coincidentally, both Suga and Kawamura wrote the song while recalling moments when they spoke with an ex—about the future and other things.
Perhaps that’s why the fleetingness and beauty of youth overlap with a glittering night sky, and why each listen gently sinks into the heart, stirring memories.
Try EverythingDream Ami
This is a song that became popular as the Japanese theme song for Disney’s movie Zootopia.
It’s an uplifting, encouraging, and moving track, and its cute arrangement—so characteristic of Dream Ami—is also appealing, making it a recommended emotional song for school festivals.
Kitearashi
The song “Kite,” sung by the five members of Arashi, is a refreshing yet powerful ballad that lets you feel the friendship and sense of achievement experienced through a sports day.
The fulfilled expressions and joy on the children’s faces after giving it their all, and the line in the chorus—“I wish for your dreams to come true”—symbolize children who are looking to the future and moving forward.
Please give a round of applause to the children who worked so hard, and make it a moving closing ceremony.
I believe the voices of the five members of Arashi will envelop the wide school grounds and create a warm atmosphere.
FRIENDS!!!imase
This is a heartwarming song that gently celebrates the beauty and importance of friendship.
It carefully portrays the bond with close friends who understand each other the moment they meet, the awkwardness of reconnecting after a long time, and the feelings toward a tie that never changes.
Featuring a groovy rhythm and light, breezy vocals, this piece was specially written by imase for “Everyone’s Concert,” a collaboration project between the live communication app Pococha and Yamaha Corporation.
Released in February 2025, it was accompanied by a special video featuring over 100 performers.
It’s the perfect track to color those irreplaceable moments spent with cherished friends—whether as BGM for club activities and cultural festival prep, or as a message song dedicated to your friends.
futureKobukuro
A heartwarming ballad dedicated to those who live life with all their might.
This gem of a song layers gentle compassion for others with wishes for the future.
Released in December 2015, it was written as the theme song for the film “orange” and was later used as a tie-in track for the anime series as well.
With Kobukuro’s signature powerful harmonies and a melody line that resonates deeply, this piece leaves a lasting impression.
Performed on a school festival stage, it will tenderly color the bonds with dear friends and the memories of student days.
Goodbye, see you again in the next life.Innā Jānī
“Goodbye, See You in the Next Life” is a buoyant, hope-filled track that sets themes of parting and reunion to a lively melody.
Its lyrics, rich with deep love and bonds, portray the strength to endure farewells in this life and believe in meeting again in the next.
Featured on the EP “Scent of the Wind,” the song has resonated widely, especially with younger listeners.
Performed on a school festival stage, it would surely fill the venue with a moving atmosphere.
It’s the kind of song that brings back countless memories and helps friends reaffirm their ties.
Perfect for life’s turning points, it’s an anthem that gives you the courage to face forward and take the next step.