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!
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Uplifting, moving songs that light up school culture festivals. Heart‑touching tracks that will be etched in your memories (41–50)
YC&K
The memories of the culture festival or school festival that everyone created together will remain in your heart as something precious, even as time passes.
This song by the vocal duo C&K depicts memories spent with a lover, but the quiet way it reflects on those moments also seems to inspire the desire to create new memories.
With a mood that blends happiness and loneliness, the track conveys the sense that every memory is an important element that makes us stronger.
Your SongYasuda Rei
If you’re looking for a song that will make you cry no matter what, I recommend “Kimi no Uta.” Its drama-style music video became a hot topic for how moving it is.
Honestly, if you just watch the video, I don’t think any further explanation is necessary.
It’s also perfect as background music for a touching video montage.
Always With MeKimura Yumi
This is the theme song from Studio Ghibli’s popular film Spirited Away.
Since the movie is very famous, everyone knows this song, making it a moving crowd-pleaser at school festivals.
Spirited Away also consistently holds the top spot in rankings of favorite Ghibli films.
Song of DepartureMr.Children
Mr.Children is a beloved, nationally popular band with a wide fan base, from listeners of the same generation as the band to their children’s generation.
Their song “Tabidachi no Uta” was released as a single in 2007 and was chosen as the theme song for the film “Koizora” (Sky of Love).
Many of Mr.Children’s tracks are moving, the kind that tighten your chest with emotion.
Of course, this song is also one you’ll want to use in a poignant scene—one that really hits home, especially for third-year students for whom this cultural festival will be the last.
It’s also cherished as a graduation song.
Is there still anything that love can do?RADWIMPS
RADWIMPS’s song “Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?” was the theme song for the blockbuster anime film Weathering With You.
Its simple piano accompaniment and choral-inspired development make for a deeply moving piece.
With this song, even if your school festival day isn’t blessed with good weather, it might still feel somehow dramatic.
The song’s message is incredibly cool, and I think it’s a must-have track for creating the best day possible.
ScarsdaleUNISON SQUARE GARDEN
A moving number that makes you reflect on the importance of everyday life.
Released in November 2010, it’s UNISON SQUARE GARDEN’s fourth single.
The music video features Kaori Yamamoto, and it’s an ambitious work inspired by Saito’s hometown of Scarsdale, with members other than Tabuchi taking on songwriting and composition for the first time.
Marking a new step after the release of the album “JET CO.,” the track overflows with gentleness and warmth in its band sound, embracing the listener’s heart.
It’s perfect for looking back on youthful memories, and if you sing it on a school festival stage, it’s sure to create a moving atmosphere.
Recall the days you spent with friends and all the effort leading up to the big day, and let the melody carry your feelings.
Letter ~Dear You at Fifteen~Anjura Aki
Angela Aki is a singer-songwriter whose soft yet strong vocals and dynamic, full-body piano performances in live shows captivate fans and never let go.
Her eighth single, “Tegami: Haikei Jūgo no Kimi e” (“Letter: Dear You, Fifteen”), which also aired on NHK’s Minna no Uta, was released with the catchphrase, “Have you ever written a letter to your future self?” The lyrics, which portray the struggles that everyone experiences in their youth, make it a perfect backdrop for a school culture festival.
It’s an emotional number that would surely move audiences if performed as a piano-and-vocal piece on stage.
