Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

[Culture and School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up your venues and events!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Among the many events in school life, the culture festival is one of the most memorable!

At culture festivals, there are countless moments where music plays a crucial role—whether it’s background music at the venue, songs for band performances, or tracks for dance numbers.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that are guaranteed to hype up the culture festival, aimed at those running the event as committee members and those performing on stage.

With these picks, your festival production is sure to shine!

If you’re in the middle of choosing songs, be sure to use this as a reference.

[Culture Festival & School Festival Songs] Carefully selected popular and hit songs that brighten up venues and events! (111–120)

SMILE ~Like a Clear, Sunlit Sky~Kuwata Keisuke

Keisuke Kuwata “SMILE ~Like a Clear Blue Sky~” Commercial Broadcasters Official Special Movie (Joint Commercial Broadcasters Project ‘Let’s Do It Together’ Support Song)

SMILE ~Like a Clear, Sunlit Sky~Kuwata Keisuke

This is the first digital single by singer-songwriter Keisuke Kuwata, known as a core member of Southern All Stars and also for his energetic solo work.

Selected as the theme song for “Let’s Do This Together 2020,” a joint project for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by Japan’s five major commercial TV networks, the track features a lively yet grand arrangement and lyrics that evoke a globally watched event—truly stirring.

For students who experienced the Olympics and Paralympics held in Tokyo for the first time in 57 years in real time, it’s a perfect BGM choice to energize school festivals and cultural events.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear now more than ever, one that boosts your excitement while bringing back the emotion of the competitions.

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Hoshino Takashi

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[Culture Festival & School Festival Songs] Carefully selected popular and hit songs to color your venues and events! (121–130)

Heavy rotationAKB48

[MV full] Heavy Rotation / AKB48 [Official]

Heavy rotationAKB48

If you’re going to do a group dance for a class presentation, how about AKB48’s “Heavy Rotation”? It’s a single released by AKB48 in 2010 that debuted at No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart and topped the annual karaoke chart for two consecutive years.

The music video—featuring sexy outfits and the members playfully goofing around—also drew a lot of attention and has racked up 160 million views on YouTube.

If the whole class matches outfits and delivers a perfectly synchronized performance, it’s sure to be a showstopper!

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2045MAN WITH A MISSION

MAN WITH A MISSION – 2045

2045MAN WITH A MISSION

A song by the rock band MAN WITH A MISSION, whose striking visual impact and highly pure modern rock sound have gained popularity both in Japan and abroad.

It opens their fifth album, “Chasing the Horizon,” and was selected as the tie-in track for Universal Studios Japan’s event “Universal Hands Up Summer.” Set against a worldview in the year 2045, it’s a theme that feels perfect for students heading into that era.

With arrangements evoking a near-future vibe and a straightforward rock sound that ramps up the energy, it’s a rock tune sure to hype up school culture festivals and campus events.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Only you win (for me).Hinatazaka46

Hinatazaka46 “Kimi Shika Katan”

Only you win (for me).Hinatazaka46

Originally active within Keyakizaka46 as the subgroup Hiragana Keyakizaka46, Hinatazaka46 made their single debut in 2019 after a name change.

This is their fifth single.

The track was used as the theme song for Lawson’s “Hinatazaka46 Campaign” and as the commercial song for the browser game Vivid Army.

With its crystal-clear vocals and superb arrangement that truly scream “idol song,” it really stands out.

It’s a cute number that shines with large-group dance performances, so it would surely hype up stages at school or cultural festivals.

The lyrics, which use phrases familiar to young people, are also effective, making it a perfect song to brighten student celebrations.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Do it! Jump into the air.DA PUMP

DA PUMP / Do it! Jump to the Sky Member’s Edit Ver.

Do it! Jump into the air.DA PUMP

This is a track that drew attention with a DIY-spirited music video released by DA PUMP.

As long as you have the costumes and props, it should look great.

The rest is just copying the vocals! Since ISSA has a high tone, it’s recommended for people confident in singing in the higher register.

Has that EDM sound from about 10 years ago already come full circle for a revival?

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A Cheer Song Dedicated to YouHIPPY

[MUSIC VIDEO] A Cheer Song Dedicated to You / HIPPY

A Cheer Song Dedicated to YouHIPPY

A rousing cheer song packed with a passionate message that powerfully emphasizes the importance of believing in yourself.

Taken from the album “HomeBase ~Arigatou~,” released in March 2017, this track showcases HIPPY’s powerful vocals that stir deep emotion.

The song topped the 2020 Pro Baseball Players’ Walk-up Music Rankings and has been adopted by many baseball players as their entrance song.

Its sound, which fuses pop rock with an emotional ballad style, is sure to shine on any karaoke competition stage!

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winding roadNovelbright

Novelbright – Winding Road [Official Music Video]

winding roadNovelbright

An uplifting coming-of-age anthem that depicts the journey from boyhood to adulthood along the winding road of life, set to a sweeping melody.

The track brings out Novelbright’s appeal to the fullest, portraying the anxieties and inner conflicts of everyday life, as well as the strength to overcome them.

Yudai Takenaka’s expansive vocals and the invigorating sound unique to a rock band resonate deeply.

Released for streaming in January 2025, the song was chosen as the theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Courtroom Dragon,” and its music video—directed by Hiroshi Tamaki—also became a hot topic.

It’s the perfect song for those moments when you strive to achieve something together with friends, like in club activities, cultural festivals, or school festivals.

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