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 to Brighten Up Venues and Events! (1–10)

New Treasure IslandSakanakushon

Sakanaction / New Treasure Island -Music Video-

New Treasure IslandSakanakushon

Crafted by Sakanaction, this song gently encourages young people chasing their dreams toward an unknown world.

Blending band-driven instrumentation with synthesizer elements, it achieves a retro vibe while remaining fresh and poppy.

Produced in September 2015 as the theme song for the film “Bakuman,” it reached No.

1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and peaked at No.

9 on the Oricon Singles Chart.

The music video is sprinkled with staging that evokes Showa-era music programs, resulting in a richly varied presentation.

Consider featuring it as a main-stage performance at a school festival or as background music to energize the entire venue.

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A Distant LoveRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Saihate Aini [Official Music Video]

A Distant LoveRADWIMPS

A heartwarming rock tune themed around love and longing, singing of a powerful yearning for someone who has qualities you yourself lack.

RADWIMPS’ signature poetic expression and melodious sound blend beautifully, lifting the listener’s spirits.

Released in May 2017, this work captivates with its fresh, energetic musicality and lyrics that deeply portray relationships with loved ones and the finiteness of time.

Ideal for band performances or background music at school and cultural festivals, its resonant message and powerful musicality will unite the audience and make it a perfect choice to energize any event.

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LokiMikito P

Mikito-P "Roki" MV

LokiMikito P

“Roki” by Mikito-P is a hugely popular Vocaloid song that’s become a modern classic.

It’s built on a band-style sound, and the lyrics are packed with terms familiar to people who play in bands, which makes them fun.

In recent years, Vocaloid tracks have become very popular, especially among younger generations, so performing a Vocaloid song at a school or cultural festival is a great idea.

Of course, it works well as a band cover, and because it’s such a high-energy track, it’s also perfect as background music for a dance performance.

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[Culture Festival & School Festival Songs] A selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up venues and events! (11–20)

Teenager ForeverKing Gnu

King Gnu – Teenager Forever

Teenager ForeverKing Gnu

A four-piece mixture band, King Gnu, known for high-level performances and unconventional song structures.

As the title suggests, it’s a perfect number for a high school culture festival.

With two vocalists of distinct character and sudden shifts in arrangement and loudness, the song’s complexity can make it a bit challenging to pull off as a band performance.

Precisely for that reason, the chance of overlapping with other bands’ setlists is low, and if you polish the performance, there’s no doubt you’ll be the heroes of the culture festival stage.

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Hoshino Takashi

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HappinessAI

AI – Happiness

HappinessAI

Although this song is beloved as a Christmas tune, its sparkling, glamorous sound is perfect for kicking off a school culture festival! The chorus lyrics, themed around smiles, are just right for the occasion, don’t you think? It’s great for group singing, and with its strong, easy-to-groove beat, it’s also ideal for a dance performance.

It even makes an excellent BGM choice for the opening movie.

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Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

Sure thing / Kocchino Kento MV

Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

With its poppy, energetic sound, this track leaves a strong impression and conveys a determination to keep moving forward despite complicated emotions.

It’s a piece that fully showcases Kento Kocchino’s one-man a cappella appeal.

Released in May 2024, it delivers exactly what fans were hoping for.

This work is recommended for those who feel worn out by daily life or struggle to express their feelings.

Listen to it while preparing for the school festival, and it’s sure to lift your spirits.

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Spot the differenceSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda 'Machigai Sagashi' (Spot the Difference)

Spot the differenceSuda Masaki

For example, if your school festival hosts a karaoke-style event, how about taking on this song? It’s a collaboration between popular actor Masaki Suda and singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu, released as a digital single in 2019.

It drew attention as the theme song for the drama “Perfect World.” This love ballad is marked by powerful vocals, and its deeply moving lyrics can truly bring you to tears.

If you can capture its world, you’ll have the entire audience’s attention all to yourself.

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